Clark has been really good for us tonight.

I think we missed the experience of Joe Shorrocks.

All things considered I’m quite pleased with that. It’s a shame we went down to 12 in the first half, it was harsh but I get the decision.

Bullock was good, I don’t think he did too many minutes so hopefully he will be in contention for the semi. Kilmer looks a good prospect as does Pearce-Paul.

The kids did well overall, Hanley had to cope with a lot of pressure, I thought he did ok, it was good to see him trying the grubbed through near the end, shows he has the confidence to have a go.

I said to the Mrs they should be embarrassed if they don’t make 50, maybe that’s harsh but I stand by it. Shame we couldn’t pick up a try near the end.

Really enjoyed that to be honest.

Great to see the quality of the youngsters on both sides but particularly Wigan.

Kilner and Paul look very promising.

Only negative for me was Smiths decision making at times on the last plays. At times he put in some cracking kicks but at others we just seemed to lack conviction.
When Smith did come up with the right plays we contained Saints reasonably well.

Hankinson I think also did enough to get a look in for the main 17 in the coming rounds. Thought he was fantastic.

Should have gone for a drop goal at the end

Thought he struggled his backside off tbh because he’s just not fit enough. He was having a breather in back play at the end of a lot of sets and whilst he wants to get in the contest, his body just isn’t letting him. I do t know what the answer is because he doesn’t look able to carry more weight but he’s lost a lot already and still looks unfit. He’s very Taulima Tautai esq in how he goes about things.

As for the rest, I thought it was a fair effort. If there are a couple of forward spots up for grabs for Saturday, then Greenwood and Bullock walked them. Ben Flower is sadly done. He can hardly drag his body off the ground to play the ball and after them letting sentiment rule rational thinking on Clubb last year, they can’t make the same mistake again. Liam Byrne has had probably his two worst Wigan performances in his last game before Covid and his first back tonight. I’d say it’s no coincidence he’s looked off the pace. I think he’s a superb young player but too much of a risk for Saturday.

The kids were very good in the main. Hanley won’t need to field 12-15 bombs in a usual first team game, playing alongside more experience and his bravery to keep coming back was a great sign. I thought McDonnell got better as the game went on playing out of position, Kilner brought what I hoped he’d bring and Pearce Paul looks a prime athlete and an excellent prospect. Harry Rushton did ok but probably not quite as well as I expected because I think he’s a cracking young player and Sam Halsall did ok. I’ve never been massively impressed with Halsall in the academy tbh, I think he just looks ok but not much more.

All in all a positive night.

Kilner was very impressive. No fear, really put himself about and had a great attitude. Plus he's a unit so frightening how good he could be as he physically matures. Pearce Paul has so much ability and very rangey, strong and illusive. There's certainly a few knocking on the door and I'd love to see the likes of Kilner play in an established first team pack because he'd shine. There should be one or two established players looking over their shoulder concerned about their shirt after some of of those performances

About what I expected tonight. We did the right thing 100%.

Considering these factors -

Massively inexperienced side
Saints are a brilliant team wanting a big performance after being knock out the cup
Saints having last Friday off
Most of our team having not played a game since February.

I think we did okay. I think you could slot any one of our 17 into the our first team 17 and they would do a good job for us

We held up physically a lot better than I thought we would, just the spine of Coote, lomax, Fages, roby was too good for us.

Gutted for Jack Wells, ( can’t believe the Graham crusher wasn’t mentioned)

It’s time for Jake Sharrocks to move on, he’s had no luck with injuries but I’m unsure how he’s still at the club (he’s a year older than gildart by the way, 25 next month)

All the lads will be better for the experience.

People up in arms wanting our strongest team tonight need a reality check.

Yes we got to look at some young talent. Yes we can smugly say we're playing in the semi.

But that has to go down as one of the worst Wigan Saints derbies in decades.

Tuesday Night, No Crowd, No first teamers, An average Saints cruise home and barely look bothered they won.

Like the 2005-2008 bunch when we knew we would get stuffed 99 times out of 100.

Great effort by the team tonight,for those people who are having a small dig at Hanley, I can can remember watching a young lad on debut for Saints at Wembley who dropped everything we aimed at him,had a nightmare, but he turned out ok,it was a certain mr Gary Connolly

Really good turn up from the lads last night. I’m confident now for the rest of the season that a few of those players can step into the first team and do a job. Ben Kilner especially, never took a backwards step and showed a great aggression (that looked under control and used more as a drive) I was really impressed by Kai Pearce-Paul he had some great carries and had a strength that seemed to come from no where (similar to Batty) going to really enjoy seeing what this lad can do when he fills out a little. Hanley got a lot of stick but I think people are forgetting that most of these lads have not Had a competitive game in months and to be thrown in against one of the best in the comp they should be proud of themselves.

To me saints looked shot last night. A lot of errors in attack, no flair to them. Looking at the players they are bringing through; Bentley, welsby, lee, Knowles looked poor . I see a lot to be concerned about when the Ageing saints players retire.

I wouldn’t go as far as that on Saints but they’re not the team that scared the hell out of me under Holbrook. We didn’t contain Walmsley well last night but they’re so reliant on him creating space it’s untrue. In a proper game if we can get in his face and limit his impact you’ve won half the battle. It’s easier said than done with the form he’s in but it’s not as big a task as it was to keep him and Thompson quiet. The downgrade from Thompson to Graham is huge. I’ve so much respect for James Graham but he’s clearly ready for a well deserved retirement.

Think you were watching a different game pal ..Bentley is arguably the Best British youngster coming through at the moment and it shows by keeping his place all season in the best team in Superleague. Hes very similar to Bateman has has that bit of steel about him.The work he gets through in the middle is relentless. That side last night would have upped a gear if they were playing your first team and still would have won at a canter.

He’s a decent young player Bentley but I find the comparisons to Bateman a bit of a laugh. Talk about heaping pressure on a player! He’s not the biggest, he was signed from Bradford, he has eyeballs and a mouth, so therefore he’s like John Bateman. I’m not bagging you, as you’ve just said he’s got steel about him like Bateman but I’m hearing these comparisons on a regular basis now and it’s ridiculous. We’re talking about one of the best backrowers in the world here, a guy who has smashed it in the NRL and was the best in his position in superleague whereas Bentley is a reasonable young player.