The pitch has nothing to do with it, was the same for both teams, was a bit boggy but if I remember right it rained constant before that game.
And what shocked the players that night? A part time Featherstone side that gave a very good Wigan side a great game, and if not for a couple of mistakes and decisions not going our way we could of won that game. The Wigan players after that game admitted it was tough, not just because of the pitch but because of the players they were faced with.

As for the 3000 fans compared to 8000, that night they might as well of been 8000 home fans there cos it sounded like it, more fans doesn't mean a better atmosphere, more money for the club maybe but id rather have the 3000 fans with pride and passion that get behind there team than the so called magic 8000+ fans that will just dwindle away when the going gets tough.

All games in sl will mean something surely that's a plus!

What is more important:

Being able to build a club that compete with the very best in the country

OR

Being better than Wakefield?

I can only imagine the frustration of being out of the league and others appearing to do so badly (that said, I've gained a lot of respect for Wakefield over the course of the off season with how they have dealt with things ... Not that it should ever reach that point) but doing things well on and off the field in the championship is different to on and off the field in superleague, which in turn is different to doing well on and off the field as the top 5/6 - only conjecture says had the roles been reversed with Wakefield out of super league and fev in, that they would of done any better. And it's the same for the future.

I'm not saying individual teams in the championship don't deserve a chance to compete. But there are ways of doing so without sacrificing those clubs that want to grow sustainably. And particularly without sacrificing clubs that want to develop youth.

Right now, Adam Lawton (Widnes) and Daryl Clark (castleford) are both potential England players. To be able to reach their potential they need to be playing week in week out against the best opposition possible. Under the old system that's possible. Widnes could play Lawton accept his mistakes as he learns and let him develop. If they finish 10th, it doesn't matter, they can climb that table slowly and work towards having an England international to build their future squad around, which can challenge on a much higher level.

Now, it's not an option. Widnes are going to have to chase every point possible to try and make the 8 meaning that any player who is likely to make mistakes (like developing players are bound to) are unlikely to feature. So Lawton doesn't play against the Wigans and the saints. Even if he does play in the 7 second matches it's not the quality of opposition to bring out international potential.

Further, after a few years of frustration for Lawton, if, for example saints offered him a contract, he'd be even more likely to take it meaning widnes lose out on that potential. Widnes stop investing in youth (as the payoff for it leaves) and fewer clubs are producing International youngsters. So the top 8 now are producing/ buying in the majority of the talent, widening the gap between 8 and 9 even further, meaning the team placed 9 invest less in youth to chase closing the gap etc etc etc and so the cycle goes on.

Now say, cas scrape into the 8, they are now in a position financially to be able to hold onto Clark, and given they aren't likely to make the 4 can have 7 games to develop Clark against the best teams in the comp, so next year, Clark is a little bit better, meaning he can do more to contribute to cas making the 8 which improves his game until he reaches his potential. Cas become stronger financially as a result of being in the 8 for a few years and are able to buy in players to help Clark keeping them I. The 8 comfortably and then work on developing more youngsters like Clark.

(It's more likely to be slower than indicated but it's just for examples sake)

please be serious anybody who watches wigan regularly could tell they was in 3rd gear for the majority of that game. Yeah it did rain a lot but it does the same at other grounds but the pitches don't become a bog like that did. Featherstone did play well but could they play like that every week?

But super league doesn't need 3000 thousand noise fans it needs 8000 thousand plus paying fans. or we will continue to lose players to other codes and other leagues and players will never be paid correctly.

One group of people have made sure that happens - Super League chairmen. HTH.

That's all we, and many other clubs want, the chance to find that out. Time will tell, but we are up for the challenge.

I'm not saying Featherstone are anyway near the quality of Wigan, but that's why we all love rugby league, anything can happen on the field, and for a good portion of that game you could not tell which club was part time and which was super league in my opinion.

Like Smokey TA, you haven't posted anything positive about the sport of late.

You must really hate the sport of rugby league.

You're just another franchise fairy ideologue, aren't you?

Perhaps you and your ideological ilk should bugger off an find another sport to get all negative about?

Fev are playing Fax at home tommorrow in a friendly, who are Wigan inviting to the DW this pre season?

Like i said i have no problem with clubs getting a chance and if the franchise system was administrated correctly really you should of had those chances already but with the new system i worry on how clubs have previously over spent trying to chase a dream.

My main concern isn't the standard of playing (even though it may effect attendances but that is purely speculation as fans may come out to see there local teams play top grade rugby.) its finances and how super league is going to fund this new structure.

That would partly depend on what their soccer landlord allows.

If I didn't love my club I would of walked away from this game years ago.. This has given me a bit of hope and belief back and if that sound selfish so be it.
Iv spent thousands watching my club iv been to every home and away game for last 5 years including Toulouse (which I really enjoyed).
So let's just see how this all pans out I think it will be ok bug I might be wrong time will tell.

It would cost far to much to play a friendly at the DW anyway. they could play at Orrell if they liked but some how i don't see it being a big deal.

Fair play.

I have nothing against the physical system itself, merely what it will lead to!

And everyone's a little bit selfish