clearly is current fans favourite!!.. thought he was possibly our best player last night, seem to run at the defence all night, and tackled everything that moved.. he may not have been saints best player in many people's opinions, but my god, he was no way near our worst player..



wilkin up his own ? what does he do differently to any other player in the squad? i would guess he gets as much media coverage as the next saints player

Wilkin was poor for you last night, had a great laugh watching him get caught by Andy Coley too.



Thought Tony P was your best player, some of his passes and offloads were magical.

I couldn't believe coley caught wilkin

What a pathetic thread. How anyone can suggest that Wilkin's approach was 'casual' yesterday is beyond me. He worked his backside off. He didn't have a great stand off's game, but then he isn't a stand off (I don't know why Potter didn't play Lomax at 6, but there you go). And he set up our solitary try.



Collectively we were awful. Singling out Wilkin is unjust.

It's not just last nights game, it's been for the last 3/4 years, he's just not the player he thinks he is or what we thought he'd be.



I agree he does graft.



Dux, what would you say was wilkins strengths as a saints rugby league player and what he brings to the team ?



Not looking for a heated debate but would like to know as i do think you write alot of sense on here.

Because Wilkin is the new Meli/Gardner/Potter/insert scapegoat here.



Hes nowhere near as bad as the knownowts make out and is certainly deserving of a second row place

I'm not claiming he's a world beater, but for me he's one of the most committed players at the club. He is an excellent defender, his work rate is tremendous and he's got a good all round skill set, without being outstanding in any particular department.



It just winds me up when people bag him for being lazy (perhaps because of his running style?) or up his own backside (presumably because he's a good looking lad and doesn't mind voicing his own opinion). Have a look at his appearance on Super League's Super Men - he's completely realistic about his own abilities.

I like Wilkin, he works hard for the team and if used in his correct position he does a very good job for us. But, he's either good or awful there's no inbetween with Wilkin. Last night (and in alot of the big games recently) he's been terrible, which annoys me.

I have to say Jon Wilkin hasnt ever recaptured the form he showed in 2006 were he was outstanding. I do feel however he is being switched between Stand Off, Second Row and Loose Forward to cover injuries. In 2011 if he plays in the Second Row or Loose Forward on a week in week out basis you will see Wilkin's confidence and form will be like it was in 2006. Playing the game myself I am allways comfortable playing in my Loose Forward role every week I know my job. On occasions when I have to play at Stand Off it is as everybody knows a completley different role and maybe Wilkin suffers from the fact he can play a number of positions rather than just one.

I don't he's as committed as you think, he used to be but not anymore.



His game as gone backwards over the last few years and is very very average and don't justify the high salary i expect saints pay him.



He lacks size and is slow for backrow of his size.



Im pretty sure we could bring in a much better player for the wage i expect him to be paid.

I honestly can't see why you'd call his committment into question - I'd be interested to see his stats from yesterday.



On your final point you may well be right, and I think that's a debate that can and should be had when his contract is finishing.

The real wilkin i knew was rough, tough, hard and very very commited, now it's just a case of putting the player down all nice and softy.



I think the fact he's stayed the same size while other players have grew bigger and stronger as also set him back.



Where did all his ball skills go ? his little offloads and short support play was a real highlight of his game, he had a great pair of hands but that seems to have gone.



In 2006 he was awesome and looked to be a very good player but every year he seems to have gone back.



I couldn't really say what his strength to his game is and what he gives the team.

We will always be welcomed at Craven Park with open arms.



I really wanted you lot to win and much as I know you don't want to hear it. Wigan just played the better rugby. It wasn't about any one player.



But if you don't want JW any more send him home

It's very easy to be a Luxury player in a Team of World Class players at their Peak.

As Saints have stood still (not sure if i've worded that right but Basically losing Scully and then Long/KFC/Wellens/Gidley getting older and not being the Dominant team in the Comp) then Wilkin has gone Backwards because he isn't the type of player that makes a Team Play well, He's a player that plays well on the back of a Team Playing well.

Not so easy to be a Good un when you aren't playing with the same quality week in week out.



My opinion (FWIW) ask JLM23 (A saints fan who posts on here) and He will tell you that he's never been more than Good SL player who looks ok when things are going well but doesn't mix it when the going gets tough.

I can see, with your half backs being out, why he is getting in but would be no more than Bench player for me and surely Clough would be a better "Starter" for the team?