They may have noticed all that (apart from being top of the league which they won't care about) but to give him a head coaches role on the back of 18 months as a first grade coach here would be a shock. What they will also have noticed is we didn't win anything of note last year losing two games in the CC and play-offs where arguably his selections were a big factor.

He is an unproven coach and while we are top of the league what will show us how good he is (and how good our team is) is what happens in this next half of the season. While as Cruncher says he can only play what is in front of him its still a fact most of it is rubbish and that can't be lost on the NZ'ers either.



As I said it would be a shock for such an inexperienced coach to get a head coaches job in the NRL but if he does go then even if he picks a trophy up this year he won't have proved himself as a great Wigan coach like Monie and I always thought he wanted to do that. To bail out so soon would seem very strange.

Maybe IL has already told him he's off!

I can't believe that this is a thread at all.

Shaun Wane is Wigan through and through and will not be going anywhere unless pushed. He has confounded his critics this season and is producing a side that has played superb rugby. Finch, Lulu, Lima, George and Hock have NOT been missed at all. He has conjured up a developing half back combination that whilst not exactly Gregory and Edwards is functioning pretty well. Faz has become a world class performer and Thornley is looking better every game. The young forwards have confounded everyone's expectations. I'm so impressed with Scott Taylor and Ben Flower and on Sunday he could even afford to spell Gil Dudson who has been exceptional. Added to that is my vote for young player of the year Greg Burke, who is a future GB captain never mind Wigan.

We may not even win anything this year, although I believe that Leeds and Warrington are weaker than last year. I think Huddersfield have a formidable pack and probably the best kicking half back in Super League at the moment and could be our strongest challengers. Shaun is building a dynasty at Wigan that will last for a long time.

No more talk of the NRL. He is here to stay for a good few years yet.

Conveniently ignoring that they beat Catalans (4th), us (1st) and Warrington (2nd) in consecutive weeks in knock out games. IMO Leeds would have won last year under any play off system, and I think a champion team should be the one that beats the best in all or nothing games, not the one that is best at beating poor opposition week after week.


It makes absolute sense under this system. The problem is Noble's teams didn't manage to peak at the end of the season like Leeds do, they got beat in the semis. Having said that I think of Noble very highly, he took us from being nailed-on for relegation halfway through '06 to semi finals in '07-'09. We were only 4 points off the final too in the latter two seasons. Do others really have such a poor view of him?

And aren't you conveniently forgetting that whilst Leeds had a warm up game at home to wakey Catalan had all the fight smashed out of them at the DW. Just reward for being a better league team than Leeds?

Swings and roundabouts. We easily mauled Les Cats at home, had a week off, then still got beat by Leeds who had beat Wakey then won a real tough close game away at Les Cats back to back in the same time. The only way Leeds wouldn't have won the league last year is if there were no form of play offs at all. They won the big knock out games against the top teams three weeks in a row, which is what it would always come down to.

I seem to remember that in all of the Noble years (excluding 06) Wigan completed the season in a lack luster position and peaked to get to a point well above were the league position would have had Wigan. The fact that the team simply didn't have the ability to keep the peak against better sides going doesn't remove the fact that the team peaked and punched above it's weight.

correct sir
us rhinos fans can't wait for the next side to win a gf from 5th although i personally don't believe it will ever happen again nor will winning 3 gf's in a row....unless we do it again this season

Just posted this on the signings page but a mate of mine has just spoke to Waney after the game today, apparently hes said he is off to New Zealand Warriors at the end of the season.