Tomkins and Tommy are half backs playing most weeks behind a beaten pack, again too last night.
We need to put Tommy at 9 either starting or off the bench.
All that possession on their line and little to show for it and not for the first time this season.
It doesn't matter to me whether Sam T plays 6 or 7 we need a top quality, playmaker experienced half back to play alongside him.
First and foremost are the signing of two top class props. The pack has to start winning their game before anyone else in the team can step up their performances. We need a prop now and another when Coley goes.
Gleeson is the type of quality we need. Three more signings like him and the Wigan squad will be a whole lot better.

Agreed

I shall second that.

As for the posts at the start of the thread anyone having a dig at Tomkins is crazy, he is alreay a quality player and if a trained eye did not know his age last night they would think he had been playing for quite afew years, he is still young and a great prospect and will get better but also good enough to compete in super league.

No

Mcilorum offered nothing at all when he came on. Not a fan to be honest, he gives 100% no doubt, but I don't see why people rave about him at all.

I'm very impressed with Sam so far.
Our tactics were wrong on the Saints' line. I'd kick every time on 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th tackle. A good kick always works against them because they shoot off the line to close the attack down.
I've just watched the game again and took particular notice of their defence (usually offside). Noble should take note of this for Edinburgh.

I'm not sure what people expect to be honest. Sam has looked a lot more dangerous with ball in hand and general play in the few games he has played than Tim Smith has ever done for Wigan to be honest. Its a strange thing to say but for a small lad, Sam hardly ever misses a tackle, textbook technique. He got done for holding on last night on 1 occassion which was ridiculous he barely had him down for a few seconds.

He doesnt seem afraid, i think at one point him and Leon Pryce were shoving each other which is good to see. People on here shout from the rafters that we need more wiganers, yet at the first sight of a wiganer we expect them to be the next Lockyer or something. To be fair a lot have defended Sam but Sam is definately as good of a prospect as we have had in the last few years without doubt.

Would you like me to explain it to you?

I agree that normally our biggest problem lies with the pack whoi don't make enough decent field position for the halves. But that didn't happen last night - as you say, we had a lot of possession on their line. I was disappointed in the quality of our attack on their line and I'm not sure a couple of better props would have made a huge difference to the score.

I do not like the way our halves play. Tommy down the left and Sam down the right. They are totally isolated from each other.

If we had them playing the traditional 6 and 7 way hooker to scrum half to stand off then it would give Tomkins and even O'Loughlin as 13 more of a chance to stamp their authority on the game when going forward.

O'Loughlin was superb going forward last night but I think he could be even better if our setup was different.