I don't see it as two fingers to the fans. I think the rest that teams get when they are out of the cup makes a difference with less injuries etc.HKR/Leigh/Catalan & Wire didn't play that well at the weekend. Mind, totally agree with you that we are highly unlikely to appear at the grand final ... as we are quite simply not good enough.

What a disgraceful performance. All well and good showing up for the cup games and games against the big sides but getting pumped by 40 points against the likes of Wakefield and Hull FC is abhorrent. 

The recruitment has been an absolute disaster and I'm still yet to hear who has been responsible for that. We best win at Wembley otherwise our season will be over in June. To the people saying we will make the top 6, even if we do, by some miracle sneak in, what are we doing in the play offs? We're 10 points behind HKR. Burgess has serious question marks for me. His blind faith in players like Jordy Crowther need serious questioning, he's absolute dross. Sam Powell 0 metres again for the second time this season. We may as well be playing with 12 men.


Next week could be anything.

Regarding losing to Wakefield - the only surprise is that anyone is still surprised anymore. If it was a one-off, you could perhaps find mitigation. However, those of us who have watched Wire for a long time know the score only too well. You can see performances like this coming from a mile off, sadly. The red flags are so large you could see them from space. Whenever we are involved in big games, we just seem to have no resilience either side of them, so reaching a cup final usually means having to suffer three or four dismal league defeats before and/or afterwards. It is a depressing cycle that just keeps on recurring, throughout the years, regardless of personnel.

Fair enough. Personally I'm not buying the "rest" argument. We haven't beaten Wakefield away since 2019. Its attitude and commitment to the league. It stinks. We conceded 40 points against Wakefield. Just typing that makes me angry. 

I have no idea of the stats but it is pretty obvious that those who appear at Wembley (and have no rest weeks) do suffer in League games. For Wire presumably Ashton, Thewlis, King & Fitzgibbon would all have played vs. Wakey if there had been no Semi-Final. One or two others would also have welcomed a week without a game e.g. Powell, Dufty, Currie & maybe others who have had a tough time recently. Wrench/Thewlis Jnr would never have played if it wasn't for injuries. 

We managed to beat St Helens after 5 days rest after the tough Leigh defeat.  Wigan managed to win the CC and GF last year - no excuses about rest. This year Wigan beat Hull KR away then Saints with a weeks rest. 


To me it was identical to the home loss against Hull FC. Both poor starts, low intensity following a cup game. Conceding 70 points against Wakefield across 2 games is pretty rank. The comparison with last season is pretty startling. 


So it sounds like excuses to me, but we don't need to agree. It could well be we are 9th in the league due to bad luck and being tired whilst everything else is on point.

We’re better than that. No issues from me. 
We’ll go to Wembley with 2 wins, KR will go with 2 losses. 

Indeed. I got rounded on here when I questioned the appointment of an unremarkable ex-journeyman prop forward to the vitally important DoR role. Someone who has no experience of working in pro-RL outside of Warrington. 


I'm sure he is Mr Warrington, and well liked by all and a good egg. Not knocking him as a person, just the CV. 


I had hoped for someone with international profile, networks with NRL and SL, and ideally someone who had a bit of a track record of winning and knowing how to win. But no, we looked around the staff canteen and said he'll do. As we did with Fitzpatrick. 

I think if Wigan had a tough semi in the heat a week before heading to Wakefield (no mugs) and went there without Field, French, O'Neill, Nsemba, Smith and Marshall - they'd probably get a caning as well. I just don't believe yesterday is worth getting hot and bothered about - especially as a few of those lining up yesterday are playing with injuries as we've got no choice at the minute (admittedly woeful recruitment has added to the problems)

So you're saying we'll beat Hull KR next week? Duckie, please tell me, what drugs are you on this week?

Fair point. Taken in isolation you could make that case, but we have the 2 losses again Wakefield, the Hull home game all following that car crash in Vegas. I think it's reasonable to be questioning the intent and ability. 

Of all of those losses it is the Wakefield game at home that will stick in my craw for a long time especially if that result and abject performance affect us getting into a play off position shocking...

Vegas was maybe ill advised or ill managed and the loss at Wakefield away I'm minded to agree with ratticusfinch, tricky opponents week off versus sapping semi final.