Wigan have improved this year. Of course they have. They have the same players under a superior coach, and I've named half-a-dozen players who I rate. Leeds and Saints have been less impressive this year. I don't think, in the scheme of things, Wigan are a really good side. They're not a patch on Leeds of a couple of years ago or the Sculthorpe/Cunningham/Long Saints.

I'll stick by saying that having this Wigan team at the top of the pile is a poor reflection of the League this year, and, yes Wigan have improved a lot but they're there because Leeds and St. Helens haven't found their form of the past few seasons. Yet.

In 2008 St Helens went on a winning streak from April 11th till September 19th. Ok they drew to Wigan in the final league game of the season 16 all on September 5th. That series of wins included a 30 - 10 thrashing of Leeds in the play off eliminator and a challenge cup final.

Come Grand Final time the press was saints this, saints that more than ever. Leeds beat St Helens 16-24 at old Trafford in 2008. Wigan are nothing like St Helens of 2008 that Leeds beat at Old Trafford.

All that Wigan have done this year is improved their league form thanks to a new coaching set up. Wigan under Brian Nobel were great to watch in the play offs.

After all Nobel was the kind of coach that got his team up for the big games. This year Wigan have been up for most games and that is evident from where you are on the table.

But don’t let your league form fool you into thinking that you’ve got the grand final in the bag. Just look back at St Helens 2008 in order to confirm that and your challenge cup loss against us!

Meh, sHuddersfield took this slowing the PTB lark to another level last year and went from a bottom half finish the year before to a 3rd placed finish and a CC final after adopting these tactics. Weegan have simply upped the ante further by being more clinical with it and marrying ferrocious defence to their usual 5 drives and kick rugby than sHudds could even dream about getting near to.

It isnt pretty, but it is effective and not illegal at all. The refs have been happy to let the slow PTB proliferate the games and it is just the way things are going im afraid.

Their cap breaches aside Melbourne were so effective with these tactics they had quite a trophy haul from using them and were thought of as the best RL team on the planet for nearly a decade. These tactics were so effective IIRC the NRL changed some of the rules to change the interpretions of them and lo and behold EVERY team was soon at it, bringing in wrestling coaches and the like. So be it i say.

Its up to the rest of SL to step up and find ways of nullifying these tactics instead of whinging about them.

Wigan have won fek all yet. Their fans arrogance beggars belief.

Then you need to get your head checked mate...one too many bangs there methinks! We've played 3 times this year and comprehensively outplayed you home and away. Even in the one game Wigan narrowly lost, few would argue that the better team lost. All respect to Leeds for getting the win on that one and, as I said earlier in the season on this board, Leeds will still be in with a shout come the playoffs without question, but to say "nothing worried you" after yet again being outplayed in every department is....well let's be polite and say "blinkered".

And eventhough Leeds have won the very same fek all this season, many (as indeed the OP illustrates!) show the same arrogance. Wonder why you aren't commenting on that?

LOL

Three consecutive titles gives their arrogance some substance to be fair.

Leave 'em alone. It was last century when Wigan won Super League.
1998 for fecks sake!!!
Everyone think back to 1998 and recall how life was back then, and how much has happened since the Mighty Weeegan were Champions.

Bless em

Leeds are nothing like the Leeds of 2008 on current form

If Leeds had won last night all we would have got would have been your not good enough!! We win and its a nothing game!! Ive even read if we win Grand Final it was prove to be a poor season!!

I know you Leeds fans cant give much but try to give some credit to a team that had a weak bench, played 10 mins with 12 men, had 1 player on 1 leg for 60 mins and lost their 7 with 20 to go!!

A few months ago when you beat us in the cup (a trophy which apparently was a very poor relation to its grand final relative but now seems to be very important) we were out done by you and it showed we werent good enough according to most Leeds fans!! Ive even heard some nonsense about you being under strength pretty sure you had 1-13 and number 15 squad numbers in your 17 not that under strength to me!!

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