...which may be too easy to knee-jerk response with "Yes".

But is this year's GF-winning Wigan team as good as the team at the end of the 2003 season?

Think back, we had Farrell, Adrian Lam, Radlinski, Carney, Newton, Dallas and Mike Gregory as coach. We turned round a poor start to the season to go in at the end with 10 straight wins under Gregory and improved our points difference by means of superb defence.

The only player in both teams is O'Loughlin, obviously.

I guess where I'm going with this is given the quality and reputation of players we had back then, has the general standard of the competition gone down?

In balance, we have to remember a lot of teams (Wigan included) have had a lot of injuries to contend with this season, and I think a lot more than there were back then.

Your thoughts?

The whole squad and playing style as a TEAM is far better now IMO.

better team not better players

New coach, new training regime has obviously made the difference. On paper the team individually are not a patch on the 2003 team, but when you get the team playing as a group of mates who fight for one another you can achieve anything. Think yesterdays result proves that.

Sums it up very well. The team in 2003 had 5-7 genuine world class players.
The team for 2003 GF wasKris Radlinski, Brian Carney, Martin Aspinwall, David Hodgson, Brett Dallas, Sean O'Loughlin, Luke Robinson, Quentin Pongia, Terry Newton, Craig Smith, Mick Cassidy, Danny Tickle, Andy Farrell.

SubsGareth Hock, Terry O'Connor

The team for 2010 GF wasSam Tomkins, Darrell Goulding, Martin Gleeson, George Carmont, Pat Richards, Paul Deacon, Thomas Leuluai, Stuart Fielden, Michael McIlorum, Andy Coley, Harrison Hansen, Joel Tomkins, Sean O'Loughlin

Subs: Mark Riddell, Paul Prescott, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Liam Farrell.

We had better world class players in the team at the 2003 final but the ones that are not highlighted are much better today than in 2003. Martin Gleeson last 2 games has been awsome but the real bonus is Paul Prescott, Mcilorum and Liam Farrell. Biggest difference though is in the squad we had Roberts missing and for me our best impact player early season Lee Mossop. The squad now and especailly next season is the best weve had in the SL era. And thats down to Ian Lenaghan and Maguire and lets not forget Brian Noble hes been hammered from not devekoping young talent, but were now reaping something he has helped with in the club.

So you would say the standard of competition has RISEN since those days? Disregarding certain rule changes (one in particular I blame for the rise in injuries in the sport), what would be the score if the Best of Wigan 2003 took on the Best of Wigan 2010?

And finally... Mike Gregory or Mike Maguire?

I think that's an AMAZINGLY difficult question to answer.

2003 team with Lam and Carney firing was better, unfortunately they didn't see the final out. A few of the players were ageing.
The current team will go on to bigger and better things.

We over achieved reaching the 2003 Grand Final in my view. This current side didn't over-achieve in any argument.

Exactly right, at long last we have a team playing as a team and thats why we won in style..

I sent this quote by Michael Jordan as part of a good luck message:

     
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

Yesterday was a perfect example of all these. In recent previous seasons, if we had lost a player of Pat's calibre during a game, we sometimes had a tendency to have "rabbit in the headlights" syndrome.

Last night, we juggled the on field personnel around and carried on.

Maguire head coach

Mike Gregory Assistant.

Gregory was so underrated as a coach. When he became ill the side collapsed. Players would go through a wall for him.

take the emotion away from the mike gregory situation , and as much as we was shocked and saddened by the demise of mike , and ultimately his sad death , it would have to be madge in my book . mike greg had more talented individuals to rely on

i think most are in agreement the 2003 1st team where possibly better individually , but madge has managed to instill a spirit and desire in slightly lesser talented players to more or less die for each , the commitment is unquestionable

in madge we trust

Although i disagree with you on a couple of points (Main one being we are a far better team today) i think we will win the CC & GF next year, the thing IL & MM have brought to the club is progression, we ain't standing still, we are continually looking for improvement.

Well, this is what debate is all about.

I do hope you're right!