It's hard not to notice the marked improvement in our attack over recent weeks. We seem to be less reliant on the predicable out the back move that's been done to death for a few seasons now. On the whole we seem to have developed some new set moves which have bagged us a few eye catching tries i.e. Clubb and Bowen vs Wire and Bowen yesterday off Joel. All seemed pre planned and executed like they've been ran through in training more than once.

I guess the million dollar question is - who is responsible for it?

I can't help but wonder if Tommy Leuluai is the answer? These new moves seem to have come at the same time as Tommy arriving and Deacon leaving. I'm sure I've seen a few pictures of him being involved with the backs - could he be helping us out whilst he's having rehab with us? If so it certainly adds weight to the talk/rumours of him taking up a coaching role with the club at some point.

Yeah of course it's Tommy.
Maybe Wane has taken over more of the routines since he has no official number 2 at the moment? Maybe Deacon was our master tactician who was never given a chance to display his talents?
Nah he's just a spoiler who has decimated Lord Madges legacy.
Yep Tommy it is then.
Wane is by no means perfect and he frequently has me shouting in frustration at his overly protective nature of some players despite their poor performances but for gods sake this takes the proverbial biscuit.

I'd be surprised if TL could have so big an influence in so short a time but there does seem a difference about the attacking game compared to what we have had for most of the season.

Bowen's influence has increased a lot and we have scored tries through other channels than the one move (as you mentioned) out of the back. Williams has taken the line on occasionally and all this is much better to watch.

What lies behind this? No idea but if the team is more confident so it doesn't just have to follow a set plan of attack then great.

There have also been a few enforced changes of players that may never have happened had players stayed fit that seemed to have worked. I am thinking of Gildart and Bateman in the centres mainly. Would Wane have tried this unless forced to do so? I doubt it.

Only in the whacky world of Wigan fandom could an all-round improvement in form - at just the right time in the season, and a successful assault on the top 4, ensuring that we now qualify to play in one of the semi-finals, be used as a stick with which to beat the head coach.

Well, quite. We haven't been brilliant, and were a bit flat in the first half on Saturday, but our attacking play has certainly looked a lot sharper lately, with Bowen behind much of it. Added to Williams' overall continued improvement over the season, it bodes well.

I wonder if the Internet had been invented when John Dorahy had been coach you'd have said the same?

I think someone needs to chill a little

I certainly wasn't using this as a stick to hit Wane with. Simply put i was trying to piece together why our attack has had a marked improvement since Deacon left.

It could very well be that Wane has been doing more like you suggested. John Winder could also be having an impact in his role as assistant coach.

To put a simple point on it I've seen Tommy helping out with the backs so I attributed it to him. I can't personally see the crime in that but hey ho there's always one sarcastic muppet in here ready to jump down your throat

Maybe Mr Wane has not wished to show his hand too early....

Quite possibly.

Ultimately, as the manager, everything good and bad lands at Wane's feet. If he's doing it himself then he deserves praise and likewise if he's moved Winder in or got Tommy to help out then again it's a smart move as well.

I'm simply just curious to know if Tommy is doing anything with the team apart from rehab. Eventual I see him returning over here when his playing days are over.

No, you're probably right. All we need to do now is find out who'd slipped into his coaching shoes in 2013 when we won the Challenge Cup and the Grand Final. Or last year, when we finished second in the table and only a moment of total idiocy by a single player prevented us becoming champions all over again.

Whatever the reason, the improvement is there for all to see and exactly when we need it. I'm more than happy to give all of the credit to SW - and the players, of course. Perhaps, after all the wailing and gnashing of teeth (not least by me, I admit) over how we have played all season we have pulled something out of the hat that our rivals don't expect?

When I saw the tries scored on Saturday I was intending to put on an article entitled "the Joel and Matty show", then when I read this thread I decided to post my thoughts on here.

I don't think some of the the subtle changes seen are down to Tommy, due to one particular move which has happened twice during the last couple of months and I don't think Tommy has been here that long.
On Saturday Joel put Matty Bowen over with a sublime pass on the inside, this was a duplicate of a try Matty scored at Hull on the 23rd of July, again Joel was the provider.
The same type of clever pass has been given to Matty by George Williams a few times in the last few weeks, so I am wondering if some of it may be down to the tremendous form shown by Bowen during the last couple of months.
Also I am asking myself has Matty had any input in the coaching by getting over to the other players the lines he runs and were to look for him when he comes into the line.

I forgot about the Hull try!

We also ran the same play for Clubb's try vs Wire.

Good to see!

The attack is looking good, though a lot of that stems from the forwards denting the line more over the last few weeks. Flower particularly seems to have got back to his barn storming best. We had to do something, as the same moves which brought all those trophies weren't going to be effective forever. There are a couple of key factors in the "new" style to my mind - Williams is a running threat, and coming on by leaps and bounds, and Lockers is playing so well close to the line, and so we can play right on the line rather than a fair way in front of it.

On Leuluai, of course he won't be responsible for coaching the first team, but I do wonder whether his presence is perhaps a sign that Smith's days are numbered? Just saying...

That inside ball running at an angle was perfected by Lockyer and Minichiello about 10 years ago. It's a quality move and good to see we are working on different set plays.