I agree too. Wigan are the team to beat but with Leeds having a very poor start and Saints not a great start, Wigan are a good media story because of that and not because they have out-and-out GF certs written all over them (although not writing them off at all!) this early in the season. Had Wigan, Leeds and Saints all had the same sort of win record then Wigan would not be the news they currently are.

That all said, they are the form side and I think a Leeds victory is a tough ask given form and injuries.

They had a sticky match against Bradford and I don’t remember a Leeds or Saints team losing a match like Wigan did that day in the last three years.

If Michael Maguire gets the same result as Brian Nobel this season then surely we won’t see a Wigan side lift up the super league trophy until there’s been a complete overhaul in playing staff in all three teams with Wigan featuring the better players.

At the moment they have the third best set of player based on the last three years when it counts.

Speaking of sticky patches, Puig Aubert hasn't posted in a while.

Didn't Saints blow up in a similar fashion at home v Bradford last season?

Yes i believe they did indeed.

Come on Rogues, you know better than to think Damo has a clue.

The big question is whether Lee Smith will come straight back into the team.

Been on the glue; maybe! Has a clue; 'fraid not!

The answer is Yes, providing he is fit. (Which I see no reason why he wouldn't be)

Straight cover for Donald (unless Webb gets injured..)

I think it oversimplifies it a little to just say 'same squad, same weaknesses'. For a start, the squad is [umuch[/u deeper this year with additions from the youth setup. You don't need to 'buy in' to strengthen a squad as you lot over the lump have been telling us for years!

Players like Ainscough and Farrell, Feka, Deacon etc. would/do grace many SL teams but can't get a sniff at ours ATM. Also lads like O'Carroll, Mossop and Tucson are coming in and taking their chances well; in Mossop's case becoming a regular member of the starting 17. Remember, he wasn't even a part of the squad for a large chunk of last season.

In addition, players who were in their first year last time are settled and playing well. A great example of this is Amos. He certainly isn't showing the same weaknesses as last year and seems like a new player!

Apart from which I think a new coach can address many of the weaknesses anyway (which is surely the point iof getting a new coach!) Look at the difference Anderson made to your defensive frailties post Millward or Tony Smith here at Leeds and again at Wire when he took over.

I think it's fair to say we've done OK bringing players through the last few seasons!



Deacon wouldn't "grace" any team!



O'Carroll has been playing for years. Mossop looks a terrific player, but you're down Hock and I wouldn't say he's at that level yet. Haven't seen enough of Tuson to judge, but looks solid.



Roberts is playing very, very well. A real purple patch. Still from the same squad as last year though.



Agreed, I think I alluded to that in my post. Wigan look well coached but it's far too early to credit MM with eradicating the inherent weaknesses of all your players. Think that may be a bit more wishful thinking than reality.

Will be interesting to see how Wigan run for the rest of the year - I still think Saints and Leeds will be the teams to beat come the business end.

Was thinking the same... about Puig, not sticky patches!

You will win nothing this year. Not a dig i went Friday night took my nephew as he is a Hull KR fan and i thought Rhinos were awful. Wigan will destroy you this week!!!

And you've told us repeatedly that's the way to do it rather than bringing overpaid Aussies over. All of a sudden, it's no longer counted as strengthening the squad. Apart from which, I presume from this that you're agreeing with me, so I'm not sure what the point is you're trying to make here.



So you pick one from the four! Is that really the best you could come up with? And that one would still have been Bradford's first choice scrum half this season, as he was last, had Orford not become available. That's before we get on to the fact that he's played in several of our games already this season and will, no doubt, feature in many more. I think we'll call your attempt above a non-answer and move on....




O'Carroll barely featured last year. The season before was his first I believe and again he played a handfull of times. That's before we get to the fact that as he gains experience he will become a stronger player anyway (as indeed he is showing so far this season). As we are talking about strengthening the squad, I think it fair to say any player who can add more depth at a higher level and/or provide more games throughout a season qualifies, don't you? We'll have to agree to disagree on Mossop. I think he is every bit as good as Hock; perhaps better. Tucson is solid but very early days for him. Certainly qualifies as strengthening the squad though, which is what we're discussing. As does Thornley, Mellor, Charnley etc. who were part of the GF winning reserve squad last year and who I haven't even mentioned yet.


This has no relevance at all. Not even sure it's worth a response, but here goes. You said 'Same squad, same weaknesses'. I answered by pointing out that it doesn't follow and offered Roberts as an example of someone who, although the name on the team sheet is the same, is FAR from the same player with the same weaknesses. I could start to point out which weaknesses in particular have been addressed in his case but I'm sure you're already fully aware of them. Just as I'm sure you already knew that your reply wasn't worth a reply but you got me to do one anyway! I'll chalk that up as a victory to you...




Agreed that it is early days, but I think it's fair to say that our comparitive record after 7 games this and last season suggest that he [umust[/u have ironed out many of the weaknesses from last season. At the very least, not being prepared for the early part of the season was, perhaps, the biggest weakness of all last year and left us far too much to do come the business end. That's certainly one he has addressed. Fitness being another. I could list others such as mental preparation/getting up for each game, but I'll let the season be the judge of that.


Indeed. I have little doubt that both clubs will have something to say this year, just as they have for the last 3. I think it's equally foolish to write off the likes of Wigan by over simple statements like 'same squad, same weaknesses' though.

So why does Garforth have two train stations?
Pretty small place to have 2 don't you think?

Something i've always wondered when passing on the daily commute....

lol dont know Dave!!!

I haven't written Wigan off, I'm just not believing the hype just yet about the gargantuan improvements in their players and their new master coach. Perhaps after the Leeds and Saints games I'll think differently.

I posted that the other day

I'll be persuaded if you're posting statements like this after 27 games. FWIW, I think there's every chance you've peaked too early in terms of both fitness and form. Having said that, I think you may well win on Friday.

I spoke to Maguire prior to the U20 game last weekend, saying how well Wigan had played v Hull on the previous night.

His answer "We went o.k. but we have a lot of improvement in us"

Thats Quote number 1 from the coaching handbook isn't it. I think after the 75-0 drubbing of Wigan the quote was "We went o.k. but we have a lot of improvement in us"...

I was thinking the same that Roberts is much improved on the player he was for Wigan last season but then he had that ridiculously loose carry back from a poor Sykes kick at Bradford, lost the ball in the collision that allowed Bradford to snatch an unlikely win. Then I realised, it's the same Roberts that was here last season afterall.

That apart he has looked impressive though when not costing Wigan competition points.

Two words jump to my mind – Damage Limitation

Not very optimistic I know but with the state of the squad, our current form and the way Wigan are playing at the moment I can’t see anything but a another defeat.

Sorry guys.

I would be very surprised if we won this, mainly due to the injuries. But i'm hoping that we put up a good fight and IF we loose hopefully only by less than 10 points. Also if Lee smith does play, I think he iwll be heavily targeted.