Yeah, not much from the bench really, which considering Saints played with 14 and a bit players was a little disappointing. In fairness they all seemed to get quite limited minutes, with Havard and Ellis doing big stints.

I have been disappointed with Byrne and Walters for a while, neither of them seem to be having much/any impact

I think all of Thompson, Harvard and Ellis did the full 80 if I'm not mistaken. Both teams effectively played with 14 players for the most part.

Mago never plays any sort of minutes versus Saints.
Walters played a major role in the Keighran try and for me just needs more minutes on the park.
I’m a fan of Hill but I was very disappointed in him last night. He’s a big lad but seemed to be gasping for air after only a minute or so.
Byrne is a bit of a mystery. A huge lad but rarely makes it across the advantage line. Again I am a fan but he’s way behind Ellis, Thompson and Havard. He needs to really step if he is to retain his place in the starting 17.

To give Byrne a bit of leeway, I don’t think a bench spot suits him really. He’s a player suited to playing from the start, playing bigger minutes and doing his thing, which is to lead the defensive intent. I also think he’s wrestling a bit with the disciplinary issues and trying to figure out how he can impact games legally.

On a side note, I thought Havard had his best game defensively in terms of intent. He was smashing people and that’s not always been the case. He put some real aggr On to his defence and if he adds that to his game, he’ll be an even better player. He needs to be less honest on the first try mind! I’d have taken the 10 minutes and tackled Welsby off the ball, I can’t lie!

Reading Peet's comments on how they set up with Ellis And Luke playing major roles in filling in for the missing 9 then it makes sense that the others were used sparingly

Walters needs to get far more aggression into his game, his yardage for a big man is poor. I am not sure that he is a second row forward more like a prop/13.

https://www.superleague.co.uk/match-centre/report/4480 Stats from yesterday evening. Some good numbers by the middles of both teams.

https://www.superleague.co.uk/match-centre/report/4480 Stats from yesterday evening. Some good numbers by the middles of both teams.

Nsemba was lifting people off the ground with the ferocity of his defence at times.

It was a bad miss by him for one of the Saints tries however generally he was an absolute menace in defence last night.

Walters needs time. He’s not had a great start to his Wigan career but there is still time. I do worry that the new rules go somewhat against him and his size. Nsemba is a big boy too but looks more athletic I think Walters is a bit less agile and is struggling to adapt to the lower tackle height and the knock on implications of it, ie quicker ptb’s.

I think that is a fair point Steve. One thing I thought Peet got wrong was the use of Farrimond and Farrell at hooker, I would have preferred Faz in at dummy half when attacking Saints and vice versa when we were coming out of our own half. Tying Farrimond up cut down our attacking options.

Yes that really didn’t work did it.

Smith was an easy target when JF was at the play the ball compounded by the lack of French or Field as he was often our only play making option.

Smith did very well a couple of times on the left edge when he could have got smashed particularly on the last tackle but used great feet and eyes up play to create space and put his strike edge players into open ground.

Last night felt a bit like the end for Hampshire at Wigan. If you’re not getting a game with 2 FB/HB options out, along with 3 hookers, you’re probably not going to see much more action.

Good.

I still think the French injury is the big story from last night. If it is 8 weeks Wigan will be hoping to get him back a couple of games before the playoffs. Not ideal as I think a big reason for our success last year was the continuity in the spine in the last 8 weeks or so.

Just a reminder that no matter how well you go throughout the year - if you get a big injury to a key player at the wrong time then you're at risk in the couple of games that really matter.

IF everything goes to plan re. French's recovery it's still going to be touch and go to get him fit for the play-offs, he'll have max two games before the play-offs, not ideal and a massive couple of months for Farrimond coming up