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Academy Player | 282 | Wigan Warriors |
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| 4 of us with tickets for Wembley and Everton. Missed out on Headingley, but blaming daughter as she registered on my account but didnt tell me, and then after they'd sold out she says "Dad i registered for the tickets" I really hope it doesnt got to a decider cos i'll be cheesed off, but equally it would be great for the game if it is 1:1, but couldnt cope with the disappointment of losing to them again  Whichever way it goes, there will be fans complaining about Wane's team selection, but in the main the team will pick itself subject to injuries
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Club Captain | 374 | Wigan Warriors |
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| NickyKiss:tyr:
I have tickets for Wembley and Everton. Wembley is my 50th, so there are 9 of us going, and I'm doing hospitality with my mate at Everton. In all my years of going to internationals I've never seen Australia lose a game live. Honestly, I'll be fairly happy if we can win one game (just hope it's not the one at Headingley if that is the case!) as I think the gulf between them and us remains very wide indeed. That said, we do potentially have a pretty strong team and if everyone is fit and firing, and Australia are a little off their best because of their haphazard preparation, who knows?
Havard doesn't get in the squad on this year's form for me.It's certainly true that Wane is a loyal coach and is prepared to overlook dips in form for players who have done the business for him in the past, as shown by past selections of Harry Newman, for example. But, if they're both fit, it has to be Farnworth and Wardle in the centres, that's surely not even a discussion.
Talk that Haas, Tino and Tabuai-Fidow are going to defect over to Samoa. If that happens, I think the series becomes closer and with the poor preperation you mention and the atmosphere from home advantage, I think you might just get to see us win a game against them! The series will be a tough ask but I think we'll compete really well. In terms of the squad from Wigan's POV, there are a few lads in real danger now of missing out. If I was picking a team tomorrow, Havard and O'Neill wouldn't be in (and they would've been shoe ins for me previously) and Nsemba and Smith are pushing their luck. I'd say Wardle, Marshall and Thompson are all pretty safe from our POV. Smith is lucky that we don't really have a like-for-like replacement for him. Not having that Lewis is a replacement for Smith, he is a 6 every day of the week and twice on Sundays. I will admit that his kicking game seems to improved this season though but he is not an organiser and general like Smith is and Williams have proved in the past that he is less effective when he is forced to play that role too. I do think Smith will have a bit of money in the bank with Wane too after 2 stellar Series for England, being player of the series vs. Tonga and being close to getting it vs. Samoa too in my opinion. He has also proved countless times that he turns up for the big games. The only other option in my opinion is Sneyd but i would rather go with Smith as he is the 7 most likely to line up for us in the world cup.
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International Board Member | 1895 | No Team Selected |
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| NickyKiss:tyr:
Havard doesn't get in the squad on this year's form for me. It's certainly true that Wane is a loyal coach and is prepared to overlook dips in form for players who have done the business for him in the past, as shown by past selections of Harry Newman, for example. But, if they're both fit, it has to be Farnworth and Wardle in the centres, that's surely not even a discussion.
In terms of the squad from Wigan's POV, there are a few lads in real danger now of missing out. If I was picking a team tomorrow, Havard and O'Neill wouldn't be in (and they would've been shoe ins for me previously) and Nsemba and Smith are pushing their luck. I'd say Wardle, Marshall and Thompson are all pretty safe from our POV. Agree with the above. Smith, O'Neill, Havard and Nsemba really need to up their game in this next section of games in the run into the play offs. Wane is loyal to those who played well in the past, but he's also said he want to see the intensity raised across the boards - and I think one thing we can agree on is that Wigan have not played with much intensity recently. They do have big game experience which is why players like Thompson will get the benefit of doubt and players like Connor are likely to remain outside. Smith is the perfect foil for Williams or Lewis, but he has to start showing last years form pretty soon or I think far to hard to justify his selection. As I'm based in the south I have 3 tickets for Wembley, son and daughter coming. To date they have never seen Wigan lose when they watch a game - but we saw England go out to Samoa in the WC, behind the sticks when they hit the winning drop goal............. As an aside, my daughter has lots of funny conversations about rugby at school causing confusion with the boys when she talks about RL and they have no idea what she's talking about. Funny yet quite depressing at the same time......
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Player Coach | 461 | Wigan Warriors |
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| Door may be open slightly for Marshall, if Johnstone's injury problems don't get resolved by the end of the season. I think Wane would have gone with Young and one of Johnstone or Ashton (so would I to be fair) but Marshall must surely be the next cab off the rank if Johnstone drops out.
I agree re Smith. It's him and Williams or Lewis in the halves - Williams and Lewis doesn't have the right balance, though it wouldn't necessarily be a disaster if, say, Smith were to be injured. If I were picking right now, I would go with Smith and Lewis but I agree with others, Wane will start with Williams and put Lewis on the bench.
Regarding Connor, I like him as a player and he has been very good this season. But age is against him - would we go into a world cup with him next year? - and I think this is factoring into Wane's thinking as well. It's a pity for Connor, as he has shown up well for England when given the chance but I think the ship sailed some time ago. I am only surprised so many people are surprised that Wane didn't pick him in the last squad. Of course, Connor does give some versatility as well, but halfback is his best position and I don't see how anyone can realistically make the case he goes ahead of Lewis, Smith or Williams. I wouldn't want him to play full back or centre against Australia at this stage of his career.
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| and Welsby is 100% to get the FB spot - assuming he recovers in time which is sounding like he will.
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Club Owner | 30105 | Wigan Warriors |
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| tyr:
Door may be open slightly for Marshall, if Johnstone's injury problems don't get resolved by the end of the season. I think Wane would have gone with Young and one of Johnstone or Ashton (so would I to be fair) but Marshall must surely be the next cab off the rank if Johnstone drops out.
I agree re Smith. It's him and Williams or Lewis in the halves - Williams and Lewis doesn't have the right balance, though it wouldn't necessarily be a disaster if, say, Smith were to be injured. If I were picking right now, I would go with Smith and Lewis but I agree with others, Wane will start with Williams and put Lewis on the bench.
Regarding Connor, I like him as a player and he has been very good this season. But age is against him - would we go into a world cup with him next year? - and I think this is factoring into Wane's thinking as well. It's a pity for Connor, as he has shown up well for England when given the chance but I think the ship sailed some time ago. I am only surprised so many people are surprised that Wane didn't pick him in the last squad. Of course, Connor does give some versatility as well, but halfback is his best position and I don't see how anyone can realistically make the case he goes ahead of Lewis, Smith or Williams. I wouldn't want him to play full back or centre against Australia at this stage of his career.
Personally I think the door is borderline off its hinges on Marshall and his chances. Not many Wigan players can be happy with the quality and consistency of their performances this season but I think he's one. Wane usually picks three wingers in his squad and he wants lads who can get your set rolling, with tough carries from your end and Marshall has just got better and better at that as the years have gone by, to the point where now he's just about the best in the league (certainly statistically he's making the most metres, is right up there on an average gain per carry basis). People worry about his lack of height and the potential worry of him facing Lomax or Coates but that would be there with any of our options against those two, even the taller ones. Joe Burgess gets mentioned but he's poor under a high ball and his work rate is nowhere near as high and his average gain is well down on Marshall, Johnstone and Ashton (before his injury).
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