IN: Lima, Charnley
Out: Fielden, Gleeson

Wigan Warriors 19 Man Squad

Sam Tomkins, Darrell Goulding, George Carmont, Paul Deacon, Thomas Leuluai, Michael McIlorum, Andy Coley, Harrison Hansen, Joel Tomkins, Sean O'Loughlin, Paul Prescott, Jeff Lima, Ryan Hoffman, Amos Roberts, Lee Mossop, Liam Farrell, Chris Tuson, Stefan Marsh, Josh Charnley

Question of who takes the 3 shirt, Marsh, Charnley or Joel.
MM seems to prefer Marsh over Charnley for the right centre spot but Joel fills in there when we get an injury during a game.

Sam,
Goulding, Joel, Carmont, Roberts,
Deacon, Leuluai,
Coley, McIlorum, Precott,
Hansen, Hoffman,
O'Loughlin.
Bench, Lima, Mossop, Farrell, Charnley.

Poss Tuson and Marsh to miss out!

I'd mix it up a bit and go:

FB 19 Roberts
RW 2 Goulding
RC 12 Joel
LC 4 Carmont
LW 25 Charnley
SO 1 Sam
SH 7 Leuluai
P 14 Prescott
H 9 McIlorum
P 10 Coley
SR 16 Hoffman
SR 22 Farrell
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 6 Deacon
S 11 Hansen
S 15 Lima
S 21 Mossop

Roberts at full back because it's his best position IMO and Sam's defense wasn't the best at the weekend, think he'll need to get a little stronger or smarter if he's to turn into a top full back. Joel at centre has been toyed with in a few games, I think this is a good chance to get a proper look at whether it'll work. Deacon on the bench because he was poor at the weekend IMO and I don't want McIlorum doing 80 every week, better to spell him while we've got a game against fairly poor opposition.

I would expect to see Charnley or Marsh in at centre. Forget Joel at centre let him concentrate on being a second rower / loose.

He's not playing well enough to be certain in the side at second row/loose forward. Joel or Charnley would probably be the best option. Definitely not Marsh! (Unless he's been taught how to run properly).

Tomkins is not a centre for me. Id have Charnley Marsh or even Amos there first.

I think its a bit harsh to say he's not playing well enough to get in the pack when he keeps getting asked to fill in at centre. What we don't want to be doing with Joel is ruining him by not giving him a settled position to play and that should be in the pack.

Start Charnley. If he's going to be Gleeson's long-term replacement at centre he needs to play there at SL level as often as possible. Aside from that it's as you were for mine

That's true, but as long as the club don't try to change him as a player then I don't think there's any harm in giving him some games at centre. O'Loughlin used to switch between stand off and loose forward early in his career (he's doing it again during games now) and I think that helped him become a much better player. He's capable of filling in at stand off but he's still pretty much an out and out loose forward.
I think Joel is a very good back row forward who's good enough to fill in at centre if needed. He's got the right attributes already to be at least a decent stand in whenever our first choice centre is injured. It also allows Farrell and Hoffman to spend more time on the pitch and those two seem to be in great form.
I don't think playing Joel at centre would be any more harmful than playing Goulding on the wing, O'Loughlin at loose forward, Sam Tomkins at fullback, Chris Tuson at prop, Leuluai at hooker etc.

I would prefer Charnley to be given a chance, but I'd have more confidence in a Tomkins-Goulding centre/wing combo than a Charnley-Goulding one.

He might also put Goulding at right centre, Roberts to right wing and Charnley to left wing. There are plenty of options. I don't think Joel at centre should be ruled out though. Playing a few games in a different position isn't likely to have a negative effect on a player.

I agree with you. Let's give Josh Charnley some games at centre.

Sam Tomkins
Darrell Goulding
Josh Charnley
George Carmont
Amos Roberts
Paul Deacon
Thomas Leuluai
Paul Prescott
Mike McIlorum
Andy Coley
Joel Tomkins
Ryan Hoffman
Sean O'loughlin

-------------------------
Lee Mossop
Jeff Lima
Liam Farrell
Harrison Hansen

Agreed

+2

How in any way shape or form can you say Sam needs to get smarter at FB and then make a case for putting Amos there? His handling skills and short kicking game alone puts Sam streets ahead of Amos. Amos on his day, which isn’t very often, maybe a better broken field runner than Sam but Tomkins is a far more complete FB package.

Amos simply doesn’t have the rugby brain to play at FB in the style we want i.e hitting the line late and acting as a 3rd HB who creates that extra bit of space our wing men thrive on.

Amos is a speedster with a wicked step and should be left on the wing.