Quote: McClennan "Good defence isn't just smashing players about. He was pretty much everywhere again, including at least three tackles which prevented breaks.'"
Wilkin is an area of must debate in my mind.
He makes 40+ tackles a week, which most certainly can't be sniffed at, but he does have a habit of letting forwards over the top of him which helps ease the pressure of the opp in certain situations.
Then there's going forward. Some times, he's just plain in the way of the half backs, not doubt. Plus, since he seems to now have the authority on long kicking, that takes him out of the forward work for a play a set, as you don't want him taking the tackle prior to the kicking play.
He seems to be busy and getting his hands on the ball a lot, but how much postive affect he's having I'm unsure. He's certainly not giving us a lot of go forward as a back row ought to.
So is he the glue that holds us together, or is he the wimpy kid who gets picked because he tries the hardest?