Yeah fair point, regular season rounds are really important to us because we need to win enough of them to finish in the top 8. It'll be a real uphill struggle to retain the title now we've lost to Huddersfield in week 1.

Oh, hang on...

That wasn't the point you were trying to make though, was it. All SL games are meaningful, it's just some mean more than others.

Ultimately losing to us isn't the biggest deal because we're going to be there or thereabouts. Lose two or three to the perceived lesser teams and it's a bit more of an issue as that's a genuine two points lost, no offense to them.

Mind you, there are a significant portion of folk that perceive us as lesser. And plenty of Wigan fans are in that portion. Christ, Phil Clarke has us at 6th in his predicitions, although I suspect he's trying to be a bit outrageous.

Don't worry they always lose when Tomkins isn't playing, they're resting him, I hear he could be playing in the friendly against the Warriors though, something about Tomkins in New Zealand. Well anyway when he's back they'll start winning again.

The point I'm trying to make is that weekly rounds are almost wholly unimportant to the big four (us, Wire, Leeds and Saints) as we know we'll be in the mix come the business end of the season. Granted that would change if we started to look like missing out in the 8 but realistically that's not going to happen.

Barring anything catastrophic the regular season is all about trying different combinations out and preparing the team for the play offs, of course losing games in itself is a concern but only in that it bodes badly for the games that matter. ATEOTD though I'd wholly expect us to beat Hudds in the cup or the play offs regardless of regular season results, just as we did fairly convincingly last season

And I expect nothing less than a fan of the current champions. swollen with the usual arrogance those speccies tend to have. But the same team doesn't win it every year ad nauseum. One day our time will come.

The arrogance of the so called big 4 teams continues while little old Huddersfield struggle on. I'd like to see you go to a Wigan training session and tell them they look like they don't care. Tell them they just go through the motions during the regular season as the 27 rounds of SL don't really matter to the super elite that is the "big 4" clubs!!!!!

I'm not saying they don't care or go through the motions, but I'd happily tell them that the weekly rounds don't really matter as long as we make the 8 and do well in the play offs, and that I think they put extra effort into important games. Of course they can't be quite so candid but I'm sure they know that anyway

I hope so to be honest, Wigan and Leeds winning all of the last 7 titles isn't good for the sport. I don't think Huddersfield will be the first team to break that trend but I don't see why yourselves, Hull FC or Catalans couldn't build towards becoming genuine challengers as Warrington have done over the last few years.

Oh dear

Just shows you don't know what you're talking about. It's the 'big five' - you missed Bradford out...just ask the RFL.

Grimmy is one of the only two decent posters on the Wigan board. He usually talks a lot sense, I think he is off the mark in this case though. But please don't tar him with the other arrogant in-breds on that board.

Just for info who is the other?

Play to win every game no matter what then nothing else matters.