Forwards are supposed to try to rough up opposition half backs.

Take the Dudson late hit on McGuire. In the 80s that would've been a forearm in the head instead of a shove in the back.

I'm being flippant. I don't want those bits back. But the reaction to a bit of rough stuff (not bad rough stuff) on here suggests the game might have become a bit too sanitised.

It's like when the Sky Sports "commentators" do their "people don't want to see this in our game" while several thousand fans are out of their seats cheering it.

I was referring to when play had stopped. I'm not a massive Bailey fan but he often gets accused of this. Yet Crosbys actions seem to have slipped under the radar.

TBF the reactions on here were mostly during or straight after the game when emotions can run over (even the Wigan coach looked like he was going to explode at the end of the first half). Since Sunday morning I'd say reactions from the Leeds side of things has been pretty controlled even if Wigan fans are still trying to make out that we're raging about when in fact the debates have more centred about our own team.

Regarding the "this is how we had it in 80's" view some have though, we also had shellsuits, video cassettes and Rick Astley that were quite common then too. Myself personally not fussed by the overall tactics but one incident was pretty dodgy. Regardless of what's been said I don't think any player is truly "in control" when they do those lift tackles especially with other defenders hands in and consider the size and speed of a Ryan Hall running at you. Quite easy to say after the event "yeah but he landed on his back" but doesn't take very much at all at those speeds for that to turn into back of the neck. Wonder if the worst case scenario happened the same ones would still be saying "only a bit of biff".

Imagine the reaction of Wigan fans had Bailey committed an identical foul on Green or Smith.

We all know, deep down, what the root of the hatred is for that uppity bailey chap.

Are you suggesting racism?

I can hear a can of worms being opened here.

They're still a current fashion statement in Wigan.

[list[/listAs I have stated a before it was hard contest,unlike some of the glorified touch and pass games I have witnessed this season.
Wane had the Wigan lads up for this one,at the final whistle the Wigan celebrations spoke volumes,you would have thought they had won the grand final.
One should always recognize the strengths of your opposition ,in wigans case it's hard aggressive tackling ,not always legal.
We are a superior footballing side,but that does not always win matches. The injury to green will hit Wigan hard, he is the main Wigan playmaker.

You damn us with faint praise!

Last season Wigan passed the ball more than any other Super League team, which suggests a "superior footballing side". I'm not sure of the stats this year. Leeds may well be better.

Tackiling is one part of it. You still have to score points to win. I'm not suggesting that Wigan are necessarily a better 'footballing side' than Leeds, but I wouldn't be so dismissive.

I really don't think the side you had out on Saturday we better footballers than the Leeds side, regardless of what last years stats say.

Ah well...as they say - "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

I am not for one moment being dismissive,I think wane is doing a superb job for Wigan . I admire his motivation for his young players. You can see the pride they have in wearing the Wigan jersey, I am not a great lover of swopping statistics. I just think we are the better footballing side ,anyway all will be revealed at the business end of the season.
On the balance of probabilities , it looks like it will be us and you.
It's probably being a bit unfair on the other teams,saints etc etc.
This opinion is based on the fact that of the top teams Wigan and Leeds have key players injured , yet are still performing well.

I imagine that it would probably serve us both to remember that trophies aren't handed out in May (any more). Lots can happen between now and October. I certainly would not want us to continue for much longer with 10 or more injuries especially to O'Loughlin. I imagine that Leeds would want Burrow back.

My feeling is that Leeds have more match winners in the backs but that your squad in the forwards is smaller. If I was a Leeds fan I'd be desperate not to lose JP whereas I think Wigan can cope as they have about 8 props all of whom can compete at a high level.

Saints cannot be ruled out, they have the players though their motivation is being questioned (surely a coaching issue) and I think that Huddersfield could come under the radar. They have started slowly but will have learnt from last year. If they have luck with injuries they could easily get to the GF.

I haven't the time to really get into it but, yes, there's an element of it. Bailey is far cleaner than most modern day forwards and his antics, in reality, pale in comparison to some. Even some Leeds players of recent years such as Peacock, McDermott and Morley. But they're well respected "characters" and rogues. They're OK as enforcers, even in the mindset of opposition fans.

But not Bailey.

Like I said, just imagine for one moment Bailey had committed an identical challenge on Smith and think of the reaction.

I think it's there. It may be unconsciously there but it's there.

Most fans would regard Bailey as a fairly average forward these days, including most leeds fans. I've yet to see an average player with such a relatively clean disciplinary record invoke such vitriol and it's a head scratcher.

Look at the page on here about McIllorum and how most of us leeds fans respect his aggression but recognise he takes it too far, bless him. Can you imagine a similar thread about bailey on the Wigan forum?

To be honest I hadn't ever thought about that. But I've never heard a racist comment aimed at him.

Do you think he has suffered in the past?

Of course racism exists in society and the presence of the BNP and EDL in small town Lancashire and Yorkshire is a worry. You might be right about some peoples views. I'd have thought that the likes of Gill,Offiah and Hanley would have pretty much won the bigots over at Wigan.

I think the problem is this - He may be average but he has played in an outstanding team for over a decade. Many people like myself cannot understand why. Whereas RB is average MMc is becoming a decent player.