Absolutely. I don't have an issue with him keeping the job and I think he's shown he's got the mentality to actually kick better when the pressure is really on. Pointing out he actually didn't kick that well until the play offs last year isn't to be mistaken as me questioning him, it's just pretty factual but he's shown he's got what it takes and I do expect he'll show far more consistency with it now because he looked absolutely full of confidence at the end of the year. Also if part of it is concentration (as kicking at lower percentages in lesser games would suggest), him having Keighran breathing down his neck should focus the mind.

Harry Smith the goalkicker has been a bit up and down but Harry Smith the player has just got better and better and is now looking like a top level international scrum half. I think the confidence he will have taken from that end to 2023 will impact on all parts of his game going in to this season.

As I've said above, I think Harry Smith the goalkicker and the player can be separated and I always have done that. In general he's been a reasonably average goalkicker or maybe I should say an inconsistent goalkicker (some great spells and some poor spells) but his all round game has got better and better and I think the signs are that his goalkicking will catch up to the overall level of performance. To keep turning up in the biggest games and kicking to high percentages shows he's got the balls for it and that is a massive part.

Is Kieran right footed? can they not both just take kicks on their more comfortable sides.

They are both left footed

Wonder how Keighran will do at right centre. I know he’s very versatile but seemed to play on the left exclusively for Catalans

Strong squad team will be something like this.

Field
Eckersley
Keighran
Wardle
Marshall
French
Smith
Thompson
Leeming
Byrne
Isa
Farrell
Ellis

Walters
Mago
Dupree
O’Neill
Chan
Douglas
Hampshire
Farrimond
Hill

Intersting for me who starts at hooker and who gets the nod on the wing, Douglas or Eckersley

I’d be really surprised if O’Neil wasn’t our starting 9.

Eckersley for me gets the nod on the wing, his carries are stronger than Douglas.

40 nil to wigan, 1st bit sloppy and rusty but much much better 2nd half some really good tries scored.
Very promising, looking forward to the season now, good rugby fix been a while

Just a few concentration lapses with the final pass let us down in that first half. I thought they fixed that up well in the second half and the forwards were too powerful for them. Fingers crossed there are no injury issues and we can look ahead to Cas.

Was a little concerned at half time as Wigan were poor in a few areas - slack contact, poor discipline and breakdowns in attacking structures. Bevan French looked particularly sluggish (dare I say maybe a tad overweight?). We'll have to be careful with the new ruck interpretations as we racked up the set restarts.

But a very promising second half - having eight subs clearly benefitted Wigan as they have far superior squad depth to Hull. Mago, Leeming and Field were the standouts to me. Douglas looked lively on the wing. Thought Hull fell away badly. Fingers crossed the knock to Walters isn't anything serious.

I thought the same in that French looked a little 'chunkier' than normal. I'm just putting it down to pre season though as all players put on weight but then lose it once they gain match fitness.

He’s come back before looking heavier but seems to lose it quickly when the game starts. They might not be too fussed about him being a bit heavier this season mind, with him defending in the line.

Anything on Walters going off?

I thought we were too big, strong, fast and skilful compared with Hull. We were definitely fitter, a number of the Hull lads looked like they were carrying a fair bit of timber whereas our lads looked lean and primed.Our pre-season is coming along nicely, hopefully the rough edges can be knocked off at Castleford and we can go into the WCC in good form.

I couldn’t decide if it was a head injury or a shoulder knock. Given that he stumbled out of the tackle, and went back into the defensive line immediately, I wouldn’t think it was significant.