Wigan were absolutely superb tonight and did SL proud, like Saints did last year.

Give credit where credit's due and that includes saints last year. Wigan were superb tonight and from a Wire perspective, we're knowwhere near that level.

My hat has been taken off to Wigan tonight.

Only 2012 have our first team been close to that level, and still fell short.

Saints and Wigan have thrown no more money than us, and we’re still miles away.

It really arrows down to on thing. The investment in the academy and pre academy.
When the kids start consistently winning all their competitions, is when we the club looses the monkey.

It’s quite stark when you look at how many of our pack players are Wigan ex-academy.
Currie Wood Nicholson Powell Bullock not sure on Dwyer but certainly pre academy.

In all our 20 years at the HJ, I reckon we have more ex-Wigan academy forwards playing in 2024, than Warrington academy have produced.
Possibly only Cooper and Philbin have broken into the frame, and on best form and fitness, Philbin is still behind all the Wiganers.
The likes of Laithwaite tossed aside for more Wiganers.

Spot on here Duckie.

Bradford must be going in at HT wondering how they've managed to end up behind on the scoreboard.

It was interesting to watch both dressing room celebrations of Warrington after beating Hull reserves and Wigan after winning the WCC. They looked about the same.

As you said we are miles off in terms of sporting pedigree, culture, will to win, on field leadership.

Bradford seem determined to gift wrap a place in the next round of the Challenge Cup to Widnes.

When do the SL teams join the cup this year? 5th or 6th round?

Did the commentator just say the Widnes player "took it on his nuts and not his hands"?

Round 6.

10 mins Cas not even had a set yet. 12-0 down.

This game now is about the level we currently are.

Maybe the secret of success is to have your best coaches at youth & academy levels to identify & produce future quality players. Warrington tend to bin what we produce. instead of nurturing them at the top level ,& are happy to spend over the odds on empty quick fixes that are usually just here for the money.

Our great grandson has started rugby training already at St Helens & he is a month short of his 3rd birthday. Arthur Ford ,star of the future ?

Exactly that. Let Wrench and the other youngsters learn some harsh and valuable lessons this season. We’re winning nothing this season but if we want to close the gap over time then patience with the young players will go a long way towards doing so. Burgess will have the patience, so should we.

I don't think the cup is out of reach with a generous run-in. I can see this being a 2018 type year. Start slow, become defensively sound without offering anything in attack, then finish half-decent. We're nowhere near Top 4 but if we slowly improve we can be mid-table with a good cup run. Hopefully we'll sort our attack before next year.