Its a no brainer for me..We start with Roberts at full back and sam at 6.

If he doesnt show the form we drop him and move sam to full back..But a team with a fully on form Roberts and Sam on the same pitch is a frightening thought.We need to give Roberts a chance.

I think Deacon also deserves a shot which is where things become complicated.

Perhaps - although at this stage Deacon has not been confirmed as a player for next year (but I don't think it would be a huge surprise if he was). But given Deacon's fitness and injury issues last season when he did miss a lot of games I don't think it will be much of a complication - it may even be a case of having Deacon as reserve/cover for the halves and maybe even no 9 (especially if McIllorum has injury problems like previous seasons). Nice problem to have though.

Slightly O/T, but this is a worry. Who will kick for touch / goals? It was evident in the GF that we had no plan B. I expect Deacon to kick goals if fit, but how many games will he play due to selection / fitness?. Do any of the new signings kick?

So no place for Hoffman or Finch then? (And Lima only to get a game because Feka has left?).

It's a new season and a new team and Madge will want to make the best use of his squad given the new arrivals. With Finch arriving that will influence how we line up at h/b and also f/b given Sam's ability to play either position.

Finch 7, Sam 6 and Roberts 1 sounds pretty OK to me.

If Sam plays 1 (as he might with Richards out) the alternative half back combos don't appeal much as it would be Finch and Deacon and it can't be Finch and TL can it given we expect TL to be playing 9?

Dave

Agreed.

Had a good end to the season for me.

Sam at full back every time for me.

Roberts needs to find his confidence and form and he can do that on the wing like he did this season gone. To be honest in the form he was in I did not think it really mattered where he was whether at full back or on the wing. He was simply brilliant.


Once we have Roberts back to his best on the wing and full of confidence that is when we should look at him playing full back until then it has to be Sam with Deacon and Finch in the halves.

Completely disagree. A half back combination of Finch and Sam is a mouthwatering prospect whereas the alternatives in the halves are not. Deacon also can't be relied on to play a full season at 6 or 7. He was brought in for cover and what an astute move that proved to be but there is no way IMO he can be considered a regular 1st choice starting half back which ought to mean Sam in the no 6 slot.

I also don't see why not playing Sam at f/b would mean last year was for nothing. We won the GF so it worked when it needed to but if we are a better side with him back in the half backs which I think we will be, then that is all there is too it IMO. Especially if Roberts can recapture his early season form. If he does then Finch 7, Sam 6 and Roberts 1 will scare the living daylights out of most sides. I can't see why seeing Sam play alongside Finch does not appeal.

Dave

For me, to start with Tomkins stays at fullback in his best position with Deacon and Finch in the halves.

No-one has a clue what Roberts will be like next season. Who's to say he won't continue to struggle as he did in the 2nd part of this season?

He has to prove from the wing that he's got his confidence back, only then can you consider moving him to fullback. I think its inevitable this will be the lineup to start with anyway due to the Richards injury.

I love all this speculation as to where the players will line up but what satisfies me most is the fact that I have every confidence that Madge will pick the right players in the right places for the right reasons at the right time. This confidence and satisfaction in team selection has been lacking for some years.

I still don't think Deacon will last a full season without a few different injuries so I'm sure we will see Sam at HB as the season goes on.

I'd love us to sign a new HB or hooker for next season. The squad really would be complete then.

Finch will slot into the halves as Tommy will move to 9. Tommy proved against the Aussies that he has all the potential to become a world class 9. Lima will replace Feka.

I understand your point about Hoffman, but why should young Wigan lads who really gave it their all be cast aside for an Aussie who will probably only be here for a year? Doesn't send the right message.

I agree with Jonh that everyone should be given a clean slate, but what's been achieved in terms of winning the GF also can't be ignored.

Hoffman is guaranteed to get in the starting 17 unless he has a nightmare pre-season. You don't bring players like that from Oz to play in the U20's. It's always been like that with star players. I can't see it being any different even under Madge. If he is taken back on the player who for me will have to prove himself so young Wigan lads who really gave it their all won't be cast aside based on a players reputation is Hock but rightly or wrongly when it comes to overseas players they are virtually guaranteed starts.

I think the clean slate thing will apply but not just because it is fair everyone starts from the same place but because with Piggy having left and the new players arriving we have a different team in crucial positions. That is why I don't think it is a given Sam will play F/B all season. If Richards were fit I think it would have been highly likely we would have lined up with him at 6 from the off. This would mean Goulding would keep his place on the wing, Roberts to f/b and Sam to 6 with TL to 9 seemed logical to me. If Sam plays f/b one of Roberts or Goulding misses out (effectively for Deacon).

Dave

I agree with a lot of your points. Ideally, and I think many feel the same, as we all would like to see Amos return to form and become the quality fb he proved to at the start of last season. But in reality each time he's mounted a comeback he's not been up to that standard.
Yes all players deserve a clean slate, but if a young lad or an experienced player shows up better then they should get the nod.
Sam is, IMO the best back we have. (including Pat) It's all about where he is most threatening, if we play split halves then he's best attacking from fb, but if he can play as a second reciever off Finch then put him at 6. It's really upto the coaches to work this to their advantage.
Hoffman, in all honesty didn't look all that at the back end of last season whereas Farrell, Tomkins, Hansen and Lockers all looked better. If this is the case on his arrival then he should miss out. I don't care if he's a former Aus test player. Lets not set a bad example and make sure we play our best team, regardless of age, nationality or anything else.

With no Pat for the start of next season we are in need of a top class goal kicker. That suggests perhaps that Paul Deacon will start the season.
He wasn't fully fit at the GF but after an off and then pre season he should be fully fit.
If Deacs therefore is 7 with Finch at 6, Sam surely would go to 1 with Roberts on the wing. We can't afford to go into the new season without a goal kicker, we have a first game v Saints and then the WCC a couple of weeks later.
Once Pat returns then will may well change.
Until then I do think Deacs is a must for selection.