Too many experienced players and not enough youth in the team ..... interesting take on it.

So, we should've played Dwyer at hooker, Riley (G) at prop, Currie at 2nd row, GOB in the halfs, Evans on the wing etc etc - all of whom have played, and played well, in the last couple of seasons, and will feature more and more over the next few....... and we'd of course be sat here with the same people saying "What was Smith doing? Dropping the players who got him to the final and bringing in all those inexperienced youngsters".

Maybe the younger players wouldn't have sustained injuries or tired at the end of the game ... but would they have prevented Wigan from scoring early on? And would they have exploited gaps in the Wigan defence and gotten Wire 16-2 up in the first place? I doubt it.

Bottom line (now my heads cleared and I've watched the game a couple of times) - Those 'oldies' got us 16-2 up with nearly half the game played. A combination of injuries (from whatever cause) and fatigue forced Wire to shuffle players into unaccustomed positions, which caused enough confusion in the ranks for Wigan to take advantage, and they turned the scoreline around, winning the game.

As a coach I'd ask one thing and one thing only - every player gives 100% during their time on the pitch. I can't think of one Wire player that didn't ........

Good post Bob and spot on IMO.

Imagine the bruhaha if Smith had followed Bilko's retrospective advice and not stuck by the team that nearly won the double the previous year? There were a few malcontents over the omission of Hodgson in favour of Ratchford.

Perhaps Smith's 'failure' was to rely too heavilly on the maxim that not only are our players experienced, they are GF experienced and that would prove a deciding factor and an improvement in our fortunes from last year? I for one went along with it and I know its all 'ifs and buts', but, we were hardly a million miles away in the grand scheme of things over the 3 comps.

I must say when we beat Wigan at the HJ a few weeks ago Shane Warne was only too happy to lament the fact that he had experienced players injured & had to fill in with youngsters & that was why they lost.

On that occasion the young lads did him & Wigan proud just as they did in the final & it just goes to show that the strength of a club's academy is vital to its success. The Wigan youngsters were proved to be more than equal to the task.

Makes me wonder why he signed Bowen when they have a ready made replacement in Ryan Hampshire.

At the risk of misinterpreting Bilko, I don't think he is suggesting that Tony Smith should have thrown all the kids in at once. The facts speak for themselves though with regard to the numbers of juniors brought through and given the chance to stake a claim to a first team spot. Do Warrington fans believe that players like Riley, Harrison, Cooper et al have kicked on under Smith.

Watching the Grand Final Gold clips on Sky this week, it showed last seasons final and Riley was still missing tackles and Cooper was still giving silly penalties away. Does Myler look a noticeably better player than he was at the time of his Salford move? He was talked about in the same vein as Tomkins and Eastmond as future England half back.

Ive done an analysis. Ive worked out why the whole structure broke down across the field..... The early punch that went unpunished by the ref caused friction in the wigan side. If you watch closely you can observed the wigan team singling out out our 3/4 line. And whilst we have a player knockout, the scene was already being set that would completely turn the next stage to follow into carnage. Our coach lost the plot... When we was awarded a penalty for foul play, you can clearly see him waving his arms that certainty isn't indicating he wants us to take the kick. After losing a back after he is seamingly knocked out, we were unable to get another back from the sub bench to correct our balance. Thats all I can say on it, you'll have to watch it for yourself and make your own judgement www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjLC_vqhfZ0

Ive done an analysis. Ive worked out why the whole structure broke down across the field..... The early punch that went unpunished by the ref caused friction in the wigan side. If you watch closely you can observed the wigan team singling out out our 3/4 line. And whilst we have a player knockout, the scene was already being set that would completely turn the next stage to follow into carnage. Our coach lost the plot... When we was awarded a penalty for foul play, you can clearly see him waving his arms that certainty isn't indicating he wants us to take the kick. After losing a back after he is seamingly knocked out, we were unable to get another back from the sub bench to correct our balance. Thats all I can say on it, you'll have to watch it for yourself and make your own judgement www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjLC_vqhfZ0

Quote rubber duckie="rubber duckie"Ive done an analysis. Ive worked out why the whole structure broke down across the field..... The early punch that went unpunished by the ref caused friction in the wigan side. If you watch closely you can observed the wigan team singling out out our 3/4 line. And whilst we have a player knockout, the scene was already being set that would completely turn the next stage to follow into carnage. Our coach lost the plot... When we was awarded a penalty for foul play, you can clearly see him waving his arms that certainty isn't indicating he wants us to take the kick. After losing a back after he is seamingly knocked out, we were unable to get another back from the sub bench to correct our balance. Thats all I can say on it, you'll have to watch it for yourself and make your own judgement www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjLC_vqhfZ0'" What on earth does all that mean? You been on the Sauce, or the Columbian Marching Powder, Duckie?

Quote rubber duckie="rubber duckie"Ive done an analysis. Ive worked out why the whole structure broke down across the field..... The early punch that went unpunished by the ref caused friction in the wigan side. If you watch closely you can observed the wigan team singling out out our 3/4 line. And whilst we have a player knockout, the scene was already being set that would completely turn the next stage to follow into carnage. Our coach lost the plot... When we was awarded a penalty for foul play, you can clearly see him waving his arms that certainty isn't indicating he wants us to take the kick. After losing a back after he is seamingly knocked out, we were unable to get another back from the sub bench to correct our balance. Thats all I can say on it, you'll have to watch it for yourself and make your own judgement www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjLC_vqhfZ0'" What on earth does all that mean? You been on the Sauce, or the Columbian Marching Powder, Duckie?

You have to watch it first Tees

That would be like booking myself a place in Hell, and although the long term odds are on me going there eventually, I'd rather not go yet.
It's another way of saying, 'I don't want to watch the game again.'

When you do you will see. Lol.

The relevance of a game from 25 years ago, is?