Dive logs 223-227 (29/1/07-4/2/07)
Just catching up with a few dive logs. If you’re interested in the technical details of my dives, read on…
Superleague countdown - 8 days to go
Well, whether it’s 8 or 9 depends on what part of the world you’re in. I, for example, will be getting up at around 4:45am on the morning of Saturday 10th February to listen to GMR online and coverage of Wigan’s first Superleague match of the 2007 season. It will be a home fixture against Warrington Wolves and there is a huge crowd expected. Most think around 20,000 and there are some saying it could be close to a sellout. That would be an awesome start for the season and would set the tone for the rest of the year. It’s very possible though: last year was a struggle as any Wiganer would confess, but the crowds were there every week supporting the team, even when it looked like relegation was on the horizon for us. Now that we seem to have the makings of a decent team, they should get even better and I can see the team pushing for silverware, or at the very least get to a final this year.
But what is the Wigan team of 2007 going to be? Well, judging by squad numbers I have tried to show you below. Bear in mind that I’ve been out of the country for 2 and a half years now, so if I make any mistakes with my details or judgments about players, please comment and let me know! The player pictures are courtesy of the Wigan Warriors official club website
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1. Chris Ashton - Came out of nowhere last year after Kris Radlinski’s shock retirement. It has to be said that he did a sterling job too at full back. Good, if not outstanding in defence, and excellent in attack, his pace and good running on angles brought him 14 tries in 200. He’s only 19 though, and will need to improve his defence (hopefully learning from Michael Withers) if he is to become a great. I think we should get Kris Radlinski to coach him in defensive positioning as he was one of the best in the game. Maybe a season in the centres would do Ashton a world of good.