In fairness the squad for the game was announced publicly last week and nobody was forced to go.

I stupidly already paid for my train tickets!

SSDD.



I was thinking I'm looking forward to the start of the season and i am, but what I haven't missed is the bitching and grumbling.



What do people seriously expect from a pre season game?, Harris obviously wanted to blood a few youngsters and see how they coped, pretty certain more first team players will be involved next week and then a pretty much full strength outfit will play in the last friendly. We've complained for God knows how long about not being a professionally run outfit yet now we have one and a coach who seems to be going about things in the right way people still can only find negatives.

oh well a good performance against Swinton and this will all be forgotten about!

Still positive about the season ahead and some of the youngsters like i said in an earlier post did themselves no harm!

Harris' team selection yesterday was a bit strange considering dewsbury are the strongest team we play in pre-season. However most of the team we put out have either played super league or been a standout at championship level, so we shouldn't blame the youngsters because in my opinion they performed as well as some of the first teamers yesterday. Senior players should have produced more, only jay Walton looked fired up for the game. Scott Taylor was shocking.

I heard Scott Taylor had a shocking game and looked over weight. He hasnt had much game time at wigan so maybe abit rusty so he could only get better

Let's just say he wasn't at his best yesterday but for me he will be amongst the 17. I thought Forster did himself no harm yesterday!

Am I really reading some of these comments. I’m pretty certain before the game, the vast majority of the squad were looking forward to the game and wanting to impress coaches, families and supporters. Many were making their first team debuts and at 19 years of age, in their first competitive game for the club are you telling me they didn’t give 100% effort?



Sure it was a disjointed performance, strewn with errors but this is a team that has been thrown together in their first hit out of the season. We had players playing out of position against a very experienced and solid Dewsbury side. It was even Hocks first game back since July.



I am sure the experience of being involved the first team coaches and playing against a much higher quality of opponent than they are use to in front of a decent crowd will have served those lads well.

I don't think anyone is blaming them. This was a fantastic opportunity to shine and it shows the clubs investment in their development. For many of them I'm sure it didn't go as well as hoped but it's character building and I'm sure they will of learned from the experience. Today is a new day and it's back to the hard work with the added determination to improve.

John I wasn't suggesting the youngsters weren't trying, quite the opposite. I do think it was strange to throw so many of them in without more senior players around them. Some of them looked to have potential, we have to remember the weather conditions made it a slug fest, which isn't ideal for teenagers to make their debuts. I'm a big advocate of youth, I even try to watch the 19's, but this was the wrong game and the wrong way to blood so many.

Perhaps so, but I don’t think Harris would have been too concerned about individual performances. As of this season, there will be very limited opportunities to give players from the U19’s first team experience due to the importance of every single league game (due to promotion/relegation). As a big advocate of youth himself, IH and the coaching staff obviously felt yesterday was the perfect opportunity to provide those players with such experience.



If we have an injury crisis and one or two of those lads who played yesterday are needed to be called upon in a Super League game, the benefit of yesterday will be a big bonus to them.

Accept your point;



On a positive note, it was a forward battle. I thought Menzies and Forster did well and will have put themselves in Harris' thoughts. Hood had some moments with the ball. Gee fronted up well and Lannon looked dangerous. All young so things maybe not as bad they could be..