send our under 19s to hull next week and rest the lads for the semis and there fore stick 2 big fingers up to sky.once upon a time winning the league meant you were the best team in the comp..now the best team in the comp is whoever wins at that cat hole regarding of where they finish in the league..well done sly tv

Valid point but I was thinking more the way Wane played and utilised his wingers and won with twelve men, as you say Russell and Evans play their part as Smith dictates Wanes wingers get the ball at pace, I can't and won't knock the players but I don't want to watch wingers driving it down the middle, as you say it's all ifs and buts, had we been down to twelve who knows what Wigan would have done with the extra space.

we was when one hand ratchford went off and the thugs did naff all

Sorry Gazwire
Russell in the wing was a dredfull error.
No doubt he returns a ball well but that is completely all. He was smacked red raw by Charney and if you missed that I can't answer for your eyesight.
But I do like your posts, just cannot agree over Russell pal.

True they waited until they were down to twelve to show how to win a game, twelve men twenty one unanswered points, embarrassing!

What can you say to really. We had it in the bag when the thug went down the tunnel and we just ballsed it up. Fantastic from Wigan though at the same time, you really can't knock their ability to tooth and nail it when it comes down to it. It's both baffling and admirable to me and I assume many Wigan fans how they end up with the points at certain times this season.

Of course I have criticisms like us crabbing our way across field in the last two minutes doing naff all to go forwards for at least an attempt to level the game and thus secure the shield. Can't really argue with the Tierney try only because the ref sent it up as a try so it pretty much ties the VR's hands when it comes to being able to overrule. Oh well, it's what Eddie 'TOMKIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNS' Hemmings wanted so at least there's one "neutral" going home happy tonight.

If we're going to do it next week, we'll have bloody earned it.

By the way, right lot of tripe here about Smith. That smile was a wry one, it wasn't a "can't be d" one. That smile was disbelief that we let that game slip. Tony Smith isn't on the field boys and girls. Were you all digging into him when we were 14 points up? NOPE. The same players that went up by 14 were the same ones that went down at the end. Tony Smith was in the stands for 80 minutes, he simply cannot take the wrap for those players letting that game go when we got ourselves into such a commanding position. Whoppers.

He's in charge....whopper

Yep, he didn't pass when we were wide open on the right. He threw the ball into touch in our own 40. He crabbed across the field while the rest of the team stood watching. He crept in field instead of staying on his man. These are the things that lost us the game in the last two that we were in control of. You know, the actual acts that decide a game. Direct your anger at the players, they got themselves into the good position and they frittered it away, end of story.

I really do see your point, and I think that player skill is a not insignificant factor to consider. I would add that Smith can't be held accountable for the Tierney decision or the penalty against Atkins that never was that both led to tries.

However, the buck stops with him and his poor management has to account for us not being able to see a game out; for capitulating when we lose a player; for not being able to hold on to leads; for not being able to attack with any kind of consistency; for consistently playing odd combinations of backs and snubbing obvious choices. He may not be the person throwing into touch or knocking on, but he tells the players what to do and he decides who plays.

Once upon a time but only for a minority amount of time in the entire history of our sport. Only from 1895-1906, one year in 1918, the time during WW2 up to 1947, 1962-64 and then 1973-1997 have the champions been the team who won the league ladder. That's only 46 years out of our sport's 121 year history. The other 75 years the champions have been the team who have won the Grand Final (or any other name it has had).

Halifax were the first Grand Final winners in the 1906-07 season. Saints have won the most Grand Finals with 11, Wigan and Leeds have each won 10, Huddersfield 7, Swinton 6, Hull 5, Salford and Bradford 4, Wire Halifax and Oldham 3.

The three times we've been champions have all been through Grand Final wins.

To be consistent over the season is all fine and dandy. But when a team can show it can win in the most do-or-die situations of a Grand Final to not only show they were consistent enough to get there but to go and win in such a high pressure game where the opposition take home the spoils if you don't - that's the sign of a true champion team.

Okay as its fallen, next week, is actually that kind of situation to a certain extent as the top two happen to be playing each other in the final game but that very rarely happens (I'd bet it's not many times in 121 years).

No mention of Ben Currie I really hope he is okay but it looked bad. I did something similar myself many years back and it was not good.


Never like to see players injured and he is without doubt one of your key players.

How can sam tomkins constantly abuse and moan at the ref without getting binned, could it be that steve gansons son plays for wigan and they don't want to upset the apple cart or just because it's tomkins

Hicks went to his pocket for the card then changed his mind,saw that right in front of me,gutless.