I'm pleased that Wigan seem to be able to carry on where Maguire left off. The more genuinely good teams in SL the better for everyone. IMO the standard of the game at the top end is improving. From what I've seen the attacking play has come on a long way in recent years, with the better teams starting to show good structure and motion in attack.

The problem is the massive gap between top and bottom. There are far too many scoreline blowouts, which reflects both low standards from some teams and - IMO - a real mental softness compared to the NRL. I've seen plenty of NRL games where one side has been all over the other one, but real hammerings (particularly early season) are rare as sides defend with intensity for the full 80, and are usually followed by much better performances the following week.

I don't think there's any doubt that Wane wants is to be feared as a team, after all he scares the bejesus out of me. He also talks about playing th e full 80 and being ruthless, something we didn't quite manage last year. I'm sure there was a few games last year where at half time I'd be thinking we could run up a big score here, but in the end it didn't quite happen. As has been said we've posted 100 points in the last two games and still Wane demands more. If he gets it, someone is in for a real tonking.

All that said, the standard of those outside the top 5/6 is really poor and is a real concern for the sport in this country.

Potentially yes, realistically we'll have to wait until after the weekend for a better indication or maybe after the Easter period to see. Apart from the Broncos we had the toughest start to this season we got beat by Hudds (who I think will win one of the trophies this season) where we didn't show up. We dominated Leeds the following week, which could be argued that they had one eye on the WCC if that is so more fool them. The other two were sides you would have expected us to beat.

After St Helens on Good Friday we would have played Hudds, Leeds, Cats, Wolves and Stains if we come away with another two wins at least and four excellent performances then we could be considered a team to be scared of.

its like you say, until we have played the other so called big 3 from the top 6 we wont have a full picture to where we are in comparison. Saying that, we do look solid in defence and not allowing the opposition to score many tries is a bonus. Perhaps in hindsight our last friendly game should have been the starting 17 to get the "rusty" performance out the way and have been ready for the Huddersfield game.

you could probably say widnes are a team that other teams don't want to play - because of their iPitch!

probably half of the league would have concerns over playing other teams int he league and for me 4 games in is too early to tell, not just for wigan but for all of the league. leeds won it from 5th last year. it how you finish just as much as how you start.

concentrating on the wigan aspect, we have an excellent defence so far, with the least points conceded so far after 4 games. i'd like this to be the case after the half way stage and see what people think then



it's certainly looking good though, but unfortunately catalans, wire, leeds and hudds can rightfully sa so as well, i'm sure saints will be thinking the same again after a few good results in the coming weeks.

The thing is Leeds won it from 5th because they are a good team. All the people that were saying for years that teams cant win it from outside the top 2 etc were completely ignoring the fact that it had only never happened because the best teams have never finished that low. If Wigan, Leeds, Saints or Warrington finished 8th then they could all easily win it imo. That is why I think the play offs, and much of the season, is just a bit of a farce.

Wigan do certainly look good i must admit as do Wire again. As for Saints we were shocking early doors last year with defeats at home (widnes ) against Quinns. "Youre gonna miss Cunningham"was the thread last year. Now after one defeat "youre gonna miss Jammer" is this years thread. Dont get me wrong Jammer is a huge loss not only for work rate but leadership skills aswell. However, squad as a whole is much more experienced than year with likes of Gaskell, Lomax, Makinson having more game time under the belt. Add to that the experience Hohia, LaFrannchi will bring only a fool would write saints off again. Wigan and Wire may set the bench mark again but we wont be a million miles away come business end of season.

When Saints lost Long people though they would struggle, only for Eastmond and now more recently Lomax and Gaskell to come and fill that void. As you say the same was said about missing Cunningham only for Roby to prove that he could fill that role with ease.

I think the only issue this time around with losing Graham is whether there is anyone at the club who can replace him. I don't know who is expected to fill the gap but there isn't a prop in the Saints side that really stands out as being a like for like replacement and I don't think any other area of the squad has been strengthened significantly either. That would be the one worry I'd have if I was a Saints fan, but it's early doors and there is always a chance that the whole team improves as a whole to offset the loss of Graham.

It seems to me that prop forward isn't really an area that Saints are producing quality players in. Where Wigan have brought through Mossop in the last few years and have two more great prospects in Spencer and Burke I'm not sure who Saints have that will come through and make a mark. The last Saints prop I saw who I thought had a fair bit of potential was Emmitt and from what I've seen of him he could have easily played a part at Saints had he remained at the club.

Players, teams, coaches etc. will not be scared of playing us... but the fans have feared facing us since 2010. We are one of the teams to beat, if not 'the' team to beat.

I would be lying if I was to claim I didn't fear playing Warrington, Saints, Hudds etc. they are the top teams. That fear of losing is what makes winning those games so special.

I think that you definitely had that tag as the 'feared team' in 2010 when you was playing some good rugby, but that for me has gone out the window since last season. Every team aspires to be the 'feared team' but I wouldn't say as a Saints fan that I feared Wigan more than or any less than I'd fear Warrington as I fear playing both teams.

As for the mentions of James Graham - he hasn't been replaced as there was nobody available. As for the comment that we don't produce good front rowers I'd say that I would agree with you. A few has been promoted to the first team squad this season but they have not come soon enough

Just to quote Bilko from his great match report " Warrington perhaps proved last season, that putting the effort in to totally annihilate teams is not totally necessary?"
It raises so many questions, for me do we have the strike players coming from the bench to finnish teams off? like Sam Panapa used to do, the Wigan of 2010 didn't have that, yet still won the Grand Final. We have the bulk but does that put the fear in teams? Does that win a match before its kicked off? Or do the impact players demoralise a team? I think Leeds won last years Grand Final because of the history AND they were playing good rugby.

Also, like others have suggested, the bigger problem is if Wigan & Wolves etc annihilate teams what does it prove? Yes there are weak teams but thats for another discussion.... its still a great sport.

Firstly, I'm happy to see that a "development" team like the Catalans have earned the respect now that they are a team to be brought into the reckoning for a place in the Big Four (or however many we have now). The history of rugby league in the South of France is fascinating and a lesson in how pride and spirit can overcome great odds.

Secondly, I give total respect to Saints for the way they have rebuilt their squad over the last few years without dropping out of the top few teams, I'd love them to have gone down the gurgler but they haven't and I wish we had managed change as well as them.

Thirdly, yes - we are a team to be feared this year. But only much more time will tell whether that translates into the kind of long-term form and solidity that wins trophies.

But, by heck, I'm excited for what lies in front of us.