Is this definitely the team? 48 hours before kick off, was it all nailed on?

There may yet be changes - but as some have already said, play 4 props and we'll hopefully dominate up front. Maybe that's MM's/Wane's plan -beat them up front and even have a "physical" stand off.

That's a big overreaction don't you think?

After the transformation we've made under Madge this year, I think he's perfectly entitled to go with what he thinks is the right call. If we lose the game because of it, then it's his error.

To begin to lose confidence in him as a coach is just ludicrous IMO.

Granted that was a bit strong, and probably wasn't the right term to use.

Maybe it is a measure of how good a coach he is that my confidence in him is huge to begin with and he has made me enjoy watching Wigan again BUT that still doesn't take away from the fact he's made a few team selection errors in the past and we have lost those games and IMO it's been due to those errors. Hindsight is a wonderful thing in sport but if we go with Lockers at SO and our attack is stifled then I believe it will be due to that selection. I am not a rugby coach in any shape or form but I think we have better choices available.

(If we lose tomorrow shall I get my MM OUT thread ready???)

That is the key point. Madge saw how Lockers goes at 6 and he is just no good there. Why on earth pick a player at 6 who you just saw have a poor game there?

I'd even pick Phelps at 6 before Lockers given Phelps has supposedly done OK at 6 in the under 20's.



If as alluded to Roberts won't play then Phelps should play at f/b. I don't think he is any better defensively in that position than Sam but the issue is with the half backs.

Just what is the obsession with playing Sam at 1 anyway? If Sam does not play in the half backs on Friday Madge wants shooting as he has basically lost the plot.

Dave

roberts has to play full back in my opinion. SOL is not a 6 in the memory of man, he's the best loose in the comp sams the best 6 in the comp and before he was injured amos was the best 1 in the comp! It's not rocket science is it?

In testing times it's always good to go back to basics IMO.

For me we know Tommy & Sam work as a HB pairing and when Lockers played at 13 our attack was the best in SL. Sam is probably the best #6 in SL and, IMO, Lockers is the best 13 in SL. Let's use these quality players in thier natural position for this massive game.

A lot of our good early season form came off the back of Amos but I don't think we are that much of a one man team that we couldn't have added Phelps in at #1 and lost to much momentum.

I'm still confident we'll win.

I think after last week there has been a HUGE knee-jerk reaction from our fans.

Ok, Lockers going to 6 isn't ideal, but we do forget that last week we only lost by 1pt to the Grand Final winners for the last 3 years, who played very well, on the other hand we didn't play anywhere near our potential. If Madge doesn't think Amos is fit/confident enough then we have to trust in him. He has named 4 props, which many if not all of our fans have asked for.

A little worrying Lockers being at 6 but I'm just hoping we'll have to much for KR anyway. Then hopefully come semi-final time either Deacon will be back or we'll have more of a shuffle of the team to get Sam back to 6. The short turn around this week maybe part of the reason why Madge doesn't want to do to much tinkering with the lineup.

It is not a knee jerk reaction to say Lockers is no good at 6. It has never worked.

As to last week the wheels came off when Deacon went off and Lockers went to six. Surely you can see that is what happened? We lost our way with that change so to start a game with that formation is nuts IMO.

It's clear to everyone we have better options. As someone just said why not go back to basics and play Sam and TL in the halves and Lockers at 13 because earlier this season we were on fire with that combination?

We may still beat HKR but we won't win the week after if we persist with this combination should Deacon still be out.

Dave

Lockers broke into the Wigan 1st team playing at 6, the last time we got to a Grand Final he was playing at 6, so he has more than enough experience playing there.

We HAVE to play Sam at stand off and lockers at 13. Then the only question is do you put Pat at fullback(defensively sound but will lose out on a an extra pivot in attack, and Pats potency out wide). Roberts/Phelps at Fullback

If Pat is at fullback we have Marsh/Charnley/Roberts for the wing spot.

We should also play 4 props.

Isn't it amazing how having Deacon out, who most people(me included) thought would only be cover this year, cause such a headache.
We need a good kicking game and tommy and lockers are not the answer. Sam is the better option at 6 for kicking alone.

Not a very good example to prove your case...

Does anyone think that it's a good idea to play Lockers at #6?

For me it's the equivalent to playing Joel at centre - he could probably do a job in an emergency but he plays much better in natural position and we shouldn't start a game with him there. We've had 4 days to try Phelps and Roberts back in the team - they must have been pretty shocking if neither is preferable to Lockers playing stand-off! Either that or neither of them will be here next year so MM doesn't want to reintroduce them to the squad.

My optimism for tomorrow night is starting to evaporate!

No.

We might aswell just go wide after every set of 6 tomorrow because we'll prob get better territory from doing that than Tommy or Lockers kicking.