Watching the Huddersfield game live I said my biggest frustration from the off season was Hansen going. He fitted in to our systems and style of play to perfection and was a really important player IMO. He unlike Tomkins and Richards could have been kept IMO and even though we may have lost out on a few quid it would have been worth it IMO.

I said after the Saints friendly I liked the looks of Clubb and I think he can do a job for us but at the moment the players just look like they're quite rusty and that will take time to settle. Having a number of new players playing within our structured style of play for the first time is leading to teething problems that will be difficult to overcome for next week.

Another lad who must be kicking himself is Chris Tuson! He'd have been a starter this year IMO which is what he wanted.

Agreed.

However I do question how much Wigan went all out to compete in that game against Huddersfield? Im not saying that we threw the game but it would not be the first time we have taken it easy and then suddenly turned it on when it matters most.

Clubb was not alone in looking a little rusty, let's see how rusty he looks in the WCC should he be selected.

You never throw a game but we looked very much like the team turning out in the latter stages of last years league campaign last Friday. There was just that desperation missing but it will be there in spades next week.

It may not be enough but it will be there.

Reminded me of Leeds at home - we were a totally different side the week after in play-offs!

Definitely.

I remember the Leeds fixture in the league and they made an absolute mountain of metres (about 1900 iirc) and then turned up a couple of weeks later and got smashed in the forwards making less then half that ground.

O'Loughlins presence can't be underestimated next week but even he will have to go some for us to pull this off. This Roosters side has class from 1-17. Our hope is that they're underdone and that they treat the game as more of a friendly then a final (which I doubt).

I reckon Clubb needs to move into the front row TBH.

Needs to move on...
Can't see him getting a game in the front row with the props we have.

I agree with this, though I can't see him displacing any of the 5 main props. He seems fine being used simply as a battering ram and defending in the middle, but we need more clever dummy running in from our SRs for our attacking structures to be effective. He doesn't seem mobile enough to play as a wide running SR, which seems strange considering he's got international caps playing centre.

He does just look like a straight up and down ball carrier and to date a move to prop would be the best bet. He's making good ground with the ball but he's not been looking to move the ball at all and it's starving those around him of possession. It is early days though and I suppose it's only natural to play a little within yourself early in your career with a new club. He looks like a guy that is just trying to keep things simple and error free.

He like anyone needs time to settle.

We don't know the intructions Clubb has been sent out with.
He's only played a couple of games and although an experienced SL player is very new to the way things are done and the intesity that Wigan play at.
Could be that the coaching staff are trying to help him through this transition and as yet after less than six games he's not where they or he wants to be.

Even for this board this topic is comical. I'm not saying he will turn out to be success, but writing him off after a few games is pathetic. Apart from Eric Wane hasn't got many wrong.

Are people writing him off or saying that on showing so far he shouldnt play in the biggest match of the next 6 months?

When playing centre his mobility in defence was his biggest issues from what I saw. The best games I've seen Clubb play were at prop and he's rarely started at second row in the last few years. It might be that he will just need some time to adjust, although going off his previous performances and his body shape I'd be uncertain about his mobility when defended and his ability to fulfil a role that best suits the most athletic, all rounders within a team (just look at the likes of Farrell, Hansen, Hock, Joel Tomkins, Hoffman etc - tall, strong, quick, aggressive and very mobile).

Lauaki himself was fine when he played.

Clubb needs time to settle before any judgements on him can really be formed.

Exactly.