Saddened! you echo my thoughts.

It is crushingly disappointing to have injuries as the reason for our lack of progress up the league table. We were so much the better side today. We blew Wigan away. Royce got his tactics spot on. We have a good coach, a great set of players and an attractive style of play but our injuries are crippling us and our Chairman left us with hardly any squad to begin with. It is incredibly disappointing.

Have to agree with you on Gardner,got caught out of position quite a few times today,very poor.

Got to give credit for the team in general though we where excellent today and with a bit more luck we could have won the game.

Can't blame lomax for that kick that lead to Wigan going down the other end and scori g as the was a good few plays in between but was poor kick.

I thought lomax looked a little suspect in defence today at times.

I've always thought that about Lomax, and have said so on here, which is why I don't see him as our future fullback. However, his error wasn't to blame, just as Gardner wasn't to blame or Meli or indeed any one individual. We did have two glorious try scoring chances, remember: bombed by Wello and LMS respectively. So we still could have won it. But could haves and should haves are not two points so what's the point in blaming any individual when so many played their part in both the defeat and the effort?

btw: I wonder if anyone is still arguing with the wisdom of Royce putting a back on the bench?

I agree, we had to many inexperienced out there today which I've predicted will happen when we play the big teams.

That's why we need to either get Tony p signed or we will need to replace him and jammer with experienced players rather than going with youth.

It's great having some many good young players but the mix of old heads needs to be correct. I think with perry, Pryce and flannery today we would have won the game.

So IMO it's paramount we sign top quilty experienced players if any of jammer, Tony p and flannery go.

The effort today by all was top class and did every saints fan proud. If tho we lost we left the stadium with our heads held high!

You should be so proud of your players today. Not that you need me to tell you. Just a great game and I can't wait for the repeat fixture.

I wasn't. As I have also said on here, Royce has stated himself that he doesn't want to change players around wholesale when there are injuries, which is why he puts a back on the bench. Makinson has played both fullback and centre. The fullback was injured, so he gets slotted into the position he has played. Makes perfect sense.

Very very proud of the lads today. If that's all the goons have, with a full squad against an inexperienced, injury riddled side, well god help them Well Done Saints

Well said mate,a great game between two very good sides,can't wait for our next meeting.

Don't often post on here, but just wanted to say thanks for your awesome fans helping make today such a superb atmosphere. One of the best derbies I've seen in over 20 years of watching Wigan, and your team and fans did you proud. I had goosebumps pre-match when the entire stadium applauded the troops marching the flags on, and also during the silence.

So...a few dodgy calls for both teams, some huge hits and both sides dominated for spells - what an outstanding game of rugby league...but that's easy to say when your team wins!

Today we saw why Wigan-Saints is THE game in RL. No nasty animosity, no stupidity, just a bumper crowd and a great day.

You had just two players missing. That is a full squad in anyone's book.

We only had 19 to call up, and at least three of those played injured with one extra injured.

I think makinson should have tackled Richards ( I think) dead when he broke clear on our right, if he'd stopped him fully as I'd expected wello and foster to do then we could have prevented a try.

You say royce don't like players out of postion?

Wheeler is a stand off but plays centre, meli is a winger but plays centre, lomax played all over the place, Moore is hooker but plays everywhere, Tony p plays everywhere except hooker in the pack.

Oh for feck's sake Pete! It was only his second full half at first grade and it was a bloody derby game when we were teetering on the edge! Give the lad a break!


Wheeler can play both stand off and centre; Meli HAS played both centre (internationally) and winger; Lomax can play centre, wing and halfback; Tony P can is a second rower but big enough for prop. Moore started out as a halfback but moved into hooker.

Who was playing out of position today?