Agree with all of that, which is why I think we need a "natural" centre. One of the main reasons I think we won last season was the fact our centres at last got some decent ball and had the ability to create for the wingers. While Joel is doing a decent job in difficult circumstances I actually think it could ultimately cost us this season.

Of course, Joel is very raw as a centre, he needs polish. Gleeson was/is a quality experienced centre. Of course there's going to be a drop off in production.

i think given the number of breaks and touch line runs joel does get away with, i can forgive him some time to learn the centre role
given time i think joel as an acting centre will make far better use of his size and speed
and id rather see him as a continuous centre than put into rotation with the other forwards

i heard this so many times tonight off some old f*cking idiots

Same here, two idiots sat behind me, finch sends some lovely passes to create our first 2 trys, then nearly scores himself 'he's sh*t that finch, we should play mellor, he was world class for widnes'

He still uses the short pass too frequently for my linking, which makes him very easy to read defensively, but when he was linking up with the attacking moves he was brilliant! There definitely looked to be more cohesion with Finch and Deacon in the halves and with Leuluai at hooker. Finch has been getting better with every game. I thought his defence against Bradford was shocking but today he was strong and put in a big tackle on one of the KR players that was clearly audible in the stands.
Some overseas players take a whole season before they start to show what they're worth, so Finch is clearly doing quite well to start excelling quite quickly despite suffering quite a serious injury and missing the early part of the season.

TBF some are still hoping Boston will make a come back

Much better tonight from the lads and pleasing to think we have plenty of gears to go through yet. I thought Sam was a joy to watch at the back and we looked a much better side for having Tommy at 9 and Deacon and Finch in the halfbacks. The pack also looked superb tonight and Mossop and Prescott give you a real sense of calm in the knowledge that we've got 2 classy prop forwards to carry our pack forward for a sustained period of time.

I feel alot more comfortable tonight after watching that game and it's given me some belief that we can now kick on to bigger and better things.

No tries down the right side and generally no attacking threat down that side til the death and the game was over, if i was playing Wigan id make sure we stiffled their left side attack and just target Sam on the end of the move ala St George and Wire. Can still take or leave Lima still to be honest.

I think you hit the nail in the head with that and I expect when we do play Wire next they will do exactly as you say.

I think we get away with some compromises because more than half the teams in SL are not very good and not well coached enough to do what you say. I think because this is the case we can play Sam at FB and Joel in the centres and convince ourselves they really are good in those positions when really if we played sides as good as St. George and Wire every week I think we would soon realise this wasn't the case.

We won't play either of those sides every week, so I am not sure the comparison really counts. Second, Tomkins at fullback is our only option. Moreover, with Finch and Deacon in the halves it effectively allows Tomkins to acts in the Lockyer/Hayne role. Second, Joel Tomkins at centre is not, imo, a long term solution. Nor do I think many Wigan fans believe it is. However, he is solid in defence (Look at the St George match when he moved into the centre).

No we don't play them every week but if when we do play them we get beat because of the problems Bill_Barlow mentioned we are just deluding ourselves in the meantime. The Tomkins bros playing where they are may well be our only options at both centre and full back but I don't think either should be there long term. As to Deacon being in the side allowing Sam to play as he does, Deacon isn't supposed to be playing any more so this isn't a long term thing either. So I can see we will probably go this season with things as they are unless Roberts discovers some form but I'd be very disappointed if next season with Deacon surely retired we revert to TL/finch in the halves and Sam at FB. We do IMO need to recruit a FB for 2012 so TL can go to 9 and Sam to 6 when Deacon retires. And we also need a real experienced centre with Gleeson gone and Carmont going.