One indirect comparison (from another sport) you could equate Wigan's tactics to (under Fadge), would be cricket's 'infamous' Bodyline series, where the ball was deliberately pitched short in order to inflict harm to the batsman. Hostile/intimidatory bowling had obviously taken place before, but these events were a watershed in the game.

I hate to think that chicken-winging and thirdmaninthetackle, will become commonplace in our game, over here. They've been imported by two Australian coaches who see nothing wrong in them....I for one, do.
Every club has a history of 'dirty' players, and that's what they were...dirty, but you knew what you got with them. This is very much 'cloak and dagger'

Yes, Fadge has been successful. Good luck to him. If he can sleep at nights, knowing his team use 5h1thouse tactics, then so be it. When he goes, I'll breathe a sigh of relief for our game, as I think there's no need for such tactics, that he and Brown(sorry Hudds fans, but he's just as bad) brought over to our shores. Noble, a very honourable man, who's sides were ALWAYS extremely physical, never stooped so low, as to use such methods when he was in charge at Wigan.

As other posters have said....it's win at all costs.

Melbourne's pots have been discredited, down under, for clear rule breaking
Wigan's wont be, but they'll have a tinge of 'ill gotten gains' about them

Keep on digging...

Quote: Deano G "Keep on digging... Have a look at this Aussie article when Maguire was given the Souths' job: "He may not be widely known ....." doesn't really sound like a description of a "big name" in the NRL to me but I guess we'll go with the opinion of a Pie-Eater on the internet rather than an Australian journalist paid to comment on the NRL. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6038039593 You never did confirm whether you consider Shaun Mcrae a "big name" in the NRL?

Quote: Deano G "Keep on digging... Have a look at this Aussie article when Maguire was given the Souths' job: "He may not be widely known ....." doesn't really sound like a description of a "big name" in the NRL to me but I guess we'll go with the opinion of a Pie-Eater on the internet rather than an Australian journalist paid to comment on the NRL. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6038039593 You never did confirm whether you consider Shaun Mcrae a "big name" in the NRL?

Because you're a RL fan?

Sadly many fans in this country are just fans of their own club rather than being RL fans who support a particular club.

Wigan fans have their faults - pessimism, arrogance and a hint of paranoia (though everybody does hate us ) but one thing most of us can't be accused of is not thinking about the wider game. (There are many other good things about Wigan fans but I won't upset you by listing them). The best example of this would be that when the SC was brought in most Wigan fans (myself included) at the time were supportive because we thought (wrongly) that it would really benefit the game as a whole, even though it was likely not to help Wigan in the short/medium term.

The other reason you should care is that if you are expressing a view on someone else's opinions it is best to have some knowledge of the subject.

Villas-Boas had achieved more than enough during his career to make himself known. He won the treble with Porto in his first full year of management, he'd worked with Jose Mourinho at both Inter and Chelsea, and he was widely regarded as one of, if not the best young coach in the world. Thing is, he wasn't a 'big name' because he hadn't achieved anything in a big league. Just like Madge, he's achieved things with Wigan and he's managed to get a big job back home, but until he's winning trophies with Souths and establishing himself as one of the NRL's best coaches, how can he be deemed big news?

Fact is, he's got the job on the belief he'll be a top coach, but to say he's well-respected and a big name, when his only achievement in Aus has been as a what, number 3? It's a little farfetched.

Point is, and you'll see this across many sports; just because you've got the big job, doesn't make you a big name. And just because you achieved things as a number 2 or number 3, doesn't mean you're instantly a well-respected number 1, nor does it instantly make you a 'big name'.

As far as I'm aware, the phrase "melbourne-esque" when describing a team's style of play, is not, at this moment in time, a complement in NRL circles.