I think you're worrying needlessly. Our defence early in the season was awesome, it only seems to me to have slipped in the last couple of weeks which is more a result of being knackered after a run of Wigan - Saints - and an Easter weekend trip to France rather than an inability to defend.

Wire will be just fine. Come June time all these gripes will be a distant memory.

Totally agree...I would say 45+ years though.

To be fair to the pies they were always keen on the Challenge Cup. Yes maybe one or two of their fans trolled us when we won the Challenge Cup saying it wasn't important but there are always trolls on the internet, I wonder how many falsehoods about "the arrogant Wire fans think such and such....." are due to stuff I've said

On the Wigan forum, the Challenge Cup and returning to Wembley was a big thing for them, that was what they associate with their glory days, winning at Wembley every year in their long sequence of consecutive Challenge Cup wins, Shaun Edwards and Dean Bell with the cup and "Simply the Best" playing, so after their semi final and quarter final defeats of the past few years before last year, they were always on about returning to Wembley.

I'm sure the Leeds fans will notice an irony about how our fans view the respective merits of the league leaders shield and the Grand Final, should we not finish top and end up getting to Old Trafford, suddenly the Grand Final will become relevant!

got back from france yesterday, disapointed yes. have i given up on the hope that we can pull it together NO.
As previously stated this is the best i've seen in 35+ years of watching the wire. 2 challenge cups, league leaders shield, in 5th place after a 3rd of the season, that'll do for me mate!
ok so it's not as consistant as the last 3rd of last year but to believe it would be is daft.
waterhouse needs time to settle in (as do most aussies by the look of things)
G O'B looks really good, dwyer looks to have potential, hill has more to offer in my opinion, not to say that he's played badly (he hasn't) & some of the other youngsters due to come through have shown some real potential in the under 20's.
things are good in my opinion and put this minor blip we're going through to one side this season can only get better!

yeah, another good coaching move - gaz seems to have taken a lot from his spell at widnes

I am really impressed with hill - doing the hard graft. and showing real pace when he gets some space.

A few of the young lads will be very good for the club

Gaz O'Brien looks very assured for a person of his age, i think he'll be a fantastic player, his vision, for his age, is brilliant, his timing and pass selection is as good as i've seen for a while.

With Lee Briers as a coach and Johns in the closed season as well as TS, i think this kid will be as good as Lee in time.