Wigan 20 Man Squad

Murphy, Thornley, Hughes, Lloyd, Manfredi, Hampshire, Powell, Prescott, L Tomkins, Crosby, Gelling, Tuson, Burke, Carberry, Spencer, Lever, Greenwood, Burgess, Taylor, Dudson

I would have thought it would have been a stronger squad than this.

It would seem that lessons from last year have not been learned when the first team started the season completely undercooked!

Maybe we are taking a leaf out of the Rhinos book this year!

Lets face it theres 27 rounds of pre-season coming up aslong as we get in the play offs we can win it. The league leaders shield means nout, following the Rhinos example could lead to Wembley and Old Trafford appearances. Last year we started abit slow hit form mid-season then were knackered at the business end.

I wonder what state this message board would be in if we get to mid-season and we've only won half our matches.

It would be worth it, just to see the team try out and utterly discredit this theory that it doesn't matter if you lose quite a few games.

Easy. Just ask Bilko to drag some Noble related threads from 2007-2009.

If we were on a 50-50 win/loss ratio in June, you would need to filter out all the "Wane Out" threads.

Replace 'Wane' with 'McDermott' and trawl back 8 months on the Leeds board.

Thank f00k im not going

they would have to pay me to go to this

I won't be giving my views till the whistle gone at challenge cup final and grand final whistle because the rest of the season means feck all

I feel like that about the season tbh. I'm normally like a kid waiting for Christmas by now but this year I couldn't care less. I've tried watching old games on youtube and DVD, playing rugby league on the xbox. Playing rugby league manager on the laptop. Reading messageboard after messageboard. I couldn't care less. Even the fact Latics are doing sh*te isn't working.

You would have half the board saying it doesn't matter (as happened when Noble was here) and the other half asking why am I paying to go and watch rubbish then?

In my view to give value for money the bottom line is the team has to be good enough to do well in the league and win the end of season major trophies. That is regardless of whether or not the competition structure lends itself to make it relatively easy to win the trophies after a rubbish year in the league.

It should never be which do you prefer, "good league campaign and no finals" or "appearances in finals and a rubbish season".

Shame your not sending a stronger squad but I know you have more pre season games coming up. Always good to see some of the best players in the league at craven park.

THIS

givenHead Coach Craig Sandercock has opted for more experience against the winners of last season’s League Leaders’ Shield. rlhttp://www.hullkr.co.uk/on-the-pitch/news/article/robins-name-strong-squad-for-wigan-friendlyrl '"

I agree. Those saying that we shouldn't bother trying until July, or whatever it is, are simply not doing the maths.

The fans want to be entertained all through the season, not just at the end of it. Yes, undoubtedly there is something in the idea of resting players for certain games - which Wane actually did last year (and got massacred for on this forum - Widnes away, anyone?) - but fans may vote with their feet if they feel the club and the team are not trying very hard.

It is simplistic nonsense to say that league matches don't matter when they provide the vast bulk of the season's action.

For my money, the problem last year was that too many league games were too easy. There was rarely a sense of unbearable excitement, and too often we came away afterwards feeling that Wigan had not really been challenged. That is the problem with the league fixtures, IMO.