There was a bloke from Widnes stood near us. He'd barely said a word during the first half, but was seriously baiting us all through the second. After Offiah's third try, he came close to getting decked. Laughing and poking at us. Said something like: "You might be a good team, but you've never had a player this good and never will."

If only he'd known that Chariots had no plans to spend his whole career at Widnes.

I think Wigan wanted him to go full time and he didnt want to give up his job so went to Halifax instead.

That can't be right, Wigan were all full time professionals from 1985 weren't they?

I spoke to Mark Preston a few years ago and can't remember the exact details of the conversation. I do recall that the reason for leaving was he couldn't (or wouldn't) meet John Monie's instructions to add a couple of stones in weight. I remember saying that such an increase would severely and adversly affect his speed, to which Mark agreed. A damned shame really, but Monie was the boss!

I heard that Monie had asked him to switch from his hair being parted on the right to it being parted on the left.

doubt that as we signed Myers instead and he was smaller

David Myers was a lot bulkier than Preston

no he wasnt

yes he was

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh no he wasnt

He's behind you.

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Remember Wigan had a weakened team - they'd been playing "catch up" for a few weeks and had played and beaten Saints midweek.

No Edwards or Gregory - Hanley stand off and Ged Byrne, amazingly, scrum half, if I remember correctly.

Wigan were on top 1st half - Andy Goodway scored an easy try - similar to Gleeson's against Leeds, awful marker/blindside defence. In control at 12 -4 with a few minutes to half time when Offiah blatantly knocked on, but John Holdsworth waved play on - as bad as if not worse than any refereeing mistakes this year! No VR in those days! Widnes had the boost they needed just before half time and dominated the 2nd half (they were much fresher as hadn't played midweek). Hanley played like a man inspired and almost singlehandedly brought Wigan back into it, but Offiah ran away with it in the end! Too many tired bodies, not just Mark Preston's fault.

TBH, wasn't that disappointed - I'd said all along that the Challenge Cup Final against Saints 2 weeks later was "The Big One" and so it proved. Wigan at full strength with Hanley, Gregory and Edwards running the show! Revenge was sweet after 66 ( my first ever trip to Wembley as a 7 year old!) and 61!

1985 I think, and IIRC The Aussie centre Steve Rogers played for Widnes and broke his leg early on and never played again.

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