We won't be having a top 5 system. It's already been decided that a straight forward 12 team SL with relegation will be a top 6 playoffs. The 'two 12s/three 8s' model is going to be a top 4.

I take your point, though it in no way validates the current playoff system.

The Materplan is coming to fruition. The lads have had another pre season again this past 7 weeks, we've come away with a major trophy and are now primed for the playoffs after proving we can completely control a game in wet weather(after proving we can't for past few years)

Happy days and buzzing for the next 6 weeks!

+1

The Masterplan is in two parts - part a) and part b)

Part a) complete

Bearing in mind that nobody in the game now expects up to complete the double I would say the pressure is off us now.

No reason at all now that we can't pick up form all the way to Old Trafford.


Happy days!!

But if another team did, it would be a superb defensive display.

I still have my doubts that we have enough firepwoer to win the GF but things are looking better than they have done for a while.

One trophy in the cabinet and a fresh and fully fit squad ready to assault the playoffs. We just need our form to kick on in the next few weeks and the double will be there for the taking.

Think that was playoff rugby yesterday, for the people that were not there, they would not understand how wet the conditions were, rather than slating Hull for dropping so much ball for me we did a brilliant job in playing the conditions, roll on the rest of the season.

I agree with that but am worried about the number of injuries we're carrying as we come to the play offs. According to Wane, five of the team that played yesterday wouldn't have played if it had been a regular SL fixture. Also, the list of injured players probably include McIlorum and O'Loughlin who are pivotal for us.

Hopefully now the uncertainty over Shaun Wane's position has been resolved and with one trophy in the cabinet, we can kick on. It's all about managing to build momentum through our remaining league fixtures after yesterday's big win.

Yeah but before the game he was saying that Lockers and Tomkins were fully fit, so he is being "economical with the truth" on one of those occasions!

That said I am liking Wane the more I see of him. He seems to have learned not to try and win every game and pace his team, and there is no doubting the "togetherness" of our team. He needs to up his tactical nous imo- we have one move that is dependent upon Lockers acting as the pivot and Sam carving space.

What is massively apparent though is that he does need to be given the personnel. IL needs to realise that he is chairman of Wigan RL not St Pats.

I agree with you there. one of IL's mission statements was to have a strong base of Wigan/English players with marque signings. The latter have been a little thin on the ground of late.

Interesting to hear Wane speak about 'getting slaughtered for winning the League Leaders Shield last year'

Many fans and RL media 'experts' believed his pursuit and goal of wanting Wigan to win the LLS last year led to our eventual downfall.

This year he's barely mentioned it and IMO treated the last 2 months as a mini pre season and played only the strongest team in the CC.

So far it's working to perfection.

Well done Mr Wane.

I would love to know what Wane has done since the Giants game to make you like him?
I had a conversation with my pal that as soon as the 5hit hit the fan this season that fans would turn on Wane,you certainly proved my point






Maybe you could enlighten us all?

On the way down to Wembley yesterday what started a bit of drizzle became steady rain all the way into North London, after parking my car up in the guest house I was staying in in Northwood I went down to Wembley Park on the tube.
Coming out of the Tube I made my way to the Torch, turned away by door staff (packed) tried 3 other bars and pubs with the same result so I decided to walk down Empire Way to that Blue room pub (? name) or the Green Man.
Half way down the rain got heavier when a noticed a large hotel on the left going down, with a couple of Hull supporters stood outside under an awning having a pint, thinking that they may have been staying at the hotel I thought I would chance it even though I would not have been surprised if I had been turned away.
I just walked in through the main entrance and it had a small bar on the left and I stayed in there over an hour, it was never packed and Wigan and Hull supporters where coming and going all the time.
In the bar they had the TV on showing the Fulham v Arsenal on the tele and the pitch in places seemed waterlogged and I found out that the Charlton v Doncaster match was called off at halftime.
About 1-30 the heavens opened with torrential rain and the car park of the hotel was under water.
When I made a dash for the stadium (dash may be exaggerating a bit at my age) I was expecting it to have pools of water on it, but it had no standing water on it at all, If that match had been at the old Wembley Stadium it would have been similar to the "Don Fox" final of 1968.
So people who say Worst Final ever have to understand how hard that pitch must have been to play on and it was still raining this morning all the way up to Northampton as I drove home.