Has anyone else noticed that when we're 25-40 metres out on 5th we seem to stick bombs up to the wing 20 metres out? We've done it a few times so I'm assuming it's deliberate. Can anyone explain the idea behind this to me? Even when we catch it we still have to beat the defensive line, if we don't catch it we have given them unneccesary metres. Personally I'd prefer us to try to force drop puts with grubber kicks but we seldom seem to attempt that since Leuluai left

I completely agree - I never like bombs unless they're a couple of metres away from the line. Also, kicking a high ball (or any type of kick) to Ryan Hall is bonkers.

Hall is the best winger in rugby league for me

Our kicking in the opposition 30 has become so predicable and needs to be looked at. What's happened to that flatter kick (although ariel) that we used to put in around the middle with runners flooding on to it?

The bombs to both wings are pathetic. They're just floated and they're not even landed close to the opposition line. I said as Greens kick was in the air last night that Leeds would score off it. It took an extra tackle or two then I expected but they did.

It needs looking at.

Any modern day fullback will tell you that most of the time he expects the ball in the air aimed in his direction on the 5th tackle , what they do not like is the grubber kick along the floor which is timed to make it a 50-50 ball between the fullback and the chasing defenders.

The fullback knows he has to go down to get the ball which leaves him open to a good kicking if he and the opposition arrive at the ball at the same time, but Wigan's last tackle kicking is so stereotyped it is hard to believe at times.

Bill Ashurst had it off to a tee, he used to put a grubber through sometimes on the halfway line, you could see his thinking, he would chase after his kick and God help anyone who got is his way.

Agree with MadDog about kicking to Hall. Kicks to him are the only time he gets the ball. Moon never passes to him so why do we give him the ball?
His kick returns are devastating so why the hell kick to him?
If he didn't field kick returns he'd never see the ball.
I don't get it, I really don't!

I spent the night on the radio bemoaning this bombing tactic when we didn't look like being close to catching one all night.

Our tactics will change as the season progresses. They did last year and they have changed from game to game this year with ball in hand. A dry ground is best for an in goal grubber as is bobbles and holds better than it does on a wet pitch. We did seem to stick to the same two ideas on the sixth play against Leeds, it was either up in the air or we ran it. Not the best of tactics against a strong defence and two of the best wingers in the game.

Our halfbacks were poor Vs Leeds. With O'Loughlin out injured we needed big games from Smith and Green. Smith was pretty much anonymous, and Geore Williams looked more of a threat for the short period of time he was on the field. Green was also poor apart from the few times he took on the line. What's happened to Green in defence aswell?.. Last year I thought he was rock solid but he's now falling of tackles left, right and centre. The pair of them need to practice their in play kicking because they both look devoid of ideas 90% of the time.

Greens defence is becoming a real issue for me. I mentioned it a few times on Friday and it's been noticeably poor in recent games especially at Saints and at home to HKR.

It's not much better on the other side either. Smith's defence has been very poor. Meanwhile filling in at hooker this year have been Powell and Williams, two halves who are very strong defensively (Williams in particular is just ridiculous).

Powell also happens to have an excellent kicking game, although Williams not so much.

Kicking game? , we don't have one and haven't had one for a couple of years IMO that is unless you count kicking it straight to the opposition full back, or better still kicking time and again to the best returner of a kick in SL at the moment. Ryan Hall

Is everyone forgetting that our kicking game won us the challenge cup last year and was a main factor in us progressing through the playoffs?

Also, it was spot on against Saints and Wire this year. We cannot be perfect every game, you all have to come to terms with that.

No team in the World has a kicking game if the pack is beaten.

Honestly, are you joking? Or are you basing this off one game?

We didn't have a kicking game under Maguire but since Green and Smith have come in our kicking has been brilliant. Like someone said our kicking game was a big reason we won the CC, we found the floor and forced drop outs and mistakes. In the play offs against Huddersfield we forced at least 6 drop outs. I remember the game at Leeds last year, the only reason we were in the game was we consistently found the floor. Green and Smith kicked 7 40/20s last year and were both in the top ten in the league.