I can never understand why people want a scapegoat, it really gets my........ goat.

People make mistakes in games, and some here will say "So and so should play" when they are not, just so they can come back with a "Told you so" when things go tits up.. There was no way that ANY coach would have played Hampshire at fullback in this game... NON!! But like all watchers of the game, i can't wait to see him, Hampshire, rip teams apart over the next few years...

He needs to prove that he's good enough to replace Sam because right now his displays suggest the opposite. Not challenging for high balls and giving hospital passes to young Joe on our line not once but twice are unforgivable. He comes with a great rep but why won't he take the tackle?

He shows little passion for the game. I don't believe that SW will put up with displays like that for very long. Hampshire might even replace him next week then Bowen will have to prove he is worth the hype from our Chairman if he gets another chance.

I thought that Lockers and MMc were outstanding. All the backs except Bowen did well. Faz was good as was Bateman and Pettybourne despite his bad tackle did well too. The performance wasn't bad at all and we should take encouragement from the game

how do you know Hampshire wouldn't have done this that and the other he need to be on the field to prove he can do this that and the other

burgess has had less games than him and I think he had a fantastic game.... like I said before you have a gem there
got to give the youth a chance and I know wane does
Bowen cost you that game imo very weak under the high ball
Hampshire might not have stopped SBW but still he wouldn't have made as many mistakes overall.
Burgess proved youth and in experience shouldnt count against you

I thought Goulding had a poor game as well out of the backs.

I agree with a lot of what you have said, especially the comment about MM and Lockers (who was obviously not fit which I hope does not come back to haunt us ) but I find it hard to agree that all the backs played well.
The halfbacks offer no penetration at all and just seem content to play with this famous Wigan "structure", no doubt it looks nice when it comes off. But there has got to be more to halfback play than swinging the ball across the field all the time hoping for the overlap. Still no plan B.

It's to early to write Matty Bowen off yet but he's been poor in the games I've seen him this season which might be him settling into the Wigan structure.

He's not timing that loop around the back correct that Sam tomkins had down to a fine art. IMO that's wigans biggest attacking weapon (especially against saints. It rips us to shreds). If he can't get that right, I feel you might struggle a little with those charnley walk ins.

My biggest worry at Bowen, if I was a Wigan fan, is the fact he doesn't look interested at all or bothered.

I’m not looking for any scapegoats now because one wet fart doesn’t mean you’ve got diarrhoea, I’ll hold off for a few more games yet. But it strikes me there’s a lot of visiting greenhouse dwellers throwing stones today that is when they’re not choking on all those sour grapes they’ve been eating.

It's a open forum isn't it? Wigan just took part in the WCC didn't they? Nobody else played this morning so it's rugby league hottest topic at moment isn't it?

Would you like posters from other forums to come on and say you deserved to win and that you was the better team?


For what it's worth, I thought Wigan hung in there very well after going down to 18-0 so early. I thought young burgess showed he looks like he's going to be a future star. I thought Sean o'loughlin was top class.

You have a very short memory. That drop of ball to the winger was something Sam and Wigan did regularly last year. The aim is to get the bigger player (winger) to take the ball in the the defense and get a quick play the ball. It's generally done if the defenders are around 10 metres from the fullback.

A fatter wallet ?

Well I thought Goulding was poor today and Thornley and Gelling should be challenging his position rather than Sarginsons

My words were not aimed at your post which I thought quite balanced; it was meant more at the idiots who were just waiting to come on here not just talking about a scapegoat, but have more of a scapegloat. Please come as often as you like these boards as you say are an open forum you can speak your mind and welcome. I do! And I don’t even want to stop all the idiots, but like you I just would like to have my say too.

That's what I've noticed in the short time he's been here. His whole body language is poles apart from the young players chomping at the bit coming up through the ranks. Mistakes happen, fans can forgive that.....lack of effort? I'm not so sure!

At best, he needs to pull his weight (and shed a bit by the looks of it), at worst...well let's not go there!

Possibly just getting used to weather, conditions and settling in.

I remember people getting on Jamie Lyons back when he first came.