I was annoyed when I left the stadium, what a prospect gone to waste, with the correct marketing; heritage day (I'll discuss that later) top v second with the winners taking the top spot, lancs v yorks, even a non-rugby sports fan has to take notice and watch what has to be a mouth watering clash between two top teams...

This sadly was not to be.

Due to the nature of the playoff system, all in all this game means very little, what should have been a 'do or die' fixture was merely a pointless showcase which doesn't stop either team finishing the league as Champions, regardless of the outcome.

This once upon a time would have beat a fixture every player wanted to play in, teams rushing their star players back as they had to win at all costs, instead what we witness was quite the opposite, some of our star players (arguably our two best players) rested.

Suddenly the mouth watering 'do or die' clash seems a little less appealing. No doubt sports fans would have quickly realised the lack of importance of the game and not bought into the great game we all love. The lack of RL's golden boy no doubt set alarm bells ringing as fans decided to switch over or worst, watch on to that game was an example of Rugby League.

I long for the 'good old days' when winning the league actually means something.


I will be back watching the sport, I'm a born and raised Wiganer, but maybe the fan who decided to give RL a chance...won't.

I also personally thought the heritage day missed a beat. A retro shirt made by ISC with sales going to a charity would have been superb, similar to how the club supported Joining Jack last year.

Hull have had 2 extra kits this season, I believe this was a missed chance to raise money for a charity with a unique shirt tied into the heritage theme.

It was also an oxymoron .

The club was offering 'discount' tickets to raise the gate, and then 'rest' top players.

You couldn't make it up.

Well said that man.

I assume you've not read any of the other posts from your fellow fans with regard to last nights game?, you know, all those others posters expressing their obvious disappointment at Wigans' performance last night?

It appears your in denial.

Brilliant post.

Good post LSOW.

I looked at Wanes post match comments expecting an apology for that pathetic performance and he just blames it on injuries. This from a man who consistently says we can field a competitive team with a raft of injuries.

The clubs marketing team did a great job to get over 19000 fans to watch a team who couldn't give a stuff!

Another nail in the coffin of RL in this country.

Well me personally, I very much enjoyed the game as I'm sure the rest of the neutral viewers did also. It was evident by the atmosphere in the ground and early jitters that both sides were 100% committed.

Wigan losing a game doesn't necessarily mean the end of RL.

We have no shortage of posters who are willing to see nothing but the bad in things...

problem with having a heritage shirt that would of tied in with the theme of it being the 1983 seaon is that it would be exactly the same as the kit we wear anyway or atleast as last seasons. its pretty difficult to make a heritage shirt when we are wear the traditional cherry and white hoops anyway the last two seasons. this may be possible next season, if i remember correctly we are having a non traditional kit next season in a 3 year cycle that was spoken about when the 2011 kit was released.

Get a grip.

I'm sure that if you'd won it would be a different story.

Read his post. Its nothing to do with us losing, its about the sport in general and how last night should have been a huge occasion.

When exactly were these 'good old days'? I've been watching RL since 1965 and I don't remember them. Before SL, no-one cared about the league, all the glamour, fame and money were in the Challenge Cup. Also, as many others have pointed out repeatedly, RL has, for the vast majority of its history, decided the Champions by a play-off system of one kind or another. Nothing new at all in the SL play-offs.

Last night was a great game between two fully committed sides which the better team won.

Well we certainly thought it was ......massive occasion for us , but i guess it depends on which team you support