No brainer for me.. ST will no longer have the elusive pace he once had, and will therefore be more suited to using his experience closer to the forwards... Escare was excellent early last year, should obviously play at FB.

That’s kind of the point I was getting at. Escare, I think it is fair to say, was good and also provided some much needed entertainment value and quality at times but he also showed signs that he needs time to mature. Expectations were so though that he was described as excellent, which for me is a bit OTT can’t deny though he was good.

Similarly I’m not sure Saam was as bad as some would have us believe, once again more to do with expectations.

Just watched wigan tv and with the interview with wane it sounds like TL and Ganson to 9 and Powell to 6/7 bad move for me better with TL at 6/7 and MM/SP at 9

Shaun Wane knows more about how to be a rugby league coach than me but I’d love to see him start with Escare at FB with Sam in the halves. I’ve said all along I don’t think Powell is creative enough at 9, he’d be even worse at 6 or 7.

Funnily enough I think the reverse: Powell is no world-beater, but I think he's a better half than he is hooker.

I haven't watched the Wane interview, but do we deduce from this that Escaré isn't match-fit?

I don't think Powell has really had an opportunity to show what he can do in the halves alongside a more direct running threat like Williams is. Powell has played quite a few games in the halves over the years but the vast majority have been alongside Matty Smith (and as a result generally on the left edge with Smith on the right). The obvious problem with Smith and Powell in the halves is that neither are particularly direct so defenders are always expecting a pass. Powell played mostly at stand off and at least attempted to be more direct and if my memory serves me right he did okay during that period, but nothing spectacular.

In total he played 17 times alongside Smith, twice alongside Blake Green, 3 times with Williams, twice with Ryan Hampshire and once alongside Josh Woods (actually Gregson for most of that game if I'm not mistaken).

His games in the halves this year weren't great but there's some mitigation. One was the away embarrassment against Castleford where the entire team was a shambles and no half was likely to make an impact and the second was the home defeat to Salford with a weakened team (and as mentioned, he ended up partnering Gregson in the halves that game).

Really we don't know exactly how well Powell could do alongside an in form Williams and with some time to build up a partnership with the players on the right, just as we don't really know how Tomkins or Escare could do.

On his very few outings playing on the right side I've been impressed with Powell's passing ability from left to right, which might just help to make us a little bit more threatening on that edge. But then there are all sorts of options available, such as Williams playing on the right instead, allowing Tomkins or Escare on the left, or the more unlikely options of ditching split halves altogther.

Taken from Gellings new Blog the reason why he has gone... https://anthonygelling.wixsite.com/mysi ... in-a-bit-1

Taken from Gellings new Blog the reason why he has gone... https://anthonygelling.wixsite.com/mysi ... in-a-bit-1

Personally I really want to see how Tomkins would go as a halfback. Its a position England are desperate for and Tomkins has all the skills required (except possibly kicking). As for his defence, I think his one on one is fine, and I'd say there are plenty of SL halfbacks around who are a lot more shaky than him. Its obviously Wigan's call, but I'd love to see him at 6. Regardless of where he plays though, you also need Williams to kick on. I'm fed up of seeing young English halfbacks with obvious talent just stop developing or even go backwards. If Luke Gale is the best we can hope for we'll never beat Australia.

With a Wigan hat on its obviously great to see Williams still here but with an England hat on, he’d have been far better served going testing himself in the NRL.

Superleague isn’t forcing him to work on his weaknesses. I thought it was one of his biggest weaknesses that probably held him back from going and that’s a lack of confidence.

No where near goof enough to play NRL. Not even a stand out in SL.

Eh?

We on about Williams? I get it that you may not think he’s good enough for the NRL but to say he’s not a stand out in superleague is absurd. Young player of the year in 2016 and the top assist maker in 2017 whilst not having his best season.

The problem for him is it’s probably too easy in superleague for him sometimes.

Morgan has done a lot of work alongside Powell as a half last few months, not sure whats happening now GW is back in full swing...it would be massively surprising to see him playing as a back-up full back to Sam (who is nailed in as #1). Sarge will now be covering any ST absences.

I would not be surprised to see Esc/GW as our starting halves with Powell as starting #9. Powell will plug any absences in the halves with Tommy/Ganson in at #9. Only spanner in the works as far as I know is the enigma around Jake Shorrocks...

On a separate, unrelated to the topic note, Tom Davies is looking immense! Going to have a massive season!

Well if Wane's idea of change is to play Powell at 7 I can't see how that is going to improve the team. In many ways he is younger version of Matty Smith in that he has many of the same limitations he had to his game, lack of pace, lack of vision, not particularly good passer. Don't know what Wane sees in him but he is a player Wane will always pick. I suppose, like Sarginson he trains the house down and that sort of thing counts for a lot in Wane's world. Someone on the other forum quipped we could sign Cameron Smith and Wane would spell him with Powell just to get Powell in the side. That made me smile.

The only "logic" I can see as to why he would end up at 7 is because Wane has decided to play Sam T at 1. Given Sam T has voiced the desire to stick to playing 1, I wonder who is picking the team!