I think Gelling will quietly disappear into obscurity - just the wrong player at the wrong time. I would not be surpised if a new Centre came in with Thornley going to the wing (IT would be a decent replacement for Pat, with deceptive pace and good in the air). I imagine they are also looking at youngsters like Manfredi and Lloyd's to see if they have potential to be good longer term options at centre.

However, if Gelling did eventually show improvements and makes himself into a 1st team player, I would be very happy. He has an amazing physique for RL, and is exceptional in the air, so I can see why SW wants to persist with him on the flank.

I would really like to see Gelling have the chance to play at centre more, and I agree with you I like Thornley, and think he is going to be a great asset to us, but for me his defence last night was very poor.

It was a difficult night for both our centres defensively with 2 rookie halves defending inside them. I think we need to keep persevering with Goulding and Thornley. They've both been pretty consistent this year barring a couple of blips. We've no "easy" games left and I really don't think now is the time to start experimenting with Gelling in the centres. He does a job on the wing when we have injuries but when Charnley, Richards, Thornley and Goulding are fit he won't get in the team. The fact Gelling now has no opportunity to build match fitness outside of the first team doesn't help his chances either.

Gellings positional play is poor. And to use Thornley as an exemplar ?

Thornleys positional play is just as bad.

will make.

Apart from the dropped balls, Gelling had a very, very solid game, he didn't do anything fancy, he got on with his work, and did everything to a high standard. To say you don't rate the bloke because he knocked on and didn't put the ball down near the posts is laughable.

what an absolute retarded thing to say, i'm not having a go because he's foreign, i genuinely thought he had a poor game, if he was raised in shevington i'd same the same thing

Whatever we think, professional coaches obviously think he is worth his place. I don't understand the criticism he gets, he is young and raw boned, playing in a vulnerable position. If people think that his ability to come inside and take on some of the forwards work is a bad thing, i don't think you will find that the forwards will agree. Mistakes will be made when you are a player who is not getting consistent runs in the team, thats inevitable. I think he does ok....

What a ridiculous post. Iv based my opinion on gelling over the period he's been with us, not one game. Its a forum, it's my opinion, don't take it to heart

Over the past few years it has taken players - Pat Richards and Brett Finch included - time to bed into the team. This is in contrast to the days when we'd bring an Aussie or Kiwi and they's get off the plane, go onto the field and be brilliant.

Gelling is playing out of position and at some point will come infield and this may well be the making of him. Look at the transformation with Goulding now he plays centre. For me he looks to have a lot of potential and is worth keeping.

By the way, I love the term "Raw Boned"! It conjours up an image of a big boney lad who hasn't filled out - I've only heard this in the context of rugby league players and mainly in Wigan where there seems to always be a good number of raw boned lads!

Well he does look a little long limbed and rangy, but he is still a young chap (22)... I'm 6' 2", and was a strong 14st in my pomp, i would not have liked to have tackled him, fearless as i was. I would imagine he is quite a handful for many "backs".

I like him, I have since we signed him. I'd like to see him in the second row or centres though.

Not good enough for Wigan or a top SL club. Decent build but limited evasion skills, no sense of positioning and timing when supporting a runner, basic errors showboating a try rather than getting as close to the sticks as he possibly can. H will always have his fans at Wigan in a similar vein to Cameron Phelps but their logic will be anything but RL talent.

My logic for liking Gelling is based solely on the basis of talent and nothing else. I'm not sure what else you can base it on?

He might not have a wicked step BUT he's hard to put down, makes decent yards when we are in front of our own sticks and is deceptively quick when at full tilt. From his time in the academy at centre he looked a different player.

For me he could easily be a Keith Senior type of centre. Senior as player had no finesse in his game but did possess an ability to break the line and was a magnet when it came to attracting defenders to him. Gelling can be that player as once he's blasted through at centre it's going to attract more players to him next time.

To be totally honest, i've never really rated him as a winger. Everytime he gets the ball i get nervous. I'd like to see him in his proper position, centre. We might see the real Anthony Gelling then. If Waney keeps playing him on the wing, he will never prove himself. If im right he has signed again so hopefully we'll get to see him in the centre position.

Senior had very good footwork and excellent handling ability. Your comparison renders your view of Gelling worthless.

I'm not taking it to heart, but, in your post the points you make are idiotic, to put it mildly. That's my opinion.

