Who do we play at prop then?

And before you say Mossop, I don't think Mossop is ready to play prop against Morley, Carvell etc. Although he had a good game against Saints (superb second half) he was playing out wide as a second row and not thumping it up the middle.

Hock has gone, Bailey is getting no younger and IMO he is better then Hansen. I think he is safe.

Mossop in my opinion is ahead of him on form of this year, on form of this year i would take Hansen. Bailey potentially has one more year in him, and simply because he is a current Wigan player with a starting shirt does not mean he always should be.

His error count and ball retention is poor, when he has a good run of games he cuts this out but it always creeps back in.

He has the potential to be part of the fixtures and fitting for a long time but i do not think until he improves significantly in this department is he entitled to be, we have to look to put together a squad and improve in areas across the park, if there is better out there then Joel does not have a devine right to being in the Wigan club.

As for the coming week, Mossop, Flanigan, Hansen, Bailey and Locky all deserve a place over him in my opinion.

you make me laugh,after richards last year joel was our best player and was 2nd in young player of the year,and filled in for lockers very well
he contributes to the team very well and takes chances which dont always come off,so what
when he has a great game on sat your opinions will change

your right we will, but thats because he's had a string of poor games now. Even in the games when he played well he was particularly error strewn, and with the strength in depth of the back row he shouldn't and won't get the benefit of doubt as others because there is a ready made replacement to walk into the team.

Form states he is not worth a spot over the others, nothing funny about that. Its fact.

It is often not so much him trying things that ensure the ball goes to ground, it is simply a very lose carry. I dont mind the ball hitting the deck if he is chancing his arm but firstly he needs to learn when to attempt it and secondly as said above often his mistakes come from a loose carry nothing to do with him trying something off the cuff.

If he plays i hope he does go well, if he does not i hope he goes well next time he gets a chance and earns his shirt back.

Its called having a squad with depth, no player has a devine right to play, especially in the secondrow where we are so strong.

Optimistic ey? Work it out - you had an allocation of just over 5000, of which 600 were returned.

Warrington have sold out 4 different batches of tickets, so therefore the makeup should be around 8000 Wires, to 5000 Pies.

Have A Good Day All! - Might see a few of you in the Alehouses.

Hock and Lockers went through the same problem with poor ball retention and knowing when to stick and pass, its become more of a problem with Tomkins since those two are not in the team, Because of all our back row hes the one with anything aproaching the same ability with ball in hand. If you droped him for the semi it would send the wrong message in my oppinion, and for the long term prospects of the lad he has to play.

Wire's 19 man squad...

Louis Anderson, Vinnie Anderson, Matty Blythe, Chris Bridge, Lee Briers, Garreth Carvell, Jon Clarke, Mike Cooper, Ben Harrison, Chris Hicks, Paul Johnson, Matt King, Richard Mathers, Lee Mitchell, Michael Monaghan, Adrian Morley, Paul Rauhihi, Chris Riley, Ben Westwood.

Injuries;

Mickey Higham - torn bicep
Brian Carney - broken arm
Paul Wood - broken leg
Simon Grix - shoulder

Wigan RL 19 man squad

Amos Roberts, George Carmont, Pat Richards, Thomas Leuluai, Stuart
Fielden, Mark Riddell, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Phil Bailey, Sean O'Loughlin,Joel Tomkins, Andy Coley, Harrison Hansen, Paul Prescott, Karl Pryce, Cameron Phelps, Martin Gleeson, Lee Mossop, Sam Tomkins, Mark Flanagan.

Phelps
Roberts
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Tomkins
Leuluai
Prescott
Riddell
Coley
Hansen
Bailey
Lockers

Feka
Fielden
Mossop
Flanagan

I'd go with that.

And me.

I would like us to go with that BUT I think Noble will go with Flanagan missing out with J Tomkins on the bench.

So do I. I think Flanagan was outstanding but Nobby has proved time and again he reverts to previous selections asap. Great to see such depth at the club though.

Does that mean I get the job next year if BN leaves?