Over the past few weeks, alot of people have been calling for Tommy to drop into 9, with Sam and Smith at 7 and 6 respectively.

Well, I think Noble did this yesterday, and if I'm honest I was relieved when Tommy went off and Riddell came back on at the end, their distribution was pretty much the same, but I didn't really see any darting runs from Tommy and I didn't think he offered us that much going forwards.

Any thoughts?

I was not at the game yesterday as I did not make it back from holiday in time, but from what I have seen of tommy at hooker he has been pretty good, better than McIlorum.

My view is that Tommy is better at 9 than McIlorum.

This won't be a popular view with those who feel that Wigan-born lads should be in the team at any cost. But I honestly feel that McIlorum now comes a poor 3rd in our hooking states, and in that respect I don't know what future he has at the club.

I'd imagine, however, that IL and co will be loathe to let him go purely because of the criticism that would be again be heaped on us.

A bit of a conundrum.

Tommy was good at Scrum-Half yesterday, better than at hooker IMAO. Piggy started well then didn't really notice him - the 30m run did for him I think!

McIlorum is a tough one. He seems to have the skills, but he's in and out of the side so it's difficult to get an idea of what he can do week-in, week-out.

2 points:

1. Tommy is our best SH
2. Tommy is a world cup winning hooker

until we get someone of equal or better ability to replace him at SH then he cant move

Tomkins definately but im not convinced about smith and im pretty sure he wont be here after this year anyway.

Personally id keep Tommy Piggy McIlloram Tomkins and still go for a recognised 6 and let Tomkins make the 7 spot his over the space of a few seasons.

McIlorum has been very poor this season IMO. Everytime he comes on I find myself counting the minutes until Riddell gets back on, and given how little Riddell has offered that's quite damning. At the moment Riddell is coming off second best to Higham (despite the fact that Riddell's passing is clearly sharper and more incisive) because he is showing, at best, only glimpses of what he can do. That said, I still think Riddell will continue to improve, and the top of his game is better than the top of Mickey's. I would definitely only use Riddell and Lulu at the moment.

TL has agreed terms for his next contract at Wigan. I for one would like to see him stay.

How, Riddell has made more metres than Higham this season, conceded less penalties and made fewer errors.

Tommy had already done half the game at 7 before moving to 9. At one point he was the only player giving us some go forward until Feka arrived.
I think Noble has this scenario in mind for the rest of the season.
Smith was excellent at 6 and it was good to see him do 80 mins.
Sam was good off the bench but took time to get up to the pace of the game. TL spelling with Piggy gives the team more options.
McIlorum hasn't been good with his distribution from dummy half. At some periods in the Saints game he looked like Higham mark2 his passing was that poor. His tackling though is great and he's one of the lads who's just signed a 3 year deal. A loan period to a NL1 club or maybe Celtic perhaps.
Sunday's squad will be Noble's "first team" for the rest of the season.

I was going to ask the same question.

Granted, Riddell has been a bit of a disappointment so far, but he's shown what he can do in flashes (it would certainly help if the club could get him fit). But I can't see anything on which to base the statement that he's been second-best to Higham.

Though I always liked Mick Higham's work ethic, I rarely - if ever - came off after a match thinking "Micky really did it for us today."

As for this season, only Stevo seems to be hugely impressed - and we all know that that is part of his anti-Wigan agenda.

As I see it the problem is the musical chairs that goes on when TL moves from 7 to 9 when Riddell goes off.

Instead of a simple bench interchange of the back up hooker coming on for the starting no 9 we end up with 9 going off, 7 going to 9, 6 going to 7 and the sub going to 6. And then the opposite when Riddell comes back on or some variation on that.

If TL is to play 9 it ought to be as one of the two 9's and that would mean starting from the bench with Smith as 7 and Tomkins as 6 all game.

I doubt this will happen though for a number of reasons. The main one is Noble who I just don't think has got the guts for any radical selections unless change is forced on him. If he had then by now he would have tried what I am saying above and also Lockers in the 2nd row alongside Hock with J Tomkins at 13.

Then we have the debate is Smith good enough anyway against stronger teams meaning we must play TL at 7 because there is no option. Well if that is true, then surely Smith needs to be dropped and the interchange hooker would be McIllorum. This would again leave the half backs alone when resting Riddell (a joke of a necessity in itself) so less disruptive once again.

I don't see how we can expect the team to adjust and continue to play the same way when Riddell going off causes so much of a change in players positions.

Dave