I think what you are missing is that last season Williams was often closed down because the opposition ignored Smith as an attacking threat. Williams had to to do it all[i last[/i season because with ball in hand Smith offered very little.

The issue in recent weeks has not been the half backs or injuries to the backs but that Flower, Clubb and FPN are not worth their pay packets.

Would the return of Lockers, MM and Batemen make a difference? Absolutely because all three are tough uncompromising players which just shows up the three mentioned above as needing to pull their weight more than they are doing.

What about the players Cas had missing ?
They had their captain and international centre Shenton out.
They were missing there best prop forwards in Millington and Lynch and also still have Larne Patrick on the injury table.
There is not only Wigan with players missing

In a couple of sets for about 10/25 mins mid 2nd half Wigan kept Cas pinned in their own 30 - Gale etc. Kick and find our Wingers and fullback on the full and not a word said.

Same thing happens to Wigan and Tommy Kicks and he's the worst kicker in the world!
It's hardly amazing that the team who's forwards etc. make most yards and kick from a better territory position oftern seem to Kick better! I wonder why???

Let me give my 2penneth

Any kicker kicking from inside their own 30 with 2 wingers dropped back and a full back covering 60 mtrs of space will hardly ever find space.

The only real poor kick last night was when Powell kicked from Dummy half round about the half way line with about 15 to go.

As for Tommy L

Probably shouldn't have played against both Hull and Leeds but "Put his hand up". Not usre whether he did last night or whether he was fully fit but & I'm not a Matty Smith Hater

Tommy is a couple of steps up the ladder on Smith any day of the week!

Been really happy with our effort etc. and how the young lads have played these last 5/6 games.
Davies is going to be a real star for me
Forsyth had his best game for me last night and played really Hard - ran it in Hard and Tackled hard.

We've got to get to the End of May in a decent position WRT a Top 4 spot - 3/4 wins out the next 6/7 should do that

If we get a fair amount Back (Budgie/Gelling/Lockers/Mickey/Tierney?/) then we should do that - With Sam/Gildart/Bateman etc. potentially coming back then I'm more than confident we will be in the shake up

Yeah it's exactly the same
I was with you until Larne Patrick!

Quite correct. Three first teamers and a squad member missing. Wish we could say the same!

I'm with you on most of your post. But I'm afraid Smith offered no more or less than Tommy has so far. However kicking is by far the most important asset of any half back. Wigan, right now, have two half backs who are poor at kicking, long, short, whatever.

I'm not saying Smith was a great kicker by the way, he is some distance behind Gale, Brough, Sneyd, Carney, Dobson or Walsh for example. But I'm afraid that our half backs are nowhere near good enough at present in a skill that will be required to win the CC and GF I believe. If this is not addressed I think it will cost us.

Interesting to hear all the praise for the young lads coming into the team. Rightly so as well.

Shame none of the Wigan fans hung about to clap them off the field.

Ahhh so that's what they were singing I thought it was "we're just a small town in Wakefield"

You lost the game in the forwards !!!!
Apart from Bateman who else comes into the pack for you ?
Please don't say O'lochlain as he never plays anyway.
Your wingers had good games and was certainty NOT there fault.
Tautia played well but the rest of the forwards were shocking.
Flower and "Wrecking Paul" may as well been sat with me

Just thought Cas were relentlessly fast around the ruck. Wigan's forwards, if not beaten, looked a bit flat-footed and seemed unable to match the metres that Cas's speed gained for them. Consequently Wigan's halves lacked an attacking platform, plus their side was an uncomfortable distance behind on the board for much of the game, with all the consequences that that usually entails. Don't think there was too much wrong that getting a few players back won't put right. Equally, I think Cas will continue to be a handful until such time as they lose a few more players.

Sorry, who is O'lochlain? If you mean O'Loughlin, you might have recognised him as the bloke holding the Grand Final and WCC trophies- proof that he does indeed still play.

To be serious I'm not amongst those on here who think Cas will fade. With Millington and Lynch to add to that pack I think Cas are justifiably second in the bookies odds for GF success- just behind Wigan in fact.

When did we sign him? I must have missed that