EagleEyePie

Played a few games and to be honest it's barely any different to RL Live 4 from what I've experienced so far. The gameplay doesn't seem to have improved at all. The AI doesn't seem to have any concept of attacking structure so it's just one out carry followed by random pass. There's very little weight to the collisions and going into contact it doesn't feel like there's any difference between a forward or a halfback. I'm hoping the career mode is better this time as I can get some more longevity out of it and don't mind playing the odd game and simulating others, but before I play that I'm going to have to go through the painstaking process of fixing all the errors and ratings, particularly for the lower leagues. The positions for some players are way off, as are the ratings. Though annoyingly some of the changes I've made just don't seem to save. Looks like Jack Farrimond is stuck as a winger for the time being.

I don't know if that was outstanding from Hanley or absolutely shocking defence from Broadbent. Quite possibly both

You'd think there's a good chance that would be the case assuming Smith plays more like he did last night and less like he did the week before. There's no doubt that when Smith is at his best he's the ideal scrum half for England. His style of play fits so well alongside both Williams and Lewis. There were some really good players in the 2018 England side that's for sure. When you consider Welsby, Newman, Smith, Havard, McDonnell, Smithies, Holroyd and Trout are already in the England picture, Wilson was called into the squad last year and has a good chance of being a regular in the future if he continues to develop. Then Sam Walters was probably behind only Ese'ese as the form prop in Super League with his early season form. Then you've got the 2 Senior's, Scott, Mustapha and Shorrocks heavily involved in Super League this year too. I actually think it might have been even better than the 2002 Academy side that beat the Schoolboys in Australia: Melling (Wigan); Gardner (Leeds), Barker (Leeds), Bridge (Bradford), Wray (Wakefield); Mathers (Leeds), Robinson (Wigan); Bailey (Leeds), Beswick (Wigan), Barton (Wigan), Wilkin (St Helens), Langley (Bradford), Hock (Wigan). Subs: Gallagher (Leeds), Johnson (St Helens), Saxton (Castleford), Horne (Hull).

I went into a bit of detail on one of the Wigan forums about Smith and Farrimond in the halves and how they struggle to play together compared to other players who have partnered Smith. Keighran is a much better option at 6.

Dupree has had an excellent second stint. He was really disappointing in the first half but he's come back out like a man on a mission.

It shouldn't have been

The penalties for reaching in at the ruck? It's allowed except when the defence is on the goal line

What a try that was!!

Don't the officials know we're a ###### team right now? They aren't supposed to screw us over so blatantly that's for teams like Castleford. I await the public apology from Phil Bentham

That's a terrible call. He's not disadvantaging King in the slightest!

Kick and chase on the 3rd tackle we're so lucky Bibby let us out of jail on that.

There's obvious signs that we can cause a threat when things click, but we're just so sloppy in all areas right now. It's like we need a kick up the backside. Everything is so half hearted. I think there's only Mago and Havard look like they're making an effort at the moment.

A basic error from Wade, and then caught in no mans land to gift a try. This has been a woeful start

If we can get Wade to go forward with as much enthusiasm as he goes sideways he could be a threat tonight.

A few changes to the Wigan side. Both wingers from last week miss out. Douglas returns and Wade makes his debut. Eckersley in at centre to allow Keighran to feature in the halves. Luke Thompson is out so Havard starts and Harvey Makin looks likely to make his Wigan debut off the bench. Not sure if the changes will help or hinder us but at least it adds some intrigue.

As others have said, this seems like short term thinking to help fill the gaps for a very short notice move to a 14-team Super League. If there's a lack of homegrown talent to fill 14 Super League teams then there shouldn't be 14 teams in Super League and something needs to be put in place to increase the homegrown talent pool. Even the NRL is suffering from a dilution in quality because of the teams that have been added and that's going to increase further in the next couple of years. So more talent will leave from Super League to fill new NRL clubs and also the best talent below the NRL will need to step up to fill those rosters. So the available overseas talent from the NRL will be of a lower quality too. I'm not someone who thinks it necessarily matters where a player comes from; plenty of sports feature domestic clubs with lots of players from overseas. I do think it's important that the sport balances the competing interests within the game and one of those interests is the English national side and I don't see how this move provides any benefit in that respect. Allowing teams to field a squad that consists of a majority of overseas players just seems a bit shortsighted, especially if it leads to most clubs using those quota spots to cover the same positions, such as the halves or fullback.

When I visited my dad on father's day I told him it would be a Hull KR v Leeds Grand Final and that Leeds would win. After watching that I think I might be onto something

Brodie Croft with the worst drop goal attempt I've seen since last week

Players having multiple involvements in the same attacking move is just so satisfying to watch. The way the players adjust pace and positioning in anticipation to maintain support options is brilliant.

What an outstanding try that was!! The handling on show there was excellent

Why are people so surprised about Connor's omission from the England side when his defence is bobbins

I think the best thing for Hanley has been getting an opportunity at centre. I'm pretty sure when he first came to Wigan he was playing centre or loose forward at high school and for Shevington Sharks. I think his very early academy days were as a centre too. Then came the trend of playing your best attacking player at fullback so he was moved there but I never really thought he looked like a natural fullback. He was good, sometimes very impressive but I always thought there was something lacking. He was a great line runner rather than playmaker, but fullback evolved into a playmaking role. He may lack size but in the modern game I don't think size is as important for a centre as it may once have been. It helps in any position, but since wingers do so much work and are expected to be quite powerful ball carriers you want a centre with some guile, footwork and acceleration and Hanley fits the bill. A bit of improvement in defence and he'll be one of the best centres in the competition.

He's got another year on his contract but there have been rumours that he's retiring at the end of this season. Not sure how accurate that is though but it wouldn't surprise me. I mentioned in the thread for last weeks game that I think Farrell comes in for undue criticism. I don't think that he offers nothing to Wigan. In fact he was the only Wigan forward to top 100 metres last night and he was far better than Nsemba who was completely anonymous. I think Farrell's (and Wigan's) issue this year is he's still trying to play like he did in his mid-20's when he's now mid-30's. He's still getting heavily involved with a high work rate in attack and defence, getting across the pitch doing it week in week out, but I think he either needs to reduce his involvement or he should be spelled. Without a doubt he's making a lot more mistakes of judgement and weaker contact than previously and I think part of that is because he's getting fatigued in games and has lost pace. He can't keep up with what he wants to do and he can't make up for being a step or two behind play, but he can still make good carries and read attacking plays from a defensive perspective.

I think you can chalk that try up to more than just Smith. It all starts before the beginning of that clip with some really weak contact from Ellis on the other side of the field which allowed a soft offload. The passing movement from Leigh following that wasn't particularly quick and we should have snuffed it out but Wardle then came in with an uncharacteristically soft tackle attempt which allowed the offload to Trout which is when that clip starts. That's why Wardle is out of the picture. That clip does show a right mix up between Smith and Farrell though. I'm bemused as to why Farrell backs off so much and seems to be covering his left wing when Leigh's winger is down and Lam is well ahead of play at that point. He leaves a huge gap on the inside. But the more I watch the more I'm puzzled as to why Smith didn't just dive in on Hanley. I think Farrell was fully expecting that too. Either way they both made a mess of that, but ultimately I'd still back Leigh to score with the support they have. I'm more frustrated with Ellis and Wardle though. This shows it better IMO.

As is your right Harry. I hope you enjoyed tonight. I'm starting to think the battle of the borough is the most exciting derby in Super League.