I am curious as to why so many people on here think that Hansen offers nothing in attack and are so quick to write him off as being below all our other backrowers in terms of what they offer to the team.

So far this season he has scored as many tries as Hock, Bailey and Tomkins. He is making more metres per carry than Bailey, Tomkins and O'Loughlin, being about 1/2 a metre per carry behind Hock.

Last year proved that he is defensively our best backrower and IMO he should be starting down that left hand side with Hock on the bench for impact.

Thoughts?

I honestly never used to rate Hansen one bit but now he’d be my first back rower on the team sheet! Top tackler last season and imo the best defensive 2nd row in SL. I’ve also seen Hansen carve a few defences up by running some excellent lines, he may not be knocking defenders off like some of the larger 2nd rows but he’s hardly ever dominated in the tackle and makes modest yards which you said in your original post.

I honestly don’t think Noble knows how to get the best of him as he’s not the biggest player and is more agile than strong. He’s defiantly not an impact 2nd row yet he seems to have found himself occupying that role in the team? Very strange decision that considering we have an impact 2nd row starting the game and having a number done on him by fresh defences.

Hansen is the kind of player who could realistically play for 80mins and get though a bucket load of tackles and maintain the same level of performance for the whole of the game. A definite keeper

Good post.

I don't want to turn this thread into another thread about Noble, but Hansen is a good example of BN and the club failing to develop players properly.

Hansen is a genuine talent IMO, good defensively (when wearing the headguard he has recently reminded me at times of a young Phil Clarke, which is quite some compliment) and decent in attack.

I'm just not convinced though that he will develop to his full potential under the current regime. Hopefully I'll be proved wrong.

Agree completely. He is solid, dependable, consistent and a very good trainer.

Just the sort of player we don't want at Wigan.

I'm not sure why you're criticising Noble - he seems to be getting a good deal out of Hansen. Good defender and good attacking runner - sounds pretty good to me.

Maybe we are seeing more of him in attack because he is coming on as a sub rather than starting?

I also think Hock has been our best player so far this season - I'd much rather him be on the field for longer and from the start. He can help us score early tries - which as we saw against leeds is prett important in killing a game off.

But then I suppose if you are Noble you get blamed for everything.

I think he's a player who does his best attacking moves coming from deep on a good angle. Unfortunately the flat attack means that we only see him do it close to the line.

From an oppositions perspective would Hansen worry you at all?

Certanly in attack he just doesnt really cause enough headaches for the opposition, he doesnt hurt them and we desperatley need players that take the gas out of the opposition.

Having said that i dont think he is a bad player but if he left Wigan tomorrow would he be highly sought after by one of the top clubs? I doubt that.

Needs to add a lot more aggression into his game along with the rest of the Wigan pack.

I think the work Hansen gets through makes him one of the most underrated players at the club.

Solid, dependable yes. But has next to no aggression and no great (or even good) physical attributes. I'd have him behind Hock, Lockers Tomkins and Bailey.

i think his work rate and defensive capabilities merrit him a place.
You can't have a team of hocks, throwing the ball aournd here there and everywhere. Don't get me wrong it can be very effective in attack and you need attacking players (though sometimes hock has me ripping my hair out). You need solid players to build an attack from and i think Hansen can do this. in the mold of cassidy, no he doesn't have oppositions shaking in their boots, however he has them vexed off when he makes a try saving tackle on the line, or back to back tackles seeing them only make 10 yards.

Lets not forget for a forward he's also quite young.