Our injuries were just as bad at the KC earlier in the year, and we went in to that game on the back of a very physical cup tie with Hudds.

We are a mid-table side who are not (yet) at Wigan's level, however we would have given you a better game with a few more fit players in the side, even some of the players who took to the field such as Manu, Whiting and Westerman took to the field with injuries.

I hope we can sort our squad out and give you a run for your money for the first time in years next year!

You think approx a 1000 fans fans, all the way from Hull to wigan on a Friday night, for a live televised game, in a match most knew a thrashing was to be received is poor?

I don't quite agree with your summary. I thought Hull did well to keep the ball alive on many occasions and against lesser defences would probably have scored more. Wigan's defence was very good considering the number of players out. Hull's props looked dangerous on occasions and maybe the mistake Hull made was not toughing it out more in the forwards. Wigan's attack is superb and they make tries look easier than they are at times. I think it is unfair to say that Hull were poor. There was a lack of intensity which meant the game was never really going to be the difficult game it could have been.

The number and quality of good young players coming through the Wigan ranks at the moment is amazing. Other SL clubs need to catch up quick so that we can cut down on the number of overseas players.

I looked at the Hull attack in the first half as I was surprised how poor they'd been and there was no structure whatsoever. They had no attacking line, no idea who to pass too and at one point passed to O'Meley on the 4th tackle 30yards out who seemed to be thinking "WTF have you give it me for"

I agree. The only times they got anywhere close were after all our unforced knock-ons in our own half, and even then they mostly couldn't take advantage.

They were in a much worse state injury wise at the KC. They had 2 kids at halfback and Crooks in the centre and then lost Martin early doors. They also has quite a few others out. We on the other hand were much stronger iirc so that result came as no suprise unlike Friday.

Our depth is fantastic at the moment and like a Hull fan pointed out that's due to our youth development. These guys like Thornley, Powell, Hughes and Crosby are slotting right in and it's great to see.

It frustrates me that nothing ever seems to get said about our injuries but that again speaks volumes for the youngsters. We had Richards, Goulding, Finch, Leuluai, Prescott, Flower, Dudson and Fielden missing from our squad on Friday yet we've beaten an 'injury hit' Hull side.

I suppose we should take that as a compliment!

I feel the game ought to be reaching a stage now where injuries are no longer viable as an excuse. It should all be about squad depth these days - all SL clubs should be in a position where they have enough first-team standard players to cover gaps caused by absenteeism. But the sad truth is that a lot of them don't, just the way some of them can't even put out decent Academy sides or pay wages up to the salary cap. It's a maddening situation.

True.

It was possibly one of the best things Maguire changed our this club that he never once highlighted or complained about any injuries. He bred a culture of one mans injury being another mans opportunity and Shaun Wane has continued with that (if anything he's stepped it up a gear because he's rested players this year in situations where I think Maguire would have patched them up and risked playing them).

As for other clubs where do we start? Some would rather fill their first teams up with NRL second raters then concentrate on youth development. It's something we used to be guilty of and it gets you nowhere.

I just wish the game has 20 Ian Lenagans knocking about.

+1

I agree to a extent but our academy didnt have anything spent on it and 99% of the team hadnt been near 1st team as Agar never played them,just shuffled the team around...this year we have had to play Bowden,Green,Kent,Crooks,Cunningham,Lineham,Nicklas and most of them made the debuts...Pearson is on record as saying our academys are way short and the facilities attrocious...cosy him £150,000 to get the training facilities right.

Yes we was woeful and injuries are biting us hard and we was down to 14 players on friday and 3 of those shouldnt have played.6 yrs ago,we was in a GF and you was battling relegation....you invested in youth...our old board was happy to live off our profits and let the team split up.