Zak Hardaker maybe available again soon if it's a replacement for Bowen you're after...

Quote: Charlie Sheen "Zak Hardaker maybe available again soon if it's a replacement for Bowen you're after...'" Hmmm viewtopic.php?f=17&t=579668

Quote: Charlie Sheen "Zak Hardaker maybe available again soon if it's a replacement for Bowen you're after...'" Hmmm viewtopic.php?f=17&t=579668

Has Zak been a naughty boy??

I heard he isnt keen on that move and he doesnt fancy the commute to st helens

Liam Sutcliffe has played 40 games for Leeds in SL, but Hampshire only 13 times for Wigan
not sure why you think Hampshire would have had a much harder time at the Rhinos going by those figures?

Only going by what their fans say on the Leeds board. They reckon McDermott is very reluctant to play his youngsters and almost always plays experienced guys first.

But yes, Sutcliffe who is about the same age, has played a lot more than Hampshire (who did have his injury problems last season).

According to the Wigan site Hampshire has made 20 appearances - is this wrong?

A.O.P.

I have just done a quick check on Hampshire's competitive appearances in the first team squad.

2013 season 5 starts, 4 at fullback 1 at standoff 2 as sub.
2014 season 8 starts 4 at fullback 0 at standoff 4 as sub.
2015 season 2 starts 1 at fullback 1 at standoff 0 as sub.

Please can anyone correct me if I am wrong.

These figures show why I have been saying for so long that it isn't fair to throw a young lad into first team rugby in a strange position without giving him the chance to establish himself in the position that he as played from being a young boy.

He was out injured for a large part of last season.

With pivots I think it's more important that they're starting games and developing in that position at some level rather than getting the odd 10-20 minutes here and there in the first team. My argument with Sutcliffe at Leeds is that I think it's better for his development to be playin 80 minutes at 6 for Hunslet (or another SL club) than playing 10 minutes off the bench with no obvious role except to give someone a rest.

From what I've seen of Hampshire he should be playing in the halves, and I get the feeling he's been moved to full back to try and shoehorn Williams into the team. I think long term Wane will have to make a difficult decision between Williams and Hampshire because I can't see them both staying.

It does seem that most people rate Hampshire at Stand Off and maybe Wane's legendary cussedness is at play here. But I would reckon that Deacon, Harris before him and the junior coaches would have had some input into the decision to play him at full back.

At Hull KR I thought he did ok and deserved another shot last week. Of course it is difficult to drop your 'marquee player (haha)' and senior pro when he is fit to play. But that decision will need to be made soon I would have thought.

I don't think it is actually that rare to change a youngsters position at all. You have to play where the vacancy is after all. If you limit yourself to just playing your 'natural' position then you may never get a chance.

We don't know what is going on behind the scenes here regarding contract extensions etc. and of course we are not party to what goes on at training day in and day out. I would trust Wane to know his job a lot better than I do, so if he thinks he's a full back...then he's a full back!

Yes, but, continuing the analogy, couldn't you argue that the point is, Wigan have three 'Sutcliffes'?

You could.

And I'm not quite sure why the previous poster picked me up on my point that Hampshire and all the others would have a tougher time getting games at other big clubs such as Leeds.

It's generally acknowledged throughout the game that Wane and Wigan give youngsters a fair chance. In fact the decisions not to replace such skilled and experienced performers as Pat Richards and Blake Green with similar will I believe backfire on the club.

I say again, Hampshire will get further chances, and most likely, if he's good enough then he'll take them.

In many respects it's players not coaches who pick the team. By that I mean, you can by virtue of your performances, make yourself undroppable.

i thought what wigan had was the best talent to come through their system in 20 odd years in Hampshire?
given how highly he is/was regarded, its dissapointing that they've found so few opportunities for him to play in his natural position, even as an opposition fan.

Williams was also an exceptional schoolboy talent.

He was, but playing at 7, with Hampshire his partner at 6. Surely this is the pairing that needs to be given a chance at some stage?

Smith really needs to up his game and justify his first team spot in front of Hampshire, Williams or Powell. The argument that he is "experienced" and thus worth his place should not hold water if he is consistently underperforming . Something that has been the case so far this season.