Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but with the versatility of Grix being able to go into the centres and Michael Monaghan being able to cover at halfback we didn't really need a back on the bench. What happened on Saturday (losing two influential backs for just about half the game) was maybe a once a season event (if that). Losing two forwards is a far more common occurrence.

Centres and wingers need an understanding, the second most important partnership after the halfbacks.

Its better to have a back as a sub who has had rotation with the other 3/4s-wingers and fb over the season than....
Throwing a forward in as a back. This is a poorer solution.

Whilst throwing that back in as a backrow forward is not ideal, the skill leval of understanding the roll is of less importance and would be less disruptive to shape.

Wigan played 4 forwards off the bench. OK Hughes has played centre but he is a second row forward. As you say, this is the poorer solution.

The injuries didn't help Wire's cause for sure but at 16-2 it was defence that was needed not attack. For me the main reason for the defeat was Wire players thinking the game was won. For example Westwood smiling at the camera and Morley waving to Wigan supporters in the North stand. Also I was told by someone who was in the tunnel at half time that the Wire players looked far too confident. This coupled with Wigan upping their intensity in the second half is what swung the outcome. It could also be argued that Wire were lucky to have 13 players on the field for most of the game after the Westwood incident on Green was missed by the officials but lets not spoil a good story with a few facts.

Think positive - at least you haven't lost 5 in a row yet!

why bother hesitating over facts, you've posted some reyt Shite in there.

Smith lost it for you with not having a back on the bench.
If Hodgson was fit he should have played, how can you leave a big game player out of a big game unless he isn't fit? Ratchford to the bench.
Smith decision to run the penalty when 16-6 up. A successful kick would have regained the momentum for Warrington. Instead the pen was run and Bridge tackled into touch 2nd play. Wigan have the set and get a pen for not being square at the ptb. Wigan scored 6 pts from that set. Running that penalty was a disaster for Warrington.
From McIlorum scoring there was only going to be one winner and everyone in the stadium knew that including the players.
So it turned out.

you answered your own question there sunshine, he wasn't fit.

Gary Schofield states in todays RL Express that he has no idea how Wigan won - then strangely makes no mention of the possible disruptive effect of Warrington's injuries.

I guess that's why he's a pundit and I'm not.

Stevo really hammered it home during commentary, about how our old players, all looked like old tired players.


all 14 of them.

And if the game went exactly as it did but we lost Hill at the end of the first half and Wood at the start of the second rather than Monaghan and Ratchford. Then Harrison and Carvell picked up the same knocks as they did, what use would Ratchford be? Smith would now be being criticized for going into such a big game without four forwards on the bench.

I've no doubt that if Wigan had been 16-2 up before losing Richards and Tomkins, and then had Mossop and Farrell carrying injuries which would normally mean them coming off, they too would have lost quite comfortably no matter how much desire and togetherness they showed.

You cannot plan for every possible scenario. To lose two backs, especially two of our most potent attacking threats, in the one game is unlucky. When that game happens to be the Grand Final you're extremely unlucky.

No team puts a subsitute back on the bench. Ridiculous.

I guess you are a newbie to RL and don't pay attention to who maybe in the bench when Warrington play other teams then.

Good old dummy spit.

Oh yes brand new. Teams always go with four forwards, generally two props, one second row (sometimes with utility value) and a hooker. It has been this way for as long as I can remember.

Why on earth would you plan a change to your back line or anticipate an injury to a back during the game?

Wane had a substitue back, Sam Powell. He decided not to play him.
Outside of warrington the whole of RL knows Hansen's tackle hit Ratchford's hip as does the RFL discip report.
Outside of Warrington everyone knows Westwood would have been sent off if the officials had seen the punch and play stopped then.

As to the mythical event of Tomkins being injured, Charnley to fb, Thornley to right wing and Hughes to left centre.
If Green had not recovered from Westwood's punch then Tomkins would have gone to 6 and Charnley to fb and so on.

IMO it wasn't either injury that cost you the game it was your forwards.
McIlorum's try just after half time was straight through the pack. They looked tired then. The more the game went on it went away from you. Green's try was an identikit try to McIlorums. Straight through the middle of the pack on the try line.
Forwards win games and don't win games.