Here are my thoughts having re watched the game a couple of times:
- I am not concerned about our ability to score points in the backs as long as Sam is fit. Without him, I can't see us winning the big games;
- we have already shown we have a plan B if the opposition rush up. Blake and Smith broke down Saints by taking the line on or giving short passes when they tried the same thing the week after our wide plays had destroyed Widnes;
- we could have scored at least one other try, from Powell's run and Josh's wonderful break. With our defence 24 points will pretty much always win us the big games;
- this was wonderful preparation for us. We closed out the game in very professional style, compared with the panic which has set in at times over the last 2 years;
- my concerns are with the pack. I think we need bigger props against Leeds and Wire. I would have played Taylor. I also think that Hansen's lack of threat with ball in hand limits one side of the field, as he doesn't ask any questions of anyone. Burke or Hughes will very soon be a better bet;
- people are concerned about us winning things, but with 2 of Wire, the Giants and Leeds out of the semis we could reasonably only have to perform once to win the second most prestigious trophy (which of course makes the down playing of the league where you have to play everyone without any luck of the draw even more absurd). We can certainly do that;
- so, for mine it's not so much a Plan B as getting more out of our pack, which in turn will allow the backs to work their magic.

Is being able to grind out a result, like we did last Sunday, a plan B ?

If someone posts "I hate some of our fans" I would call that argumentative and therefore worthy of a verbal slap down.

Whatever people may think about plans A, B, or even C, i believe that the most crucial point has been made by Apollosghost. If you read many of the books written by top sportsmen and women, mental attitude is a very important factor in sport at the highest level. You can discuss tactics all day long, and they are indeed important, but being in the right frame of mind is absolutely vital. For all of Leeds success, and their achievements over the last few seasons have been tremendous, we are starting to see chinks in their armour. Their pivots are not as effective, Maguire has lost a yard of pace, Sinfield is not as reliable, Burrow is nowhere near as dangerous as once was. Peacock is still a threat, but its more of a mental threat than a physical one than once was, i don't think our young props are as in awe of him as they have been. I don't see them as the threat they once were, and in sport you have to believe that, or you have lost before you step on the pitch.

We have a very well structured attack, and a miserly defense. We have a squad which has flexible parts, and which can function without some, i repeat, SOME, component parts. This team don't have the outstanding players that Leeds have, or that the Wigan teams of the past had, its a product of the modern game, but thats another discussion. What it has is a lot of young players that have bought into the systems we have, and, to my eyes the team spirit is outstanding. Some people like to have a pop at Wane, don't insult people's intelligence by saying you don't, but he is a head coach in his second in his second season, like his charges he is learning, and to my mind has done terrifically well considering the amount of quality players he has lost.

As we move towards the later, and pointy end of the season its going to be very interesting to see how it all pans out. To my mind we have the best squad for the task ahead. Our young halves have more experience, our forwards have been outstanding, and our systems have blown many teams away. You can point to individual games, and i will conceded that this can be used as a counter argument, i would just point to the table, and our last game! Injuries will play a part now for all teams and of course we cannot see into the future. The injury to TL last year was crucial to my mind in deciding where the silverware went. Provided Sam, Smith, Micky Mac and Green stay fit at the pointy end of the season, i believe we have the team to take a clean sweep of the silverware. If they don't, we will still be pretty damn close..

As would i... Some of our fan's annoy me too..

If we have a problem with plan A, B ,C D etc, which teams in Super League do you think would prefer NOT to be in our position at this moment in time.
Top of the league, still in the Cup and the youngest squad in Super League.

I've seen some bad strawman positions in my time but that has got to be one of the worst.

Spot on. The team structure is Wigan's greatest weapon not any one individual. That's why we've barely seen a difference when Green and Smith replaced Finch and Tommy.

But you're of course right - Sam is central to it all and is the one player who if missing leaves us in trouble. No question in my mind we'd have won the playoff against Leeds if he'd have played. God knows what happened in the cup semi - the whole team looked drunk! (just a joke, don't throw a libel accusation at me!)

I don't see what that has to do with the subject of the thread but since you ask I doubt Hull, Hudds and Wire care very much about any of that.

I wonder if Leeds have a plan B?

And this has exactly what to do with the discussion about our attack? Straw man no. 2.

It appears to be crying to the ref via their captain, arguably the worlds best whinger....

It's about the negativity of some of our "fans"
Top of the league, still in the cup and and still some want a dig at Wane.


I don't know, but I'll guess his win / loss ratio is comparable with Maguires, with arguably a weaker squad.

Hunger, Aggression, and Execution.

Why any need for a plan B?

Dave, weren't you a big fan of Brian Noble whilst he was here?
Maybe you would like for us to go back to the 'Win 2 lose 1' & 'Let's not throw the baby out of the bath water' days?

I'm not saying that Wane has got everything 100% spot on but BY CHRIST we have it 100% better now than we did in the Noble days!!!