For the last two weeks we have conceded a lot of metres in the centre positions.

I am sure Madge is aware of it & will sort it out starting this week

Behave. Probably third or fourth name on the team sheet every week.

He is suggesting we use him as an impact hooker. I don't think he is doubting his ability.

And that's why he's wrong. TL as an impact player is a massive waste. If we line up like that I'll eat my hat.

Given how good our defence has been recently, it's a bit of a worry the way Warrington split us around the edges to score and the way Leeds were almost splitting us at will in the same places during the first half.

I'm not sure what's going on there. I'm tempted to think that our sliding defence is working properly - or perhaps the other coaches have spotted a weakness they're able to exploit. We get a lot of bodies into the tackles around the middle, perhaps that's leaving us short out wide if the other side get a quick PTB?

i think you've answered your own question there. Teams have noted that you do get a lot of players in to tackles, and they have swung out wide and scored, but don't be too bothered, the two teams that have done it to you are good teams, any other team wouldn't have picked up on it. imo.

Start as 9 or 7 for me. I would prefer him at 9.

Anyone know what the completion rates were? It seemed to me that Wigan's was very low in the first half at least.

Our lots effort, as lifted from our resident stat mule

Player: Metres - Carries (MT/Carry) - Tackles - Misses (Efficiency %) - Errors - Penalties

Leeds: 1362 - 208 (6.55) - 313 - 40 (89%) - 14 - 11

Webb: 117 - 22 (5.32) - 9 - 1 (90%) - 4 - 1

Watkins: 76 - 11 (6.91) - 10 - 2 (83%) - 0 - 0
Ablett: 108 - 12 (9.00) - 24 - 3 (89%) - 0 - 1
Senior: 110 - 11 (10.00) - 22 - 3 (88%) - 1 - 1
Hall: 109 - 13 (8.38 ) - 5 - 2 (71%) - 2 - 0

Sinfield: 49 - 16 (3.06) - 13 - 3 (81%) - 1 - 0
Burrow: 66 - 15 (4.40) - 14 - 3 (82%) - 0 - 0

Leuluai: 71 - 12 (5.92) - 12 - 1 (92%) - 0 - 1
Buderus: 135 - 18 (7.50) - 27 - 3 (90%) - 2 - 3
Bailey: 110 - 15 (7.33) - 17 - 3 (85%) - 0 - 1
Pitts: 38 - 7 (5.43) - 21 - 3 (88%) - 0 - 0
Hauraki: 106 - 14 (7.57) - 21 - 5 (81%) - 3 - 0
Jones-Buchanan: 70 - 12 (5.83) - 46 - 1 (98%) - 0 - 1

McShane: 13 - 2 (6.50) - 17 - 3 (85%) - 0 - 2
Clarkson: 30 - 5 (6.00) - 13 - 1 (93%) - 0 - 0
Kirke: 74 - 12 (6.17) - 25 - 0 (100%) - 0 - 0
Cross: 80 - 11 (7.27) - 17 - 3 (85%) - 1 – 0

Why is he a massive waste as an impact player?

His footwork, agility and speed off the mark would make him a useful asset coming off the bench against tired opposition, don't you think?

Personally I'm not the biggest Thomas Leuluai fan - as a halfback. I think he is - to quote you - a massive waste at scrum half. His kicking is absolutely abysmal. One of the worst in field kicking games in Super League. His kicks either find the dead ball line or hit the fullback right down the throat. I can't recall him splitting the fullback/wingers consistently or ever hitting a 40/20. I think he has rightly received the accolades for his performance in the Grand Final, but this papers over the cracks of a truly shocking kicking game for the vast majority of last season - hence the signing of Brett Finch - a trend that has continued into this season. I can still hear the ironic cheers when he managed a kick that split the Huddersfield winger/fullback a few weeks ago. His kicking game close to the line isn't too bad, but we haven't seen it at all this season. I can't remember a kick from Leuluai this season close to the line that has forced a repeat set. In his defence, it has been a tactic that has been overlooked far too often this season. His agility and footwork can cause teams problems close to the line, but for me he lacks the individual creativity and the 'off the cuff ' plays that you want from a scrum half. I don't think I've ever seen Leuluai do anything particularly intuitive. His attacking play can become a bit too predictable for a scrum half. Take Brett Finch's play against Warrington with the kick for the posts for that excellent solo try. In one moment on his debut Brett Finch showed more individual intuity than Thomas Leuluai has in his entire Wigan career. A bold statement. But could you imagine Thomas Leuluai ever doing that? Has he ever made such a play?

However, at hooker he is a completely different player. Defensively the lad is absolutely exceptional for a player of his stature. He rarely misses a tackle and can put in some monster hits - just ask Maurie Fa'asavalu. So around the middle of the park where more defensive work will be asked of him he has no problems. His strengths going forward are more applicable to hooker than at scrum half. As mentioned, his footwork, agility, speed off the mark, passing and acceleration makes him a serious threat from hooker. I also think he reads the game better and makes some excellent individual plays from acting half too. We've seen him countless times dive low from the POTB close to the line and get over for the try. That pass for Paul Prescott offered that something different to Mike McIlorum. Something I'm not sure he is capable of. I remember on this board when Thomas Leuluai was given a three year contract extension by Wigan and the unanimous thoughts of members of this forum was that he must be played at hooker to justify that contract extension. Something I still agree with.

Now my justification for wanting to bring him off the bench is simple. The opening twenty minutes of a match is generally when the hardest collisions are made at the highest intensity of the match as everyone is fresh. This plays to Mike McIlorum's strengths. He is defensively outstanding and hits people VERY hard. He has also become very good at moving our forwards about too and scooting at the right moments when the defensive line comes racing out. As Leuluai is not as familiar with the role, I'd give him time to adapt to it before he starts a match. Not only that, but all the attacking attributes of Leuluai I have previously mentioned (footwork, agility, acceleration etc) will be devastating against tiring opposition after the first twenty minutes has gone by. Mike McIlorum can't offer attacking wise what Thomas Leuluai can. They're two very different players and I'd like to McIlorum spelled instead of playing the full 80 minutes. So that he is not as fatigued as the match wears on and so that we have an alternative when things are looking flat - i.e Hull FC at home. So on the contrary, I believe Mike McIlorum would be more wasted on the bench than Thomas Leuluai, because McIlorum's defensive strengths play to the more intense period of the opening twenty minutes whereas Leuluai's attacking strengths play to the less intense period of the final twenty minutes.

A lot of sense in this, Cadoo. And why not give it a try? Don't think Tommy has ever been sub before, to come on as a replacement hooker after 20/25 minutes.

Starting with Micky Mac in the GF was a stroke of genius on Madge's part and it certainly gave Wigan their initial boost and advantage. Replacing him with Tommy, rather than Riddell as in the GF, would hopefully maintain the momentum and energy levels at the play the ball.

The one thing the stats do not show is where the metres per carry/tackles where made, I suspect that Wigan's stats look better but most of the metres made were in their own half usually followed by a poor kick.

For Leeds their metres per carry would have been made in the Wigan half so they may be less on paper but were in a more threatening/dangerous position hence them being on top for most of the game.

Wigan really do need to improve their kicking game because this is without doubt the single biggest weakness.

Not good enough from Amos. I had him down on the bench for Friday, but doubt he'll even make the bench after seeing those stats. I'd be surprised if we didn't have a back on the bench tho, so maybe Charnley.

Great work from Farrell and McIllorum though.