In your opinion of course.

It's becoming a common trait on this board that people simply shoot down others who don't agree with them.

Your opinion regarding basic errors such as show boating whilst in the act of scoring is neither here or there as not only is it something that can easily be cut out of his game but it's not a regular occurrence either. It's funny how people forget him commitment to get over the line which has already cost him an injury this season.

Keith was in no way shape or form a 'stepper' of a centre nor was his footwork the basis of his game. You also talk as if Gelling doesn't posses any sort of footwork either.

The same SP that referred to another poster in another thread as an idiot for merely having an opinion contrary to his own. If you want to be treated seriouslt then come to the table with a better compaison of a RL rookie / nobody versus a British international, highly decorated winger / centre who played what just short of 500 games Seniors game was based around great speed for size, a very effective step and a big fend. I am a Wigan follower but strewth even I can give players from other clubs some credit. Go to the Rhinos forum and spoit your far fetched view and see how many laugh. Better still do not whine when you insult posters yourself. Pot, Kettle, Black etc etc.

Brilliant post there full of sweeping statements and yet more assumptions based upon nothing but what seems to be your own sense of superiority.

First of all my comment calling another poster an idiot wasn't because of their view point being different to mine. Putting the word FACT after a post just makes a person seem like a sanctimonious tool. I have no issues with people having a different view point to mine and in fact I welcome it as it makes the forum better. If the person thinks Gelling will never be 'Wigan class' and makes a case as to why then that's fine by me. Instead the poster in question took the lazy option.

Secondly your statement that anyone who likes Gelling is somehow basing it on none playing issues is laughable. I'm still not sure what these other factors are btw as I don't know the guy off the pitch so my views are based how I've seen him perform. It's strange that you'd put that at the end of your argument as up to that point i have to admit i didn't agree with what you put BUT at least you'd structured your opinion into reasonable arguments.

I'd also like to know how me saying that Senior wasn't a centre with great finesse is knocking him or also me snot giving praise to opposition players? Now that's another assumption you've made with zero info to back it up. For the record i thought Senior was a great player and i'd have loved to see him at Wigan. I just don't think he was an agile, free flowing creative centre in mould of Gleeson or other players like that. Doesn't mean he wasn't a hell of a player.

Gelling is a big guy who's hard to put down, has a decent turn of pace (i'd say he's as quick as senior was) and after watching him in the academy he seems more natural playing at centre than he does on the wing. If i'm going to say what sort of centre HE COULD BE then i'll pick the best version of that type of player. IMO that's senior. That however isn't me saying Gelling could be better than Senior I'm just saying he COULD be that type of player.

•Great hands
•Great work rate
•Good offload
•Good size
•Decent speed
•Decent tackle technique
•Poor concentration
•Poor positioning

His problems are things that should be able to be coached out of him over time, he's worth keeping imo

Another point to raise is about is awareness, does he actually know what he's doing? Does he know what the opposition are doing? Or is he just a tall battering ram and awareness is not in his forte? We have had so many smart centres and second rowers and he doesnt come across as a smart player. Come to think of it he does remind me of Joel Tomkins and he wasnt a bad player. Put that list to Joel and it matches!

I don't think he's had enough game time to come to all those conclusions about him.
I was pretty annoyed when, for his second try, he seemed more interested in throwing the ball into the crowd rather than going nearer the posts. Not mearly as annoyed though when Hughes went to right centre, that I can't understand. The lad struggles there and he had a poor game because of it. Gelling didn't have a poor game.
Gelling has to be tried at centre next time Thornley is hooked or Goulding is injured/ill. The right defence made Ah Van and Isa look world beaters and neither are SL quality players.
Not sure how many games Gelling has played in the first team but he needs to play far more. I'm not sure what to make of him at present.

The lad will never win with some people. If he was English and more importantly from Wigan he'd be given that licence to make errors and people would focus on the positives like they do with the local kids.

He'll always have that battle to fight but he can only do so much. His try scoring record is exceptional, his workrate and attitude is excellent but he has things to work on, like anybody. One day we'll hopefully be able to judge him in his natural position also. He's never a winger but he gives it a fair crack.

The problem is that once their minds are made up (Lauaki, Gelling, Wane) it will take Sam like performances to change their minds.

Agree 100%