Unlike most Wigan fans I am torn about Phil Bailey.

For me he isn't quick/fast enough to be a centre, plus often has trouble finding his winger, I was all for playing him in the SR, but there he proved to be not strong enough to cause much of a threat in attack.

So basically not good enough for either position IMO if I'm honest. This combined with the fact that he's a Aussie, means he's taking up an overseas spot, if we're going to import, lets make them good imports to compliment a ENGLISH/WIGAN based team. He's also 'supposedly on a good wage' this is another factor against him.

BUT...

On Saturday night Bailey once again returned to the centre and did a good job, he scored and was defensively sound for the entire game. We've done the 'merry-go-round' with Goulding and Phelps and were back to Bailey cos he's simply better than the other two over all. We looked far better with him the centres than we have for some time.

If it weren't for Phil who else could cover so well? Pryce? Unfit? Injured? lacks experience in the centres? Goulding/Phelps doesn't work.
Hansen/J Tomkins/Hock won't do the as good of a job as Bailey.

He's been around a bit too, a cool relaxed head which is need with such a young squad, not an old man, but someone who has a clear intelligence and can read the game well enough to play in the backs or the pack.

Has anyone ever head Bailey moan? Or wanna go back to Oz? i've not. He's here week in week out never a bad thing to say about the club or the country.

Over all I would have to let him go to make way for a new centre. We already have good cover in the backrow. His quota spot and cap would come in well.

Thoughts?

Aye I never liked him as a centre when he first came and thought he'd do well in the second row, then he wasn't much cop there either, but last week he did a good job at centre by all accounts so we should leave him there and see how he goes on v Bradford, he should be better defensively then Goulding and Phelps, hopefully Pryce will be pushing for the position though, but long term I see us getting rid of Mathers and signing a centre next year. I can't find the player contracts on Bilko's site to check whether Mathers is coming off contract though.

I know he's well liked and respected by a lot of the younger players, has a very good attitude at training and is a good organiser/talker.

Does that make him good enough, probably not, but until we get someone better, then hell do for me.


There are two other Aussies I would release before him for next season (Smith and Phelps)

Why wait till next season Rogues i would get rid now. Lets put it one way there here to do a job there not learning there trade they are experienced players and are crap. Lets put it one way i am an engineer and if i kept messing jobs up week in week out then i would be sacked why cant this happen to Rugby players who are just not performing to the standard Wigan Rugby expect.

oh and piggy can go too !

I'm also very disappointed in Riddell to date. Especially considering her was our 'big name' signing for this season.

But without doubt we need to give him more game time before we judge. Maybe if he hasn't picked up around 10-12 games then I'll agree. But there is rumour (only rumour) that he's carrying a knock.

I would keep Bailey in the centres myself as he did little wrong last Saturday imo.

Riddell's 4 games in, carrying a knock and he's already better than Higham. Give him time.

The guy's fairly solid on the pitch but never more than a workhorse. That he's gone from centre to 2nd row and now back to centre to shore up the defence is a little frustrating because we're now employing a defensive player in place of what could/should be a more attacking player.

However, we can only use the players we have.



Smith's been disappointing this season; we all saw the crispness of his passes when he came in last season, it's such a shame he's so weak in defence. I definitely think he'll be gone at the end of the year, whether he wants to stay or not.

Because there are contracts in place and if we let them go now they would have to be paid up and they would still count on the salary cap, unless another club was wiling to take up their contracts.

I disagree about Riddell, I thought he had a decent game on Saturday.

Agreed.