HH has gone!!!! Why did no one mention this!!??!!

I think Shaun being left with no other option than to play Bateman. I think somebody needs to have a word with Jack Hughes or he needs a mentor, this is truly his big opportunity to nail down a first team spot and lack of concentration is stopping him doing it. He has clearly shown enough ability to do it but he needs to become consistent.

Still would like to see gelling get a run of 3 games at 2nd row, when he has a good game he gets dropped the following week.

Ha ha. I've got to be honest he strikes me as thick as two short planks off the field but on it he seems to have the calmness and game awareness of a veteran. He's nothing like as big as Hock but his natural ability reminds me of our last great chav second row only this kid has a great rugby brain. That rugby brain is what makes up for his lack of size and is what will make him go on and become a top international player IMO.



If we keep the lad long term he's looking like a natural successor to Sean O'Loughlin as Wigan skipper.

Not something I'd like to see, potential to be a great player, but his opinions and beliefs leave a little to be desired.

Hughes has been the biggest disappointment of the season so far for me especially these past two weeks. As you say this was his time, his big chance to finally nail down a second row spot and he's been borderline woeful IMO. He has a lot of natural ability but concentration is definitely an issue as is a bit of complacency IMO. He seems to just drift through games at points and looks happy to enjoy the good times without really putting the hard graft in that sits behind that success.



I really rate him when his head is right but he strikes me as a lad that may at some point need to leave Wigan to wake him up and make him realise he should have put more in to it all.

I'm going purely off his on field game sense, attitude and ability to lead by example. His off the field beliefs are something I heard a rumour about during his Bradford days but I'd like to think he was being young and daft and will grow up and mature.



I do believe a captain needs to be an all round ambassador for the club like Lockers is so I take your point.

Everyone is young once, and, as you say, let's hope he's matured.

Exactly my thoughts. That's why I believe we should be looking at using Flower in the second row now that Clubb has moved to front row.

The question on here should be - does Phil Clarke have any more nephews like budgie?

We should give gelling a shot at 2nd row from the bench given hughes isnt doing very well

I'm not sure he's a member so why is it a question for here?

Certainly worth a go at this point. JH hasn't done anything to cement his place in the team.

How a Saints fan can mention any hairstyle after some of the 'efforts' of Jamie Foster is pure cheek !!!

Plenty of ammo for our rival fans there.

Why?



He does but I've already pointed out why I believe he's captaincy material 'on' the field. He plays totally out of the character he seems in general life. He doesn't seem to be the brightest button away from the field yet on the pitch his game sense and awareness is at the total opposite end of the scale.



He's unusual in that sense.

maybe his social and political opinions have changed now he doesn't live in Bradford.

Agreed, I can just about live with us signing an EDL member so long as he doesn't let it come to work with him or put it about in the media but he needs to seriously distance himself from all that rubbish if he wants to be in a position of responsibility at the club were players of all colours and creeds including our young players and supporters would be looking up to him

Watched Bowen's try against HKR again Burgess has too slow down just to keep behind Bowen. And then he seems to three quarter pace it to the line. Think he should have a camera on him and stopped on the try-line and took a picture. Burgess has pace to burn and will be a major star for us. Was worried that we did not replace Pat. But Burgess could be as good if not better than Pat in his prime. He is a bigger danger with ball in hand now than Pat was last season.



Bateman can have any political view so long as he behaves himself and keeps out of trouble. I bet that Tony Smith rather regrets not paying for Bateman when he was supposedly going to Wire. Both are exceptional talent and have massive futures in the game. So long as they improve and do not get side tracked. Something players with similar talents at their age have gone from stars in the making to nothing very quickly.

When Bateman was rumoured to be going to Wire people were talking if a transfer fee of £200,000+ but due to his injury record the past couple of years and Bradford's situation we've meant to have paid half that if not a bit less (think I heard 90k rumoured).



If we keep him fit then we've stole him at that price.

I have rated Burgess very highly for a long time. He is a real modern day winger with speed and size and is a ready made replacement for Pat.



Bateman has impressed too. He has the heart of a lion and is very strong for his size. My only real criticism of him is that only attack stops dead on the right as he doesnt pass and doesnt seem to know the plays to be a decoy.

I have never really been too concerned about replacing Pat apart from his kicking. His open field play was on the decline in my opinion and whilst clearly a great pro I don't think he contributed much other than being Mr. Reliable, which to be fair is no bad thing but he lacked that pace or spark to create something out if nothing that we now have in both flanks.

Richards was exceptional in 2010 but that injury in the GF took a bit of something away from him. He was still one of the leagues best wingers over the following seasons and you can't buy that feeling if security he always gave you. If a kick went near him he caught it, if a try needed finishing he finished it, he was pretty much error free and kicked goals at 80%. He was like a safety blanket for the side.



Moving on to this year we have Burgess who might have a little error or two more in him then Richards (no more then that) and he doesn't kick but he has a real calmness about him and he brings an X factor Richards didn't anymore. He's a frightening prospect for 19 years of age and he's already looking like one if the leagues top wingmen. Somebody near me said after Burgess's stunning try at Cas that Richards wouldn't have missed the conversion (as Smith did) but as I pointed out Richards wouldn't have scored that try in the first place. We need Smith to improve with the boot but we may have actually gained in open play with Burgess on the left and the lad couldn't be paid a higher compliment then that when he's taking over from a player of Richard's stature.

Nicky I agree whole heartedly with what you say, Burgess has something that a person is born with, pure pace.

I first watched him about 2/3 years ago in a couple of rounds of the 9s and you could see then the potential.



If used in the right way he could be devastating, knowing when to pass, when to go inside or outside of the fullback when in the clear will only come with experience.



But I have noticed already this season when the ball is moved to the left the players involved seem to be stood rather tighter together when swinging it left (the famed structure), this means that when the centre gives Burgess the ball he has that half a yard which is all he needs to get clear.



If it is a conscious attempt to create more room on the left, the same tactic could be used to give Charnley more room on the right, because at present when Wigan move the ball to the right all the players seem to slide a bit to far which means that when the ball gets to the winger it is a bit to congested.



All what I have said though could have an explanation in the theory that some players are better passing the ball to the left or vice-versa.

Burgess made 196 metres at Warrington on Thursday and Bateman 153. Liam Farrell 164.



Warringtons top meter maker was Westwood with 155. Amazingly it lists Gareth O'Brien - 2 ball carries for 3 metres!