We have only had 2 games so far (not counting friendlies) at Langtree haven't we? And won 1 each?

nope, I totally understand your comments. if we were to look at last years' teams, any fan would be hard pushed to disagree that our standings in the table would be reversed. should make for a cracker either way and I'm hoping I will still be able to use this forum without too much embarrassment further to my claims on this topic, come Friday afternoon!



true! perhaps I should replace "your gaff" with "in recent years"

But we shouldn't get too carried away with that, when they lost Finch and Leuluei, they replaced them with allegedly inferior lads but performed better and that Burgess lad looks mustard and, goal kicking aside, a more dangerous winger than Richards.
Mossop also seemed inconsistent last year.
Obviously Tomkins is a miss, but I think they'll have missed Hansen too, especially in the games where they had no S O'L either - him being back playing must be a real boost.

Should be a belting game if both teams turn up and play. I fear we could lose to Wigan, but it also wouldn't be the end of the world (well maybe until Easter Monday).

This is a test for both sides

Saints have Amor, Swift, Laffranchi, Percival and Manu missing. Advantage Wigan.

Saints fans seem very confident, a little over confident probably. Aside from the Leeds win, I don't think they've been all that impressive - although you can only beat what's infront of you. It's good going into a derby knowing that it'll be competitive though, instead of a predictable whacking

There's one thing about Wigan, even when we're not playing great we turn it on for the derby. Should be a close game with a few points in it I reckon.

Excuses excuses...

Haha not at all, just stating fact. I bit like when we beat you last year and you lot told us it was because you were resting folk for the cup semi.

If we play to our potential, we will win. Our core players can draw on years of experience of beating Saints, and winning real pressure games.
Saints have had to start the season well, to try to rebuild confidence and credibility. They haven't been able to rest players for the CC, and still won't be able to, so have to try to sustain peak effort over a long period of time. Wigan have been doin what we did with such good effect last year, playing low key rugby in the low key games. We have also rested our key players, so that we will be well placed to have a mini peak around Easter, as we usually do.
We would beat a full strength Saints team on our day, and the day we the likes of Swift and Amor cause any sleepless nights are still a long way off yet.
I predict Brown to break into tears about naughty, rough Wigan and Clubb to aim straight at LMS on his first charge and scatter him - he's the daddy of the sarf!

I think winning runs sometimes get hard to maintain the longer they go on, overconfidence can turn to lethargy and carelessness when facing lesser teams who will always give their all for the top sides, and the best sides become even harder to beat because they want to spoil the party and prove a point. Anyway I hope that’s the case on Friday, and let a bad decision or two go are way this time. Yeah a wrong call giving us a last minute steal would be real sweet!

We did Tomkins, Hansen and O'Loughlin all played the week before and the week after but missed the Saints game. We also only played McIlorum for about 20 minutes. I wonder if Saints will rest Lomax, Soliola and Walsh then take Roby off early doors? Somehow I doubt it. Sure you're missing a few players but no one pivotal like we were last year. You won't see us banging on about Charnley and Crosby being missing if we lose