+1

He's our best 7, start him there and move him to 9 after 25/30 mins.
If were going to play Mickey Mac then he needs to start, the best part of his game is the defensive stuff and that's where we need him Friday in the first 25/30 mins.
Let's not waste Tommy's energies in there, let him run at em after MM has done the Hard graft!

It sounds like things are just going round and round in circles. Leuluai has been played at scrum half and was fairly poor except in broken play. His kicking game was especially poor. Leuluai has played well at hooker when allowed to start in that position, much better than when he moved to hooker part way through the game.
McIlorum looks tired and hasn't offered much going forward for a while which is exactly why it was felt that Leuluai had to move to hooker.
Now that it seems that Finch and Deacon are too similar in the halves people are suggesting the team is switched to one of the combinations that already hasn't really worked
I still think there's a player that could add attacking options into the halves, allowing 2 hookers and Sam to remain at fullback but we'll probably never find out, at least not in the near future.

I'd be so tempted to bring Sam back in at 6 in place of Finch and leave Roberts at fullback. I didn't think Roberts did alot wrong yesterday and whilst he has alot of confidence building to do he can't be expected to get back to his best without gametime.

Another reason I'd be tempted to do this is because Finch is still blowing abit hot and cold for me. He's pushing too many passes for my liking and needs to be more patient. He needs to try and put an element of doubt in defenders minds by taking on the line abit more. He is too easy to read at the minute because teams know he's getting rid of the ball regardless of the position he finds himself in. I believe he can and will improve but hand on heart I don't think he warrants a place in our best 17 at the minute.

Agreed with all of that Rogues. We cant go into this game light upfront. Mickey Mac needs to use the aggression we know he has and stop Roby from playing cause everything comes off him.

TBH i think if we show up in the forwards we will win, but if we dont we will get hammered.

C.

I am going to be a bit controversial.
On Friday it has got to be horses for courses.

Amos fullback with Sam at standoff, now for the controversial bit.
Deacon,Finch and Tommy to share the scrumhalf/hooking role.
Otherwise if Deacon and Finch are 6 and 7, I can see Lomax and Gaskell
being to quick for them.
Finch for me to be ideal to play the same type of game as Monaghan at Warrington (the hooker not the winger)

If I were Royce I'd go with:

Wellens
Makinson
Shenton
Meli
Foster
Gaskell
Lomax
Puletua
Roby
Graham
Flannery
Soliola
Wilkin

Bench

LMS
Perry
Magennis
Eastmond

Must have missed this bit, I don't remember him being fairly poor at any point in the last 2 years at 7?
As for him being better when He started at 9 than when he moved there, any particular instances you'd like to mention?
Tommy and deacs at HB for me with Finch coming on after half hour (Although Finch starting andDeacs on Bench I could live with).

My views exactly.

Tommy hasn't really stood out at any point this year when playing at scrum half. I think his best game at 7 came at Bradford where he made use of some broken play. Every single game he's played in at 7 his kicking game has been absolutely appalling, probably the worst of any halfback anywhere in Super League and whenever the other halfback didn't perform Leuluai generally didn't either. He never provided any creativity, even with Deacon and Finch out it was left to O'Loughlin to play the role of a true halfback.

How confident are you lot going into this game?

Should be an absolute cracker - hope we come through reasonable unscathed (or as unscathed as you can from a derby!) for the Wire game the next week.

I quite fancy us to nick a win, but wouldn't be surprised by any result or scoreline.

I think the words "In My Opinion" would be best added to the majority of those statements?

In my opinion, a Harry Sunderland winning scrum Half who's started 99% of his games for Wigan in that position is good enough for me.
As for his kicking game, I'm guessing our kicking game has been a hundred times better since he started the last 2/3 games at 9?
Seems strange to me then that IMO it's been absolutely no different.

We're very up and down, and not just from game to game. But minute to minute. We can go from looking like absolute world beaters, to clueless robots in the space of 5 minutes.

Saying that it's a derby so I'm sure we'll be up for it.

As for predicting a result. I think the two games already played between the sides this year, show it really is going to be a toss of a coin. I'm just hoping for dry weather so we can see the best the two sides have to offer.

Surely it's a bit obvious that it's my opinion? I'm not going to be giving anyone else's.

I think our kicking game has been a bit better since he switched to 9 though. The kicks seem to find the ground a lot more which is always better than kicking short and straight to the fullback or winger. I'm not saying Leuluai hasn't been good at scrum half, he's been excellent there during his time at Wigan but I don't think he's been that good in the position this season. It's not just based on the fact that I don't think Leuluai has been as good this year, I think Mcllorum has been woeful in terms of attack with the exception of the game against Quins which would suggest an attacking threat at hooker is needed. I think Leuluai adds that attacking threat at hooker and has done better at hooker than scrum half.

All in my opinion of course.

So what you seem to be saying is that we have a problem at Hooker? Not at Half back?

If that be the case then we have 2 x options

A/ Play Tommy at 9 for the Full 80

B/ Start with MM and move Tommy there after 30 or so as MM is not the right type of Hooker to be bringing on to provide some impact in there.

Don't tire Tommy out and have to being him off or move him to the HB's when he's knackered after 20 runs from DH and 15 tackles just to get MM on the field, we may as well start with MM and move a fresher Tommy there! Or Leave MM out altogether and play Tommy there for 80?
I agree that MM has looked a bit tired at times, maybe that has something to do with the large amount of game time he had to play early season with Deacon & Finch both being out?

Me personally, With the welcome return of Coley, Fielden, Hock shortly it lends itself more to 1 of MM, Tommy, Deacs or Finch missing out altogether.
For me Finch would be the misser but at the moment we haven't got those guys back so all 4 get in.
Tommy and Deacs at HB, MM starts with Finch on Bench. Tommy to move to 9 to mix things up if needed as defenses tire.

All in my opinion of course

That's nothing to do with Tommy, except in that he hasn't been doing much kicking, Sam & Pat have been doing most of it recently, which is why it's improved.