rlhttp://greatestgame-kj.blogspot.com/2011/04/changing-positions-at-wigan.htmlrl

First Darrell from centre to wing, then Sam from half-back to full-back, this season Lee Mossop from second row to prop, and now Joel from second row to centre. Michael Maguire has switched a few players about since he arrived at Wigan. Which switches do you think have been the most successful? And do you think Joel can be a success at centre?

I think Sam to full back worked brilliantly when Deacon was fit and getting a good run in the side late last year (big part our title success that I think) but without Deacon is seems flat to me.

I liked initial signs of Joel at Centre last week at Leeds but we'll have to be patient with him. It'll take him time to adapt.

Goulding has done well. I don't think he is a classy winger like Pat but he hasn't deserved to be dropped since he got hold of the position last year.

And Mossop was always one likely to step up to prop in my view. I seem to recall him doing it under Noble (I think it was at Saints away?) and he didn't look out of place then and doesn't look out of place now.

Goulding - Great move, but we can't really give Maguire credit for it, it was McRae who shifted him to the wing when he was on loan at Salford.

Sam - He does well at full back but I prefer him at stand off as his defence can be a little shakey, you can talk about the modern 'third half back' full back all day but I still prefer the old Radlinski style full back who tackled anything that moved and caught bombs like they were passes.

Joel - Not convinced yet but we'll see. It's his brain farts that worry me, quite a few times I've seen him sprint to the wing, realise he's going in touch, then throw it back aimlessly, great way to give away a try that.

+1

I have got to admit that the thought of Joel at centre is an exciting prospect.

Sam to 1 has looked a little stale recently, but the whole team have not really clicked this year. So benefit of the doubt on that one.

Daz goulding is not a IMO and is doing a grand job on the wing.

I'm not really a big fan of this sort of thing in general and I think we need to be mindful we don't overdo it. We need players who instinctively know what to do at big moments in big games and having guys playing in unfamiliar positions just makes them have to think about it. There's not much time for thinking on a rugby pitch.

Having said that if we're going to experiment I hope it's done one at a time to minimise disruption. Not all change is bad, as proved by Goulding.

Some interesting comments about Sam. I understand that he's not the best defensive full back we've ever had, but he adds a heck of a lot to our attack when he comes into the line from deep positions - as he showed in the GF (esp. Gleeson's 2nd try) and as he showed against Leeds (esp. when he took Finch's cut out pass and broke away towards the end). He has the freedom from full back to pick where and when he moves up, whereas he just wouldn't have the space and vision to do that from 6 or 7. I think MM has made up his mind to keep Sam at 1 (as I mentioned in my blog), so I'd be surprised to see him moved back to the halves any time soon.



I agree about Mossop - I think he played prop on loan at Hudds too, but it's credit to both MM and Lee himself that it's working so well (so far).

Now that Gleeson has officially gone, I think we have to go with either Joel or Charnley at centre, I'm just not convinced about Marsh. I think due to our abundance of quality in the 2nd row MM will go for Joel, Charnley is defo one to replace George when he retires/goes.

Talk of Hock being moved to a prop could also be added to the changes list?

I mentioned it it the blog. Did you not read it?

I think it's clear to see that all of them have had a positive impact in one way or another.

The good thing in my opinion is that Maguire is willling to try this sort of thing.

Why assume that just because a player has been playing somewhere since he was 16 that it is his best position. It could change, or the person who told them to play in a certain position may have been wrong.

Had Joel been brought up in Aus, I think he would have been a centre all his career.

Feka to Salford.

I think Sam's switch to fullback worked well as a surprise tactic last season, but the better teams have now worked out how to nullify his attacking threats and capitalise on his weaknesses. It's no coincidence, IMO, that our best playing period v Leeds came when he'd switched to halfback.

The other changes I think are excellent. Joel at centre is already good, and will improve, and it allows us to play another of our talented back rowers. If he stayed in the second row, either Hansen or Farrell would have to be dropped, and that would be unfair to either.

It's hardly modern. Martin Ryan, the Wigan and GB full back, was linking up with the threequarter line in the 1930's.

But I agree, Sam to 6.

Reminds me of a certain Keith Senior. If he does that badly over his wigan career i'll be happy

tbh i reckon Feka would have had more game time than Lima.........and been more effective.