Really? Then you know nothing about the Wire-Saints derby of the Superleague era. They beat us once, at Wilderspool, when we fielded an under-strength team. Under Cullen we sometimes derailed their whole season. We had the wood on them good and proper. We were always a big bad block to their aspirations. They got to two Challenge Cup finals because they didn't meet us in the rounds. They got nowhere in the play offs because they DID meet us. We undermined them every time. Ask any Wire fan and they'll tell you the same.


Yep. That would be why they won two Challenge Cups on the spin and why they absolutely trounced you in every facet of the game on Sunday. I'm looking forward to your next meeting with them! It should be tasty.


Not as a player because he had been on the downward slope for a few years but as a leader, definitely. This season for Saints has been about learning how to play as a team rather than relying on one or two players to pull us out of holes. It's a totally different culture which we are still adjusting to.

Of the three who are leaving us, only Jammer will be missed. We have achieved third spot without Leon Pryce, who is clearly taking the same approach to ending his career with us as his play mate Eastmond did and I'd be happy to see him sit on the bench as our bench back from now on in. Unless he gets his act together and decides to be a professional after all, in which case he can stay at six until he buggers off.

So if they do slip up on friday and then have to play you are you confident of coming away with a result?

I agree.

I would say that last year you were the best team; this year, Warrington are the best team. The stats underline it I think: they have the best attack and the best defence in the game over here this season (Smith has done a wonderful job with their defence, which was always their downfall under Cullen et al). They have threats all over the park and they can adapt their game to suit the opposition, which is dangerous. I think they are very fired up for the league leaders and the championship titles this season and (assuming they maintain their intensity) unless Wigan can adapt their game to challenge Warrington, I can see things going Warrington's way this year. And deservedly so.

No.

Just thinking, what with our 13 game? winning streak, we have not seen much of you lately........

Yeah, and Wigan were missing Fielden, Mossop and were still jaded from the Cup Final last Sunday, yadda yadda. Let's all give our excuses a good airing.

None of them mean anything, because they all cancel each other out. It's the team on the day that matters. Wigan beat Warrington well enough in the Cup match to prove that, on their day, they can do it.

But you think you could turn us over though?

agreed. i told a wire lad i work with, that if its not wigan this year, it'll be, i hope its, warrington this year

Well i wouldnt go as far as saying i hope its Warrington if its not Wigan! Id rather see Saints win it than Warrington.

I think we have a better chance against you, yes, but I'm not confident of that by any stretch of the imagination! I think we know what we have to do against you but at present we are lacking the execution at vital times to pull it off. We are third for a reason.

id prefer wire...or anyone to win it over leeds or saints, if its not us that is. anyway, i recon catalan are a good bet for old trafford, but thats jusy my daft opinion

I disagree. Warrington don't play to a set structure in the way that you do. That makes them more unpredictable. If Saints tweek their execution sufficiently then we have a chance against Wigan because Wigan do play to a definite structure (a very well executed one but recognisable nonetheless). Warrington are just all over the place and I don't think we have what it takes in our team at present to deal with that, even though we have challenged them on both occasions we have met. But I may be underestimating my own team there, I don't know.

I meant i think you guys would have a better chance of beating Warrington in the play offs than we would have of beating them!

Warrington know how to stifle our forwards so much that our backs just cant do anything as happened yesterday. Very worrying to see as a Wigan fan. I know people will bring up the cup game but IMO Warrington were not as bothered about the cup this year and have put everything into getting to the Grand Final. Also the loss of Morley and Briers in the cup game should not be underestimated.

Yesterday was always going to be a tough ask. To back up after a not just physically but mentally draining cup final last week is extremely difficult. Especially when you factor in that we were playing our main title challengers who have been red hot for the majority of the season.

The positive aspect for me though, is that it gives us the impetus to move on; in much the same way the Leeds playoff game did last year. Had we won yesterday, our confidence would still be sky high and could have been our undoing in the playoffs.

At the end of the day, Wire fans will no doubt crow about winning the Shield, but if they can't back it up in the playoffs it will mean little. The real fun is only just about to start.