Said it at the time Lomax should of played in the England side against the Exiles before sinfield

If Maguire is true to his word then several players deserve to be dropped never mind anything else, after not just todays performance but also after their performances of the last few weeks. However I cant see it and I think this is part of the problem. Over the last few months a definate complacency has set in amongst certain players that they are now undroppable. Yes players have been rested for a game here and there but players that have been left out have got their places back the week after, no matter how they have been playing, or how their stand ins have played. I also cant see Maguire changing things at this stage and I think some players think the same.

Lomax had just come back from an injury. It would have been putting a strain on a young mans body.

It is strange, Wigan have had a lot better season than Saints in terms of injuries. If Wigan had been the team with the injury hit season maybe Mellor would be the player on everyones lips.

Short term loses for long term gains.

I very much doubt Madge will change much other than maybe the bench next week. It could well be his last game and the end of our season and i think he will be hoping the players hes had faith in all year will come good for him.

What i saw today was about 10-12 lead footed players who are running on reserve mentally and physically. Our defence at times was shocking. You know its bad when Paul Wellens scores two trys without a hand laid on him.

I have always preferred him in the halves. His 'off the cuff' runs are nothing new from the full-back position. He was doing that from the halves, whilst creating tries for the team as well. He is also actually a good defender in the line and from marker. He used to make 1-1 tackles regularly on people much bigger than him, he's more of a hunter in defence, full-back leaves him having to make more decisions and it leaves him more exposed.

On topic: Lomax was excellent.

Off topic: Wigan are playing with their best half at full back! Tomkins is already avery good player and moving him to fullback for a season or two may have been a good way of allowing him to play first team where he has a little more time and space. But his defensive full back play isn't good enough, he's too small for heavy one on one tackle to stop players close to the line, he often arrives just as an opposition player grounds the ball which perhaps questions his positional play, Richards sometimes moves to full back to take high kicks, and if he is made to work defensively (as on Sunday) it hinders his attack, which is usually very good and sometimes excellent.

He could be a fantastic half back...make him play there and learn that position.

All of that criticism of Sam is rubbish and you're just spouting myths that others do. He's made some quality one-on-one tackles this season, there is nothing wrong with his defence as a fullback. He's good under the high ball as well. Occassionally he gets caught out of position but that is expected after only being there one season. Pat goes to fullback after hes taken kick offs because it means he can just hang back and swap with Sam when they get the opportunity. A few teams this season have been able to shut him down (Hull FC home, Catalans, Wire, Saints) because the forwards have been dominated and the halves weren't able to get quality service out to him during set moves. My one criticism of him is that at the moment he seems unable to take a game by the scruff of the neck when we are on the back foot. But from the last season and a bit Sam has become head and shoulders the best fullback in the league, he's also easily our best option there internationally and shouldnt be moved from the no1 jersey anytime soon for club or country.

It’s easy to slag Deacon off and praise Lomax after this match. Invariably whichever pack gets on top then the 2 halves behind that dominating pack look better than the 2 behind the dominated pack. Having said that Lomax does look the part and I really rate him.

I do think Deacon’s time may well be at an end though. From what I’ve seen of Mellor in the reserves and on telly at Widnes, I’d definitely give him a go next season. Leave Sam at 1 for me.

Very few pivots ever can and even less at a young age. you get the occasional special player able to do so , Andrew Johns being one that comes to mind for me.

Lomax and roby were saints best players. V impressed by lomax.

Sam has benefitted from full back, but our plays have started to look a little laboured now and a team with a disciplined defence out wide - as saints had will make it hard to break down. Saying that he was still a whisker away from scoring twice which would have chjanged the game.

He's still making breaks, but as wire showed, if you are committed in cover defence then you always have a chance of stopping the try.

Deacon took the wrong option a numner of times, trying to run thru when he is slower than wellens. I think the cats game calls for SOL to go to 6 and sam to mix it between fb and halves to inject some pace.

Also thought soliola had a great game in defence - very aggressive and really knocked us back in attack early in the game.

That's sort of what I was getting at, Sam's only been playing fullback for one full season and my one major-ish criticism of him is that if the team around him aren't playing particularly well then he has gone missing, like Saints on Sunday. As he gets more experienced this could well be something he adds to his game.

Lomax is a bit like Deacon in his prime, class player, Gaskell i'm not quite 'getting' at the moment, saying that he does have great handling.