I know he's played fullback but I've never actually seen him play there. Looks like all our back up fullback options are poor under the high ball.

In fairness he's looked awful in defence at centre for London yet has looked pretty solid so far in that position at Wigan.

The signing of Bowen was essential.

Budgie can and has played at fullback and therefore can offer an option for Waney.

Did anyone really expect him to be on top form last night after 5 months of an off season? I didn't.
Bowen will come good I'm sure.

Murphy and Tierney have been given little game time following errors at fullback. Bowen was brought to do a job this season.
I expect a lot of Bowen but that will come later in the season in the mean time using Hampshire could make or break him especially if he his dropped if he has a poor game as the other young full backs have. Let Bowen settle in before he is made official scapegoat. I can understand the clamour for Hampshire but the same fans would be on his back if he costs the team a game.

Forget that, his ability and usefulness to the team HAS TO be assessed playing half a game in a friendly.

Get rid and get the kids in.

absolute rubbish and to think he is a marquee signing aswel... il take him to the airport myself!

He's definitely the fastest thing on 2 legs that i have seen for ages Rogues

I am in the middle of watching the full game on Wigan Tv and my opinion is how are people saying he was poor? he made 1 error by my account. You could tell he was looking for his role in the side a couple of times it looked like he was asking o'loughlin for direction. once he settles and feels comfortable he will be quality.

Also somebody said burgess struggles with high balls they are deluded. He had a perfectly good try chalked off from catching a high ball and he slipped under the one he dropped (which had 3 saints players chasing when they was offside). I seriously think burgess will become the paddy of 2010.

Can,t beleive people writing matty bowen off already give the lad a chance see how he does when the season starts proper, then judge. If he plays like he can then he will be world class for us.

Where does it say I am writing him off? He was poor last night. I was surprised by how poor. Will he improve? I hope so.

I would not say he was poor, he didn't rip it up either. We may need to let him settle a little, which im sure he will once he gets into the way we play. Then he will be fine.

Regarding Bowen we seem to be getting the same reaction off some fans which was the same reaction that Gene Miles got when he came to Wigan about 20 years ago, to be honest for the first half of the season he played he was a shadow of the player his reputation said he was.

The first half of the season Miles played he was either rubbish or he went off, if he stayed on it was said his lacklustre performances was because he was carrying an injury and he was only here for the money. After Christmas the transformation was unbelievable, from being a player who fans distrusted his reasons for coming to Wigan to being one of the finest centres to put on a Wigan shirt.

Cherry mentions Hampshire's performance under the high ball, I don't think Rocky is as bad as Tierney but you still have your heart in your mouth when they are faced with the high ball.
When teammates, coaches and fans are hoping desperately that they catch the ball it is time for a rethink, when an high ball went up against Rad's, Hampson or opposition fullbacks (Whellans for example) fans started looking for what they would do to develop the play when they caught the ball. Even Sam had his moments under the high ball.
I have said it on here in the past that Hampshire has the most natural ability to play standoff that Wigan have produced in years, so do not spoil that talent.

Someone as mentioned on here about Burgess playing fullback and I have been thinking the same myself since seeing him take an high ball at Leigh the other week when he placed himself in the fullback position on a Leigh last tackle. He made that ball his due to his size, height and physical presence, coupled with that he has just as much pace as the other players mentioned in this post.
I am not suggesting what I have said could happen straight away, but Wigan have a young winger in Manfredi who could step into a wing spot if Burgess was moved back.

and then you have matty smith, george williams and sam powell. Unless you drop tomkins and move powell to interchange hooker, i though he was better than tomkins last night in that position.

either way something is eventually going to give.

Hampshire/tierney/Burgess: full back
Charnley/burgess/Manfredi: Wing and it now looks like Thornley will be another
Goulding/Thornley/Gelling/Sarginson:
Matty Smith/ Sam Powell/ George williams/ Ryan Hampshire: Half backs… Assuming green leaves after this season.
McIlorum/Tomkins/ Powell: hooker
Farrell/Clubb/Bateman/hughes/Burke/hopkins: second rows


Eventually these players will all want to be 1st team players.

I am old enough to have seen Gene Miles play for Wigan and he was at the end of his career when he arrived. He was slagged off early on after a slow start but was pure class once he got going. Ask Offiah.

I am not saying I agree we have made a smart move letting Sam go for another player nearing the end of his career but you'd have to be an utter moron to think Bowen is a rubbish player and that Hampshire (talent though he is) is the better bet right now.

Personally (and I know that this will upset a few on here) - I preferred having Bowen at the back to Hampshire.

I accept that Hampshire offered more in attack, but he also made more mistakes.

For me, I prefer a fullback who can defend and diffuse, rather than an attacking, mistake-ridden FB.

Maybe Hampshire will improve his defence, maybe not, but IMO it is far better to have a new Fullback who can defend but needs to learn our attacking plays than to have an attacking player who needs to learn not to drop the ball/let it bounce, etc..

Not that MB had a flawless game, but the only mistake that I recall was him taking the ball out of play from a kick around 2 yards inside the field of play, rather than stepping over the line and giving away a drop-out, instead of a 10m scrum.