Woeful game.

Manfredi, Thornley, Dudson and Taylor went well I thought but we made some appalling errors with ball in hand. We did defend well however and that was pleasing with us having a much less experienced team then Wire.

Thaler an embarrassment for both sides. He was almost as bad as his shades!

Sam was sat in the Stand last night at the Leigh Sports Village , watching his mate Thorniley play for Leigh .

Sam was at the game. The commentator's on Wire FM [the Wigan TV guy was bloody awful so switched to Wire] noted they saw him coming back with a couple cups of coffee just after half time.

I thought your defence, particularly on your line , was excellent this evening. Many teams would have crumbled under the weight of territory we had but you kept us out close to the line on a number of occasions.

I don't think it gives any indication of how either team will go this season. When you get your first choice props playing you should have more go forward. Our pack seemed to bully yours today and made a lot more yardage.

Kevin this may be good news for the Wire and the rest of the RL and bad news for Wigan but as a previous poster says they where Wigans first choice props. I can't confirm that myself but whoever Wigan put out at prop we are weak in that position.
On paper plenty of cover but very short of experience and aggression which means Wigan could be in for a long season.

I wouldn't worry too much. How many of those lads in the Wigan team were Wigan lads or from the Wigan academy? There's not many other teams that could put a team like that out and surely that bodes well for the season ahead, Wigan could have a squad of mainly Wigan lads.

IMO we've been light on props since the end of the 2004 season, that was the last time I saw our pack dominate on a regular basis against the top teams.

Do we get 3 tries start for having a team full of Wigan lads?

How on Earth does it bode well for the season?

True Jack, but we also don't have Aussies looking for the next contract. We have a very inexperience team, lacking in nasty props, and i for one am really looking forward to the season ahead. It's going to be fascinating.

In respect of the handling errors, there have been rumblings about the lightness/flight of the new Rhino ball, so I factor that in your thoughts.

As has been mentioned elsewhere, I would say one of Wigan's biggest issues in the coming season will be clearing the tryline to 20 metre zone, due to the lack of a big prop. I did like the look of one of the Welsh lads, not sure whether it was Dudson or Flower, one of them was a big unit, but didn't run their weight as effectively as I they probably can. Early doors, I suspect.

Thanks for turning up for his testimonial, in pretty ty conditions. You must have been freezing.

Because local lads are more likely to play with pride in the shirt and show commitment to the club rather than the mercenary players that other clubs have.

Like Gaz Hock?

Yes like Gaz Hock.

He played about 200 games for Wigan and was one of the leading forwards in the world over a decade.

If some of your current young players were destined to go on and do this would you regard this as a success or failure for Wigan?

I would echo this point as well, appreciate the attendance and support from Wigan fans