How did young Smith perform?
Difficult to assess on the radio commentary if anyone played well.
Also unsure if defence was good or if Hull were really really poor?

Glimpses of real talent as usual but he just looks in three minds most of the time. I’d love to see him on the back of a dominant pack. I do think he’s been building recently and again today, he threatened with the ball but the whole side needs to wake up and help each other by offering themselves up in support.

I didn’t think Hull were that bad outside the first 20 mins (when both teams were dire). Any side with those big forwards will test you and Connor is always a threat. We scrambled well and looked really organised in defence. We just won’t get away with that first twenty against Saints or Wire though. We look like we will be absolutely knackered if we concede first because there’s just not the points in the team to chase.

We’ll be awkward for any team in the play offs though. It won’t be pretty but we could snag a win or two.

Smith was OK we scored off two kicks we look so together defending but like strangers with the ball.
To be fair to Smith we don't leave bodies on the floor or win the ruck often enough to give him short numbers to play against. He scampered a few times today with runners as a foyle or pass option it would make things easier. They don't look like they spend anytime together.

He kicked in behind Farimo well in that second half as well. He was knackered early in that second half, so he did a good job on him.

Thanks for the feedback NK
I think Smith will pull through but at the moment with Hastings being so dominant I’m just hoping he’s still in his shell so to speak. I just wish he’d put his marker on the game and rollocks to Hastings.

I said earlier in the season every game is an arm wrestle and no team can win every arm wrestle.

Thanks for the feedback on Smith and your updates during the game.
Very much appreciated.

Some of us have been saying that all season

Right so 4th place is confirmed so we’ll play the winner or KR and Leeds at home in the playoffs.

I’d rotate the forwards for next week, give Bullock and Clark a go. Probably rest Gildart as he’s still struggling. Hopefully play Field and see if he could offer us anything in the playoff game.
Id ponder resting Hastings and we’re no chance without him.

Think we’ll have to manufacture points in the playoffs so I’d be working on set plays for the next 2 weeks (early tackle kicks etc).

I’m saying all this like we won’t get pumped in France if we sneak through one week.

Latics at home on the Saturday afternoon. Fingers crossed we get the Thursday night game if sky show them Thursday/Friday, as:

a. We need as much rest as possible before facing Catalan or Saints the following week.
b. The DW owners dont seem to be giving out welcoming noises about dual-usage, and a play-off game may be their opportunity to pander to the knuckledgraggers.

The clubs confirmed the play off game as being on Friday 24th.

As for yesterday’s game, I just saw the stats for Havard and Byrne from the bench and that’s the standard set for them now and what they should be working towards. They’re wrestling for consistency but both did exactly what we need yesterday. I thought Havard was exceptional in particular.

Havard

17 carries

177 metres

Byrne

12 carries

105 metres

Wow that's a pleasant surprise.

Byrne gets a lot of undue stick, I would rest both next week pointless flogging them when we have Bullock and Clark to use.

Smith is and always has been, a good talented player who unlike many good young scrum halves of the past has not been fortunate at Wigan to be playing with a better, more experienced and dominate pack like that of the present St Helens team which Theo Farge and now Lewis Dodd have or been doing.



A Scrum Half is only as good as the pack playing in front of him which is not the case with the present pack at Wigan and might explain the lack of attacking rugby at present.!




Ask Andy Gregory about his days at Widnes, Warrington and Wigan or Paul Deacon about his time at Bradford Bulls.

I agree to a certain extent and whilst the jury is still very much out on Smith he needs a bit of time next season to be given his chance.

The main issue though at the moment is the nature of some of his mistakes. Consistently kicking out on the full and poor passing accuracy cannot be laid at the hands of his pack of forwards.

I’d also say apart from the Leigh game, on the odd occasion our pack has managed to get a foothold in the game, he has still not been able to improve.

I’m not confident he is a long term half for us but as with everyone else it will be a clean slate under a new coach next year.