Put Lockers in the Saints or Leeds sides and he'd be a star.

His game as been held back at times by the lack of quality around him.

He runs, tackles, kicks, passes and whacks people around the head

Prefect.

Yep, for this season I'd sooner have Bailey, can do what Hansen does and is more versatile i.e covered at centre till Gleeson arrived.

But... Hansen could be taking the place of one of the younger prospects who are looking for a chance to shine at first team level for example:

Flanny
Mossop
Tuson
Farrell

For me, at times Farrell has looked really good.

Either which way Hansen doesn't offer enough in his all round game for a place at a WINNING side.

Isn't Hansen only 23 himself?



Are those players anywhere near regular first team footy of the sort Hansen plays week in, week out? When Bailey leaves as I assume he will, Hansen would be the perfect player to bring on IF Noble had the sense to go with Hock, Lockers in 2nd row and J Tomkins at 13 when a big defensive effort was needed.

Dave

What makes Hansen the perfect player to bring on? Does he offer any impact in attack to mix up the game or trouble the other team? No. Does he offer a spark of genius to crack a defense? No. And you class this as being the 'perfect' player to bring on?

Hansen started his Wigan 1st team career in 2004, have we seen anything within his development in the last 5 years which say to us 'he is one of the best around in the SR and deserves a place in a WINNING team?' Nope, not at all.

We have several other players all looking for a chance to prove they are better in the SR, given the best of them a shot, if they prove to be better, no one will complain.

Every single player at the club needs looking at, of they don't have the potential to be a cracking player, or are already a top player, they have no place at a WINNING club. The drop of standards needs to stop.

spot on.

Farrell and Mossop will be the next two to step up but it wont be till next year at least. They both look cracking prospects as well as unlike Hansen they offer go forward.

I've said this about Hansen for a while.

There are exciting, attack minded back rowers players in our reserves but will still put the graft in when it comes to defence.

Just playing like a defensive 'work horse' and just being too comfortable in the setup will catch up with Hansen eventually. He's got more ability, but I think he's too comfortable/arrogant to break off from the rest and stand out.

I think you missed the point mate. DaveO said:

"would be the perfect player to bring on, etc, when a big defensive effort was needed"

Meaning at that stage in the game where we need to hold out, or close them into their own half then Hansen is perfect, and its not like he can't make metres either, so he isn't a liability in attack, at times last season he was showing the world how to run onto a ball (his try at millenium magic last year springs to mind)

Thank god others can see this!

For me Hansen is a big strong athletic lad, for this he can run around the field tackling players, but doesn't have a 'rugby brain'.

I also agree with the comment about a 'defensive work horse' who can also run the ball and throw his weight around.

Last season

Leeds-JJB and Ellis Both can tackle up and offer lots in attack.
Saints-Wilkin and Gilmore, both can tackle all day long and offer lots in attack.

So you can't have a player who can come on, hold the defensive line and offer ball skills, go forward, line breaks and some aggression?

I think you're missing the bigger picture.

Of course you can, you pointed out four in the previous post. We just haven't got two of them, Joel doesn't do it often enough for me, Bailey is no world beater going forwards and neither is Hansen *shrugs* if we had two Hocks it wouldn't be a problem, but we don't.

At the end of the day, we have 4 players who can play second row, two of which are identical and one is a better loose.