Once again great going forward but very poor on kick defence. It did not cost them tonight.

I am more than comfortable with Bowen and Hampshire next year.

We do our best and have made big strides. But you can't create in a handful of years, the rugby culture, volume of clubs and coaches and families who have had RL in their blood for generations that Wigan have got. That history and culture has been built over decades. Same in a way with Leeds and even the West Yorkshire areas like Wakey and Cas where they are real true rugby league areas.

Warrington is one of those towns where rugby league is played, its not really a rugby league town. It's much easier for us to spend a bit of money at first team level, get the right coaches and players in and be able to compete toe to toe with Wigan for trophies than it is to replicate Wigan's depth of junior rugby....we got the first team up to scratch in a few years but it will take decades to catch up with Wigan's junior rugby.

First and foremost a fullback needs to be solid in defence, to me anyway. Nowadays people seem to overlook this basic principal if the guy can chime into the line in attack. It's just another position where the fundamentals are changing.

Wingers aren't slight little speedsters anymore, more like second rowers, props don't prop up anything at the scrum, hookers don't hook the ball, scrum halves don't feed the scrum, and now fullbacks need to be a second stand off, good defence is a bonus.

And Hardaker

We now know why they signed him, Ratchford to replace Briers who has retired.

Good luck to Briers.....If only Wigan had Ratchford the Wires would be in a real crisis right now

Interesting to see how Wire will go next year,

No Morley, Hodgson or Briers. Massive pressure for Russell, Ratchford and Hill.

Big losses

www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... number-one Russell given number 1 shirt at Wire

www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... number-one Russell given number 1 shirt at Wire

Quote: [Gareth] ""www.sportinglife.com/rugby-league/news/article/480/9024991/russell-is-number-one Russell given number 1 shirt at Wire'" Well according to this... www.foxsports.com.au/league/worl ... 6758266248 They think Matty Russell is still at the Titans

Quote: [Gareth] ""www.sportinglife.com/rugby-league/news/article/480/9024991/russell-is-number-one Russell given number 1 shirt at Wire'" Well according to this... www.foxsports.com.au/league/worl ... 6758266248 They think Matty Russell is still at the Titans

I agree with you about these changes in the game but like you I do think at fullback you need a player that is confident in defence. Not so much tackling, as positioning, being able to field kicks in the air or on the ground and also be able to get the ball away from the danger areas especially when he's taking the ball behind his own line and needs to escape being trapped in the in goal.

Tackling gets overrated for a fullback because they don't make many tackles and when they have to make one often the attacker has broken through and there's a 2 on 1 situation anyway. Richie Mathers is a good tackler, he is aggressive and hits players hard, he had a massive game in terms of tacking at Wembley in 2010 where he did that "hat-trick of saved tries" with his tackling on the goal line. But you would not call Mathers a good defensive fullback because he was indecisive and got out of position and in a mess when he was fielding kicks. On the other hand Kris Radlinski was a top example of a fullback with the right defensive game, he could tackle hard when he had to but his reading of the play was excellent and he was very confident when the ball was down his area, and he was great at making yards near his own line and taking the pressure off the Wigan defence. IMO he was the last real top class traditional fullback in the game.

Yea god's, how i miss watching Mr Radlinski..