The difference for me is that the team of 2003 was a team on its way out.

We'll never know whether Greg would have arrested or even reversed that, but, though I loved Greg as a bloke, I don't feel he had the intellectual depth to his coaching that Michael Maguire does. He also didn't have the support from the management that Maguire has. You really get the feeling now that Wigan is a club that is going places again. There's been quite a lot of petulance towards us this year - from other fans, other coaches, certain pressmen - but the truth is that we've been pace-setters, not just on the park but off it as well. The club feels totally revitalised to me, at every level - whereas in 2003 there was an atmophere of malaise.

As others have said, 2003 saw a Wigan side that was big in names, but small on spirit and team ethic (they should never have fallen apart simply because one of their wingers was injured). 2010 sees a Wigan side that is exactly the opposite, and they've done so much better (including not falling apart when their star winger got hurt).

Great post. Very well put.

I'd argue Sam Tomkins is world class, even at such a young age. He breaks games wide open.

The character and spirit of this group make it the better TEAM.