Ryan Hampshire is the best half back at the club. He has every facet to his game, bar physical size and that is something that will come with time as he matures.

Green and Smith offer frig all IMO!

I am sick of people saying Hampshire is the future full back for us simply because Wane has been giving him game time there.....he is not a full back in any way shape or form. Would you buy a Ferrari and take it on an off road cross country rally?! No you wouldn't, so don't waste a class player at full back.....he is a future International half back mark my words.

Its no coincidence that the only game he played in the halves last year he produced a man of the match performance and was by far the best player on the field, give the lad the ball and he makes things happen and unlike Smith and Green he causes problems for the defensive line when he attacks it. Then when he is off the ball he is the best supporting player I have seen since Rob Burrow at the Whinos, he is guaranteed to score you 30 tries a season at least.

Grimmy all I will say is lets see who is laughing in a 3-4 years time, when Hampshire has that experience and has fully matured as a player. You must have a Labrador!



I was not saying Green and Smith are useless.....I was simply stating the fact they offer frig all going forward. Have either of them got that turn of pace? have either of them got a quality kicking game? I have seen snails quicker than them two! Hampshire has a far better skill set and can change a game in more than one way. We could have had the chuckle brothers in the halves last year. The forwards set us on a roll and then smith and green passed Tomkins it on the run around and he created tries. Lets see what they do this year without that attacking outlet, I can assure you they will be clueless.

I actually really do rate Hampshire and would have had him in the 17, possibly the 13, but saying both the men of the match from our two finals last year 'offer frig all' is plain laughable. Smith is a very good at organising, kicking and passing. Green on his game can throw killer passes and has a great step as seen in the Hudds play off and the GF last year when he scored in each. Having said that he has been inconsistent so I wouldn't have been against the idea of Hampshire playing SO instead.

As you know on here I am one of Hampshire biggest fans, I've been banging on about him for the past three or four years. However, I want Wane to be careful with him. Would I have played him on Saturday? Maybe from the bench when Powell was ruled out.



Where should he play?



Eventually I see him as a#6 and it will be interesting to see what happens next year if Bowen and Green leave. However look through the teams both here and in Australia and see how many players under the age of 23 are playing in that key roll. Physically I don't think Hampshire at the age of 19 is ready YET.



Playing him at #1 gives him that bit more time to pick his line and avoid the major hammerings he would get at #6. I expect this year we will see him play 10 - 15 games in the first team, the majority at #1 but some at #6 to allow him to continue his development.



Patience with the likes of him, Williams, Burgess, Manfredi, Gildart and Shorrocks etc is key to Wigan producing a team that will continue to be around the leaders for years to come. Overplay or play too many too soon could stifle their progress and end up like we did around 2003 - 2006 with the likes of Brown, Aspinwall, Robinson, Hodgson, Wild, Tickle etc.

Completely agree and I think SW has youth development down to an absolute tee. I trust that our youths are being brought through in the "Wigan Way".

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