I agree with all the comments about defence, I think we need a team of complete players (as much as is possible)

However, it doesn't mean to say I'm not looking forward to seeing how Ainscough goes on Friday, because I am. He definitely has a rare talent with the ball in his hands and has the ability to light up the game, particulalry one where we are expected to win easily. This his is problem though in that I don't think we can afford him in tighter games, of which we have a couple coming up in the near future.

When it comes down to it though I think he is not yet good enough attacking wise to cancel out his stubborn weaknesses in defence. As well as that I think his size will do for him.

I think some of this stuff about Ainsough's defence is being exaggerated. I've been critical of him in the past, but I don't think he's the complete turnstyle that some are suggesting, or that anything we've seen of him at Cas should be a source of concern.

At Cas he was clearly playing in a woeful team. Against Huddersfield, they were flanked on a number of occasions - it wasn't just Ainscough, it was Shenton as well.

In fact, I've heard it's because of this that he's been brought home.

I would certainly take the latter.

People are going overboard about Ainscough's try scoring abilities aswell.

Sure, but again that works both ways. He'd be equally as likely to score the winning tries in a close game, and concede tries like we did against Sheffield, when it didn't really matter.

I can see both sides..and I know Madge, too, prefers defence - I'm kinda playing "devil's advocate" here.

Perhaps so, though I'm not aware of anyone with a better tries per game ratio.

I get what you mean, but some of the one on one efforts to make a tackle have been very poor.... I honestly think people under dont see or accept how poor is defence can be. As for the big arugement that he scores alot of tries, well we havent exactly suffered with that this season, 3 out of the top 4 try scorers are from Wigan.

You can't say stuff like that.

Anyone that dares to say his defence isn't as bad as made out on here always get shot down.

The fact of the matter is that you’re right Cruncher his defensive lapses are majorly over exaggerated on here by some. The same people are very quick to rubbish his defence but never to acknowledge just how good he is in attack. That isn’t being blind to his defensive weaknesses but rather giving a balanced picture of his overall game.

Just as some people are very quick to acknowledge just how good he is in attack, but never see how poor he is defence.

This is something alot of us will never agree on. I hope the lad proves me wrong though.

One thing I can’t quite understand is why people seem so reluctant to sit on the fence with certain players.

Ainscough has a lot of time ahead of him and with the setup we have now he can (surely) only get better.

He has raw talent and although he is rough around the edges he has a fantastic attitude.

I don’t think that his defence is awful as some have described it, whilst at the same time do not think he is the best finisher in the game either.

Some people either try too hard to either hype him up and some people go out there way to criticise him.

We should all have an open mind and judge him after a good few games in a Mcguire and Wane coached side.

I am getting fed up with people being too quick to make a decision either for and against a player and then it rapidly descending into a whole us versus them type debate.

We are top of the league at the moment but he as a team have not quite clicked fully IMO and I believe that there is a heck of a lot more to come from us performance wise. With this in mind you could quite easily say the team as a whole have bad points to there game

its not as if we are the aussie national side with readymade galacticos waiting in the wings.

we have some young lads who are far from being the finished article.

Why can’t we all be a bit more objectionable?

EDIT - i have just read the posts above and by cruncher. I was not nicking ideas for an argument honest!!

I'd much prefer Marsh to play before Ainscough on Friday.

I acknowledge he’s no world class defender but there is no way he’s as bad as some make out either. I’d be very hesitant to write his Wigan career off at such an early stage as well.

He has a reputation, unfairly imo, for defensive howlers and that in turn leads to a major over exaggeration when he does mess up.

Some people again are very quick to write off his phenomenal attacking talents. Amos apart I don’t think there is a winger in SL with a step that even compares to Ainscough’s and his ability to create half a gap or break the line means I think he’s got a future at Wigan.