I think a problem with how people think about the week off is that they judge it exclusively on the result of the next game. For me the biggest advantage we have there is less about whether we're more likely to beat Leigh, and more about whether we're more likely to win at Old Trafford. That's a difficult thing to prove obviously, but I'd feel a lot better about our chances in the GF after a week off and one possibly tough game, than I would about facing a third tough knockout game in a row, like Wire will be facing if they get past Hull KR.

The issue with the WCC is that it's always being arranged last minute because the NRL doesn't really care about it and even the people in charge of Superleague do very little to assist the clubs in getting the game on. This won't change anytime soon, so it'll either continue to be down to chance if it can take place or it'll be shelved altogether. The only other option and the one that would mean you could plan it well in advance, is to have it in Vegas each year. The NRL would need to choose the teams competing in league fixtures in Vegas and have some sort of standby team in case one of the sides ended up in the WCC and needed to be replaced. Linking it back in to my point about the NRL not caring about the WCC though, I think they'll just continue to ignore it and it'll be up to the clubs and good fortune if it can ever take place.

Would be a real shame if it didn't happen. I feel like the fixture had gained some real momentum over the last 2 years since it came back after COVID. Penrith seemed like they were coming around to really buying into the concept as well judging by all their player interviews. Would be a bit of a kick in the teeth if it gets scrapped due to a trip to Vegas next year and goes back to square 1.

Any idea why Wigan don't fancy going to Aus if they win? Im guessing it would be too much of an expense when added to the Vegas trip?

I don't think there is any confirmation that Wigan wouldn't fancy the trip to Australia. There has been speculation that it may not happen because it's tough to come up with a plan to play a league fixture in the UK, then go to Australia, then go to Vegas and then come home for another league fixture but if there is a club that would try and make it happen, I think it would be Wigan.

I'd probably but the question towards Penrith and why they wouldn't come here. Unlike us, they don't have any league fixtures to cope with before Vegas, so could come here and then go to Vegas. The onus and the sacrifice always seems to have to be on the English clubs side. I read rumours yesterday that the Samoan lads from Penrith have decided not to bother with the test series over here, so they'll be well rested and can probably handle an extra business class flight or two.

I imagine their argument would be that they travelled here last year, which is fair enough. They could do more to facilitate of course, but don't think it's something that should be expected of them

Didn't they want to come here last year though? The interest in your game at Penrith was pretty much nil, with them getting their lowest crowd in years (which included a couple of thousand Saints fans), so I think they were quite happy to let Wigan sort everything out. The reasons the WCC games are played over here aren't because they want to do UK clubs a favour, they just can't be bothered trying to drum up enough interest to make it worth their while.

If Wigan win on Saturday, I think it's far more sensible to expect a side with no league games before Vegas to come over here and then go to Vegas, then it is to expect a side to play a Challenge cup tie, a league game, go to Australia, then go to Vegas and then come back and crack on with their league campaign a few days later. Thinking back, the NRL also spread their Round 1 fixtures over 2 weeks, so the teams playing in Vegas are the first 4 teams to play and then they don't have a game for 2 weeks. The expectation should absolutely be on Penrith to travel and make the fixture happen if it comes down to a repeat of last year but it won't be.