He had to do though, he’s our best hooker by a mile. Our attack and defence improves with him and he plays 80 min

Burgess might be our best prop by a mile

He might be but judging off his first game and the fact he’s clearly not 100% if he plays Sunday suggests he won’t be for a while and he’s done nothing to suggest he should be picked. Powell has earned the right to come back in

his first game was poor but so was Powells as he never got a chance to show it either, since then Powell has played well but went straight back into the team

Can't understand the thinking in throwing Burgess straight back in, 30/40 mins in the reserves is surely the way to go and if he comes through that unscathed then an on paper easier game against HKR at home to ease him into the first team.

The difference between George Burgess and Sam Powell is with George we have injury and match fitness issues. With Sam we had only an injury issue which has been cleared up.

I don't think Sam Powell first game this season was poor, he was putting in a decent shift which would have resulted in a clever try for him had he not been decapitated.

Powell was one of our best players last season and was playing well in that first game until he nearly had his head taken off. His performance on Sunday justified why he was brought straight back in and he was clearly 100% fit. Burgess hasn’t done anything at Wigan to show he should be picked straight away and should play in the reserves this week to see how he goes

hes only played 15 minutes until injury, so what your saying is new signings should get treated differently to players who have been here years?

No. I saw George Burgess's 17 minutes against Wire and they were utterly embarrassing. A disgrace. Now had this been due to an injury in the first few minutes of the game I could understand but it wasn't. He came into that game and put in that performance after a full preseason. His debut performance was that bad he was promptly yanked off and wasn't seen again which was clearly a waste of an interchange and effectively reduced our players on the day to fifteen.

I sincerely hope he does regain full fitness but let's not risk a first team place until he can put a performance in. I would say we have been guilty with doing it with Clubb) clearly injured) and I don't agree he should have played either.

so he wasnt yanked off due to injury?

Nope.

so he wasnt nursing a hip injury thats plagued him all pre season?

Wigan don't have a reserves game this weekend. The next one is Leeds away on the 7th March.

In fact we only have two reserve games in the next month, I'm guessing that's why Kilner and Wells have bee allowed to go out on a months loan.

Clubs don't put players crippled with an injury out onto the field of play.

Burgess - watched by older brothers Sam and Luke - lasted 18 minutes on debut before being rested and didn't get back on, as he nursed a hip injury which kept him out of Wigan's pre-season matches.