Tommy can defend in the middle, no problem. He's done it on the biggest stage playing for NZ. If the new combination offers a lot more flair but slightly less aggression in defence, I'll be more than happy. Last season was boring.

Blog piece on the two leaving rlhttps://wiganrugbyfans.com/2018/01/04/a-goodbye-to-mickey-mac-and-anthony-gelling/rl

hes our 7 though so powell and ganson will be the hookers

I'd say there are only one or two who aren't actually bothered. But sometimes you just have to accept reality, even if you don't like it, and that may mean looking at alternatives and seeing potential positives if there are any.

We can vent our annoyance all day, but that isn't going to change the Chairman, and by the looks of it, not even the coach, so ultimately it amounts to a waste of breath.

Personally, I'm sorry MM's gone - more so than Gelling - but that doesn't mean he added a great deal to our cause last season. I appreciate that some will claim it was down to the coach, but the player has to bear some responsibility too.

My main worry about all this is that, on paper at least, we now look even weaker than we did last season ... but I'm hopeful that we haven't finished recruiting yet, plus things may be different with a whole bunch of players back from injury. There are some reasons to look forward to this coming season.

Williams and Sam will be our halves. Tommy will be 9

And we'll be much better for it as well. I'm personally really excited to see Sam back at HB. It sounds strange saying it as he's had a great career, but i still think it was a mistake moving him from there all those years ago. For me we've not seen a top class 6 come through the club since Long. When one comes around, especially one like Sam, he should have never been moved.

Also another thing to touch on is what this means long term into 2019. If Escare struggles this season i wouldn't be surprised to see Sarge moving to FB and us being on the lookout for a real top draw centre.

For me it depends on Tomkins' pace/speed. If he can find his pace his best position is FB. FB doesn't have to do half as much tackling as any player in the line. A top FB can communicate with the line in defence and attack, Sam can do all of the above as he is an excellent reader of the game.

A FB attacks both sides of the pitch, linking outside of the 6 and 7 as a second if not third receiver joining the attack where they see fit. Sam is perfect for this, has great hands and a great attacking rugby brain.

If he has pace why limit him to a position where he only features on one side of the pitch and has to do a tone more tackling? Doesn't make sense.

However, if he's lost his pace he'll be partially ineffective as a FB, his plays will be read and he won't have the pace to beat outside backs or make cover tackles in defence. He might as well play at 6 or 7 and create plays for others.

I agree with moving Tommy to 9. I believe he's the best 9 we have, including a massively overrated Micky Mac.

The issue for me now is Escare, not good enough to be a FB for us, and to the best of my knowledge has none/limited experience in the halves.

I hope so I just cant see wane doing it

The comments on McIlorum’s departure were that Leuluai and Powell are hookers so it sounds like TL is definitely moving to 9.

When Escare played FB at the start or the season we did not loose a match until he was injured, then we went down hill.

Just watched the Tommy and Wane interviews on Wigan tv and both Wane and Tommy said Tommy will be at 9 ... Wane mentioned Ganson but not Sam Powel maybe Powel will be given a shot in the halves at some point though Im hoping for a
1 Escarre, 6 SamT, 7 Williams, 9 Tommy/Powell/Ganson and 13 Lockers .
I would still want Powell to do an 80 if at 9.

I'm a fan of putting Escare at full back, but that's not true. We went 4 games without a win with him at FB between March and April. He was also at FB for the Cas hammering when the wheels really fell off.

I wouldn't read into that too much considering how bad he was v Cas when we were hammered, or how Catalan deemed him not good enough, eventually bringing in Tony Gigot. They didn't even consider him good enough to feature on the wing.

I thought having him as a back-up was a good bit of business, just not a starter.

How about:

1 Williams
6 Tomkins
7 Powell
9 Tommy
Interchange Ganson.

Maybe Williams would be better as a free running fb...

That’s exactly what I’ve been saying for nearly 6months now and it’s exactly what should happen too.