I think you've hit the nail on the head in regards to being being beaten down the middle. Of course it didn't help that we weren't at our best. But yet again we played a match with only three recognized props, against a side renowned for their size. And that's compounded by the fact that both Farrel and Tuson are only small for secondrowers. So aren't capable IMO, of picking up the slack left behind from lacking go forward in the frontrow.

What's most irritating is that Madge has done this on a few occasions before, only two lose by being out muscled in the of the pitch. You'd have thought we'd have learnt our lesson.

Agree with the OP.
Only going with 3 props was not a game winning plan, we lost!
Added to it was that the pitch looked soft and cut up badly, ideal for big slow men. Which Catalan had in abundance.
It is difficult to put a younger player on his debut v Saints, Leeds and Wire as they are fast teams in fast games. A debut player, off the bench, would never get up to the pace of the game.
Against a slow, big team in a slow game would have been ideal for Crosby.
Mossop, Lima and Prescott worked like Tojans, to no avail.
The VR decision though on the Hoffman no try was the turning point in the game.

you are correct we had no go forward. We also have no attack bar Sam Tomkins. are attack is lopsided as there is no confidence in JT which is understandable. because the teams know where we will attack their defense is ready for it as we are so predictable. we build zero pressure as our last kick option is so poor, for christ sake we have finch, deacon, TL and ST all capable of kicking and yet we end up putting no pressure to get repeat sets.

we have gone from a team that attacked from all over the park to one that attacks one dimensionally. the return of hock and fielden will not resovle our attack problems hopefully they will gives us parity in the forwards.

people keep saying they are saving it for the end of the year, personally I think this is b0ll0cks, you go easy in RL you get hurt but I hope I am wrong. the next few weeks will gives a clear indication of where we are and I really hope we step up but we need to move JT back to the second row because he will not ever ever ever be a centre!

I dont have the answer as to who should play centre and I dont think they are within our current squad.

I wasn't at the game but playing with 3 props against a pack like that is just daft.

Later in the season when we have a full set of props I would like to see us play Mossop in the backrow for some extra punch up front.

Definetly. I wrote in my report how that could have turned the game our way. End of it though, they just did a good job on us and we had no answer.

Agreed, thought both out halfbacks and hookers were poor in the game and thus we had no attacking options. The Finch to Hoffman pass is a bit predictable.

Was at the game and we were dominated up front. The pitch was very narrow and they have the biggest pack in SL so there shouldn't have been any surprise in their tactics. Crosby was an option, so was moving Hansen to prop and Joel back to second row with Marsh at centre. Was very surprised we went in with Tuscon. Too lightweight for a game against Cats wtih the pack we put out. You can't expect the halves to play off a pack that isn't going forward. Great trip apart from the game

I dont often post on this forum,being an old sod I sometimes find it a bit hard keeping up after being used to BBC606.
But this topic brings to mind something I Have allways been passionate about,you win nowt without halfbacks.

What I am going to post now is something I put on another sita a few days ago,( the site in question is going down like a lead balloon).


Cut and pasted from another post. Wigan this season are really struggling and I think the main reason is lack of creativity in the halfbacks.
Last season when Tomkins moved to fullback Wigan had Tommy Lu playing with Deacon in the halfs,Deacon was the straight man and Tommy was allways liable to try something different.
When Deacon was injured Lockers was moved to stand off which in a way was something different and it seemed to come off.
This season we have Deacon and Finch who are both so sterotyped in their play,by that I mean using short balls all the time trying to put a forward through.
Both of them lack the pace to try the unexpted by going themselves,one player of this type is 0K but two just makes Wigan so predictable.
I think Wigan have to show a bit of vision and get a young halfback in the team or they will carry on struggling as they seem to have all season.

FORWARDS GET YOU DOMINANCE,HALFBACKS WIN THE GAME.

I have very few criticisms of Madge, but this 'three props' idea instead of giving someone like Dom Crosby a shot is madness to me.

forwards win games, backs by how many

So true.

But our few losses of late have been because we are still 'light' in the pack, especially in the front row.

Wire and Catalans.

If we have seen this, why hasn't Maguire ?

Same. It cost us in the CC vs Leeds last year.

PROPS WIN POTS.

Couldn't agree more with this. We are the most predictable of the top teams. Even when we win we don't look great. I also agree with other posters that Tucon is not quite big enough and Joel should go back into the pack with Marsh at centre. Let's be honest Marsh is every bit as good in defense and has bags of pace.

I thought you hadn't turned up till I saw you in the deserted stand behind the sticks? How come you ended up in there?

I dont know