https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... alford-win seems to have been a good game, and TT was on the bench.

https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... alford-win seems to have been a good game, and TT was on the bench.

I wasn't expecting much but i was quite impressed for a first run out. Sammut put some great bombs in and there were signs that Hardaker will be superb once he settles in. For once i think we now have a bit of size in the forwards with Bullock & Greenwood, Greenwood was superb as was Tony Clubb. I couldn't fault anyone really however I do think that both Isa & Tautai need to be dropped further down the pecking order.
Our discipline wasn't the best but the majority of penalties were for lying on and you could blame some of this on fatigue.
The shot clock was good to see although the players will now use every second that they are entitled to before play commences. All in all a good game and thank the lord that rugby league is back

It was a bit scrappy as you’d expect but a solid hit out and some good showings. The forward pack was solid with Greenwood showing some superb touches second half. It looks like Tautai will start as 4th or 5th choice prop in front of Bullock and he will need to up his game if he’s to keep that spot. A player who could challenge both and also lads like Hamlin and Navarette could be Liam Byrne. He is a unit but looks as fit as a fiddle and he put in a good shift when he came on.

T ran with some purpose but always seems to have a handling error in him. I can't see him staying above Bullock for long, even if that's the case at the moment. Bullock is simply a better player.

I thought Sammut looked good and seems to have exactly the controlling game we've been asking for to compliment George. His kicking today was excellent. What I really liked from him though was how vocal he was. For a player new to the team he certainly made his presence felt in organising plays and generally motivating and encouraging those around him. He appeared to be making a point defensively too. Some of his early hits were very aggressive and he made multiple tackles on many sets. Good first showing!

We certainly won't have any issues if we pick up injuries in the forwards this year. Easily the most depth out of all the squads in SL.

Sammut looked promising but I'm still unsure about moving away from a half back combo which won 10 games out of 10 at the end of last year.

A bit scrappy but it was a good hit out. I was particularly impressed with Bullock and Byrne. Hamlin was excellent, Hardaker went well too.

George Williams showed no signs of improvement from last season IMO. Some of his passes/kicks and plays were awful but then again the ball to Davies for a try in the corner was sublime. I’m sure (or hopeful!) with a few games under his belt he’ll improve.

For me Sammut offered the square root of jack all. I still don’t know why we’ve bothered signing him. As for Jackson Hastings we really have missed out on a cracking player there.

Overall though we looked good in patches. It was a good hit out and something we can definately build on for the season.

I don't see how you can say that about Sammut. he kicked very well indeed and looked just the kind of organiser we need to me.

Williams was Williams, a mixture of poor options and some sublime skills. He’s frustrating but we’d be lost without him. He set up Davies and Farrell try’s and was generally threatening throughout. He’s not been working with Lam for too long either so hopefully the frustrating parts to his game will kick on a level.

Williams was the biggest disappointment to me today, didn't seem to have changed anything from last year, he was trying to be too fancy with a lot of the kicks when just a bomb would have sufficed. Sammut looked decent enough, the charge down was good, but needs to watch himself after what looked like he may have grabbed the ref's arm. Felt we were a bit weaker with Shorrocks at 9 than Powell or Ganson but overall a good hit out.

It's nice to actually have a goalkicker as well!

Summed up Williams pretty well there.

If Lam can improve his kicking game and stop him from thinking that he needs to make a try on every last tackle then we will have a top player.
Overall I thought today was a pretty decent performance for a friendly. Bullock will be challenging for a starting 17 place and it wouldn't surprise me if Sammut also makes the 17 against Saints