It seems to me as if we are being written off by the mainstream media as well as the Rugby League press. Who is with me on this?

Just like last year we've been seeded as the away team at the game, thankfully though the small consolation is that this time we wont have to suffer the ignominy of having to wear our away kit.

We are shown second on all the promotional posters of the match and all the displays around Old Trafford. The RFL social media team are tweeting us as the second 'away team' as well. The tickets folder even has Leeds listed first. The Match Programme has us listed as the away team as well. Pictures of Gelling and Clubb are being shown on all our promotional images yet Clubb will start on the bench and Gelling wont even be in the squad whereas Leeds have Cuthbertson, a Man of Steel nominee, and Danny McGuire, a match winner, on all the RFL promotional posters. All of this promotion is commissioned by the RFL so why have they treated Wigan so shoddily?

Anyway, bought League Express the morning and on the editorial page all the talk is of a glowing review of Kevin 'Dont mention I headbutted Luke Dorn' Sinfield without even a mention of any Wigan players. Turned to Garry Schofields column where he lines up our players against their players and implies we have no chance of beating them.

This seems to be a recurring theme in even the national papers where the whole story running up to this is about Peacock and Sinfield retiring and no mention of Wigan.

The Total RL website has repeatedly pressed and promoted stories all day of us not selling all our tickets yet we've actually sold MORE than Leeds. We have a couple of thousand more tickets to sell with Leeds having one corner in their end closed for the TRY scoreboard and also centre of Stretford End where they are is premium seating now so they wont sell all that out either.

I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing though. Wane gets players to thrive as underdogs, just like he did in other finals and when we beat Leeds at Magic Weekend earlier this year. Hopefully we make the most of being underdogs and overcome the huge obstacles in our way to win what will surely be one of the most memorable game's in our club's recent history!

so you praise sir kev on the leeds forum and dis him on this one, hypocrite and more faces than a town hall clock

The reason why you're listed as the "away" team just like last year it that Leeds (like Saints) had the higher league placing.

Paranoia solved now?

As for Gelling and Clubb, those must've been the two guys your club sent to do the Super 8 adverts and posters etc. You could've sent someone else.

Anyone who listens to Schofield needs urgent treatment. This season we have had "saints to go through the season undefeated" Ryan Atkins "to play centre for England" he always likes a pop at Wigan
As for Rhinos as favourites they deserve to be on their seasons form. I think Wigan will win the players seem fresh and up to the job.

I think Wigan are clear favourites.

Not what your coach thinks.

It's weird how both sets of fans are desperately trying to relinquish the favourites tag. Who even cares?

Exactly, a week from now, a year from now, a decade from now people will remember who won and who lost. Not who people thought should have won.

I know, why does their have to be a clear favourite or underdog? I personally think it's 50/50.

I make Wigan favourites,we have won 9 out of our last 11 games and I thought we were unlucky not to win the two we lost.We beat Leeds pretty handily in the game played at a neutral venue this year and we are also coming into the game of an easier semi.
I don't think were big favorites but I deffo give us the edge.

The RL press is based in Yorhsire and run by Yorkshire men and women.
Shoey is Schoey.
Leeds have the pre match big story as Peacock, Sinfield and Leuluai are retiring.
I was smiling as KC said he was pleased the Leeds players were ending their playing career in a Grand Final as he had done.
Lets hope we can give them the same unhappy ending that Cunningham had.

Well, we were everyone's big bad wolves after last year's final, plus they'll all want a fairy tale ending for Sinfield and Peacock, and from the tone of some 'neutral' reviewers, we're somehow even at fault for having had the easier semi this year. So maybe a bit of anti-Wigan feeling is understandable, though I don't think I've detected as much of that as the OP.

Best to wait and see what happens on Saturday.

As Eddie Hemmings, or some prat like him said back in 2010, the script was written for a glorious end to King Kieron's career. Look how that turned out.

We also have the much smaller away dressing room at Old Trafford for the game as well.

If Leeds cant win with all these little perks well they have nothing to moan about as far as I'm concerned.

The smaller dressing room
Anthony Gelling used in the promotional posters
Wigan's name coming after Leeds on the tickets

That's some Grand Final losing excuses Jon Wilkin would be proud of