Would never ever leave a Wigan Saints game early. Would never give their fans the satisfaction of waving me away. Soon as the hooter goes I'm off like.

So did you have your kip?

If so you missed us nilling the old enemy even though already you'd paid for it.

As a Hull fan, obviously I'm delighted with how our season has panned out, won nothing yet but to be in the mix, after years of totally treading water, is a great relief. I temper that with the knowledge that despite your frustrations, Wigan are still a team that manage to compete and largely win, with all the injuries and off field distractions you've had this year. Given that yourselves and Leeds will undoubtedly strengthen and have a better squad, with players regaining fitness, I fear that this is a year that presented all other clubs with an opportunity to taste success while they can, because I honestly believe next year that Wigan will dominate and win the lot. We are not really much in front of you and we've had an unbelievable amount of fortune with injuries this year, so I wouldn't be too down beat. If MM and Lockers had not been injured I cannot think you would not have done at least the double this year, those two pivots are so crucial that the playing style has suffered because of their absence. You should remember that your mediocrity, as some would call it, still is the level to which most other clubs aspire to reach, so when you hit your straps with a full squad, bang! We'll all be trailing in your wake again, allow us to bask in our no doubt short lived glory until normal service is resumed, please.

I'll bite!

Sorry but I think you're bang wrong on Isa. First off I don't know why you are comparing them because Isa plays back row and Tautai prop, as for Tautai being overlooked, he's an impact prop who plays the same minutes as every other prop. Are you suggesting we shift Tautai away from where he's most effective to get more minutes out of him? Seems pretty pointless.

As for him adding nothing, Isa was top tackler on Friday with 40 tackles, he's averaging around 40 tackles a game and is only behind Powell on total tackles for the season. I'm not saying we should be totally satisfied with that but to say he adds nothing is short sighted in the extreme. Defence won us that game on Friday and he was statistically our hardest worker in that area.

I think this is about expectations though, he's our 5th choice back rower behind Lockers, Bateman, Farrell & Joel, I suspect he wouldn't even make the bench if all the back row were fit and firing and I would imagine his salary would reflect that, but he's not missed a game since April when the rest of that back row have either been injured or suspended. He's been solid and dependable where we've needed it most.

Exactly What I said after the Game!

Ive tried replying several times but keep getting a SQL error message??
Nothing abusive in fact Ive been trying to agree to a degree but keep getting the error message. Very frustrafrustrating!!
How are Isa stats on breaks and offloads?

No worries!
In fairness the attacking side of his game is average at best, no argument there, I did say we shouldn't be totally satisfied with his performances. I just think it's wrong to say he offers nothing to the team. Given the injury and discipline issues we've had in the back row this season having a fit, dependable (and probably cheap) professional who puts in 40 tackles a game has been IMO a godsend.
Now if few could run a decent line or find an offload in traffic he'd be class!!!

I don't get what you have against Isa. He's a long way off a world beater however at full strength he wouldn't be in the 17. In a salary capped sport we can't afford 17 top class players never mind to have one in the reserves hence the squad has to be balanced with players such as Isa who can come in and do a job when others are injured.

Cassidy offered little in attack, neither did Hansen, just solid graft and reliable.

Indeed!
I was trying to say in my failed responses you are correct in terms of Isa's work rate and it was wrong of me to to be so dismissive of this aspect of his game.
I suppose my frustration is more of a lack of physique in the backrow and lack of other alternatives bar JT that the present squad offers to change this. The backrow of Bateman, Farrell and Isa must be one of the smallest ever to start a game for the club. It was a few years ago after a gubbing by the the Roostetrs that SW stated we were too small then proceeded to sign Bateman and Isa to compound the issue.

Bateman played in that game.
With regards to size etc in the back row I tend to agree and I think Joel offers that when available (and I givethe lad credit for doing it tough for 2 months or so when we needed it) however that isn't isa's fault, he can only do what he can do.

As most people have said I wish he had a little more line break on him however his defence and work rate have been on the whole largely fantastic.

Isa does a job, no more and no less. He won't let us down but in the real big games I'd probably expect him to sit outside of our 17 unless we had a couple of injuries.

He is a good player to have in the squad IMO and he's very much a 7/10 sort of signing.

I've not got a major problem with our first choice back row and I think going forward Ryan Sutton could add some extra grunt there.
For what it's worth IMO our attacking issues start further infield, I don't think our props offer enough of a distraction when we do 'the move'. The Aussies run it with 2 lines of options straight from acting half. Ours seems to go through 2 players before any dummy runners come into play, very easy to defend against.
For the same reason we really miss Mickey's little step out of acting half before the ball moves out wide.
A couple of little changes/extra efforts in the middle could create the space for George and Sam out wide.

Surely that is the final nail in wanes coffin, that was absolutely f**king shocking and clueless, I've had enough of this season I can't wait for it to be over!