Having just lost another 80 minutes of my life watching yet another turgid Wigan performance it struck my that while effective they must be one of the worst teams around to watch.

No doubting their game plan is effective, they are 2nd in SL after all but talk about playing to throttle the life out of the game. Laying on, flopping, high tackles, holding opposition tackles on them the list goes on. Then Smith kicks for touch and it all starts again.

I'm glad I don't have to watch it every week.

You didn't mention the constant reefing out of the ball.

and its a shame as they have some cracking players. young Williams looks a gem.
the look like a side that's coached to death. not great to watch as you say

Williams aside, I think they have some very poor players, and hence why they play the way they do. They are pretty talentless as individuals in the main, with limited skills.

Totally agree. Although, I'm sure they'd still play the way they do if they had a decent team. I don't envisage Wane wanting any different, 'win at all costs'. Similarly, Tony Smith seems to only know of one way - playing an unstructured 'let the players play what's on' despite it being obvious to all but him that his players just aren't up to it.

Their forwards are shocking. They have a lot of them in their squad, but they're all rubbish.

I don't think Wigan are coached to death, indeed I think it's the exact opposite. Some very one-dimensional players, playing under a one-dimensional coach gives you one-dimensional rugby.

Only Bowen and Williams are "something from nothing" players. The rest are steady grafters designed to play a high percentage, low risk strategy because they don't have the flair to do otherwise. Its almost like watching a school or junior team where they've just picked the 13 biggest lads irrespective of ability. How the likes of Clubb, Mossop and Flower get anywhere near a top 3 side I have no idea - they wouldn't get a game at Saints or Leeds for example.

Its been turgid stuff from what I've seen of Wigan this year but i guess you have to play within your capabilities and Wigan succeed on the back of it. The return of the Messiah next season should see a return to free flowing RL I'm sure.

Oh, and I don't know about the Stoke comparison either, at least not since Pulis moved on.

They've certainly changed the way they play and are much more attractive under Hughes

They are good to watch in defence. No one else comes close to their aggression and line speed.

They do take it to far though si it was playing to see mcilorum miss the second half after being cleaned out by a swinging arm for one of his team mates

Having given up any pretence to be an RL player, Mossop's sole intention last night seemed to be to injure Cuthbertson by any means necessary. Maybe that's the kind of coaching detail Wigan are in to?

Bloody glad we didn't end up with him, Mossop or Garbutt.....hmmmm tough choice.

Got a funny feeling this embarrassing post will come back to haunt you. Our rubbish style of play would have beaten you last night if it wasn't for the biased officiating. Clubb wouldn't make it into any top 3 side? Erm he already is you numpty. He is the best prop in a (granted) pretty weak pack but he would walk into any side. You can't watch Wigan that much but trust me, he is a power machine.

Clubb has to walk into any side, 'cos he sure as shiit can't run...

Wigan's success over recent times has largely been to do with their borderline tactics. Cannon ball tackles, holding down, Wane influencing the refs, general niggle to get reactions. That's what you're known for. The 2013 GF being a perfect example, Warrington completely outclassing you, seemingly no way back, then what do you know? warrington players injured, purposefully, using the tackle which you've become notorious for: 3rd man in attacking the leg.

Are you denying that Wigan's style of play and general skill level is a little... err... "unsophisticated"? They do what they do very, very effectively, which is why we can't be sure that Wane isn't a coaching genius, but surely even the most biased Wigan fan wouldn't claim it is a thing of Rugby League beauty. And there is a brutal undertone to it which is very distasteful to modern RL fans and players.

As for biased officiating... I think you need to do your homework on Silverwood and Leeds and the history that has gone into that particular relationship. Suffice to say he is the last referee of the lot that Leeds players and management would choose to have for any of their games; floating the idea that he is "biased" to Leeds is a bit embarrassing

I'll raise you a Sinfield and a Maguire... jeez, they never STOP trying to influence the ref, and don't get me started on leeds antics at the PTB...

Best side won on the night..

Leeds' antics at the play the ball largely are a result of players like Liam Farrell crawling forward after the tackles complete. He isn't trying to get up, he's making sure the Leeds markers aren't square. This isn't wining the ruck, it's cheating.

Sinfield talks to the ref as much as any other captain.

I wouldn't go making wine from them grapes if I were you



Wigan are second in the 8's so your teams style of play is effective, but I'm glad I don't have to watch it every week! But maybe it looks better through cherry and white specs

Please leave this up as a sticky, I want to revisit it again in October.

As I see it most fans want to support a winning team. Wigan win most if not all their home games so their fans are in the main happy.
Would I want to watch their style of play each week?
Probably not but you have to admire their line speed and aggression in defence but only when it's within the laws (rules?) of the game.
What let them down last night was some uncharacteristically sloppy passing near our line & the fact that sides are now better at defending their two lines of attack.
Why a bloke coming in to a tackle simply to lie on top of the ruck isn't penalised as a flop I don't know. Something that Farrell & O'Loughlin are masters at.
Joel Tomkins was totally anonymous last night.

If they want to play at the Britannia on a Tuesday night, then that works out brilliantly for me as I can actually get there after work.

No problem. In readiness for your visit, we could also post a picture of the other two trophies you're not going to win this season?

Be careful we've won nothing yet either.