Hopefully this is just me being paranoid as usual but I am worried at the moment that there has been a shift in the balance of power at the top, in that Wigan have stepped it up and gone ahead of us. We have a winning record against them in recent seasons, out of the last 20 games we've won 13 and they've won 7, so I'm usually confident against them but I fear that they have got it together and they are now the form side like we were last year when unfortunately we wasted it due to losing the CC quarter final and playoff to Leeds.

I thought Wigan would struggle without Maguire but under Shaun Wane they have kicked on a gear and look a very good unit even though I look at their squad man for man and I think we are better on paper.

I have a fear that we are going to get to Wembley against them and lose and then that fate might be repeated at Old Trafford as well which will not be an enjoyable experience. Even there I might be being presumptuous because I'm implicitly assuming than nobody like Hudds, Catalans, Saints etc will be an obstacle to us.

If you think of our key players last year, Briers, Morley, Michael Monaghan, King, Westwood, which ones of these are playing at that level or better this year (King is not even playing for us)? They have all gone down slightly this year. Looking on the positive side we are still only 3 points off the top and had we not lost by 1 point against KR last weekend we'd only be 1 point of the top so considering we have not had our big guns firing we have hung in there well and are still very much in the hunt. A few years back the Bulldogs won the NRL from a similar position where they were not quite the team they were a couple of years before but hung around near the top and nicked it from the Roosters at the Grand Final, so I am not counting us out.

Also there have been other good developments with young players coming through from our Academy and impressing, I feel positive about Ratchford joining and would be delighted to get Bateman, I think the signs are we are refreshing what had threatened to be an ageing side, so I am feeling confident that we will be one of the stronger teams in SL for the years ahead and there won't be a rapid slump.

But I have a nagging feeling now that we don't have the firepower we once did to blow sides away, and Wigan do. I've been struggling to think what is different with Wigan, I think it's a combination between a young squad maturing and getting better across the board and crucially Brett Finch having an injury free season and showing what he can do, he was a top halfback in the NRL and I think people underrated him when he came here first, he's for them as good as Briers was for us a year or so ago.

Does anybody else have this sneaking fear that we are now short of class when it comes to facing a confident Wigan side and are going to get taken by them in a big one....?

I think this is you being paranoid sally.

1. People said this about us last year
2. We certainly have the quality in the team when it matters
3. The League is not won until October

We have played some attractive rugby this year albeit with a couple of below par performances. I know people keep harping on about this but look at what Leeds did last year. They proved that no matter where you finish after 27 games its the knock out competition at the end that matters.

Sal, look back to last season when it was us who were stuffing all-comers and were almost dead certs to win everything. It will be very difficult for Wigan to maintain their current form throughout the rest of the season. An injury to either Finch or Sam could change everything, there's over a third of the season left and everything to play for, and not just for us and Wigan.

Not too worried tbh. 1 off games and you'd take Wire to beat anyone on the day. Bigger worry is next season in the hbs. Myler just does'nt do enough, whilst o' Brien seems to have stalled imo.

ps/ very difficult for a team to win both the premiership and CC. whoever wins the CC, will proberley fold in the playoffs.

Not easy to tell at this stage. Plenty of sides have looked unbeatable at times then embarrassed themselves when it matters.

A good example being Saints stuffing what looked at the time to be a good Leeds side and then rolling over against the Pies. Huddersfield always look like world beaters at some stage in the season and then have a series of disasters. I'm hoping that Catalans have been feeding on raw meat all this week and will spring back into form on Saturday.

What Leeds did last year is neither here nor there for us. That was the only time that's happened in the entire Super League playoffs and it doesn't make me feel any better it just makes me worried that Leeds or Saints are potentially sides that could come up from behind and surprise us.

I know last week against Hull KR was a one off game but the fact we collapsed with a big lead in the first half set some alarm bells for me. Would that have happened last year? If we were 22-6 at half time that would have finished 62-10 or something.

I do agree though that an injury to Tomkins or Finch would seriously damage Wigan.

you're in a similar position to where wigan were last year, where a combination of personnel changes (king out) and injuries have meant that you havent consistently reached your potential, however i can see you choosing your moment as wigan appeared to do so with the cup ties last year.

I'm afraid I have the same fear, Sal. On performances alone I think we are lucky to be where we are in the league, and unless we step up a few gears, I can see us starting to slip down the table. Hope I'm wrong.

Last year we looked at our worst when Monas didn't play or was barely fit, this year if IF Monas comes in and plays to form we'll be better for it.

The loss of King was a bigger blow to us than we realised at the time, both on and off the field. Add to that the decline of Morley, Monas injury, Carvells slow decline and you can see why we are not the same team.

We have great youngsters coming through, but quite a few ageing rock stars at 30 plus. IMO we have a gap to fill and unless we buy-in, we may have to wait for 2-4 yrs before we have a really strong team again.

At the moment Wigan are unstoppable based on ultra confidence and a couple of real stars, but as Teeside points out.. Injuries and loss of form can be devastating. Fortunately we are not at the pointy end of the season just yet.

OK, Kingy was good last year, but people are forgetting that he missed 12 games on the bounce, and we won most of those. Coops has come on a bomb in the past 12 months, the arrival of Chris Hill is a real bonus and if we can quickly decide where to play Ratch, then we're not too far off. It's not too long ago that we would have been delighted and amazed to be second in the table at this stage of the season, and in the semi final of the Cup for the third time in four seasons.

we have been missing key pivot players (Monas, Myler, Brett) in a lot of games..but we are still up there and in the cup semi final!

A Wigan supporting work colleague last week asked me how I thought the season would pan out. I said that Wire & Wigan would contest both finals & Wigan would win well at Wembley and also win the G/F but by a much smaller margin.

I think our confidence has taken a dent this year, also last year, team's feared us but this year they respect us but don't fear us. Last year if we were 18 points in front like we were against Rovers then the opposing team would have given up expecting a loss but this season they still think we 'can' be beaten.

If we reach both finals & finish 2nd in the league then as a supporter I would consider it an improvement on last season.

This is a really good point. [size=50From a southern softie, who likes flat beer and Whelks[/size

......and who was brought up in Wigan.

Thats what i think, really thought he was fantastic last year and said you wouldnt be the same without him.

What exactly is his injury?

But in reality that won't be an improvement, last year we were the best team in the league and this year we are not.

Last year after we lost that playoff to Leeds one of the worst things about it was the fear that with an ageing side we were a team that had a window of opportunity to win the Grand Final before a young and up and coming Wigan team overtook us and that last year might have been the best chance. This season is supporting that theory although we have by no means faded away, just the edge has come off us with signs that a few of our players are starting to decline, albeit slowly. Leeds were in this position a couple of years ago, we saw at Wembley the signs of rustiness in their once great team but they did rally for one last hurrah, probably like Chelsea have done in football this year in the Champions League when the league has shown they are in this position, so our best hope may be that the players sense it and in the big games they rise for one last herculean effort. Even for the guys like Hodgson, Morley who have won Grand Finals before down under, they will know that this is the last time in their careers that they are going to be playing for trophies.

I think it will take time for Saints, Leeds and Hull to rebuild to a point where they are challenging Wigan and I think Hudds will slip back when Brown leaves, and Catalans are good but not THAT good, so I think we may be entering a stage where Wigan take pole position and are the premier side in SL for the next two or three years, with us slipping back to a point of best of the rest but behind Wigan. This will especially be shown when Briers leaves as it will be very difficult to replace him, and who we get to fill his place will determine a lot.

That said I would not get too cocky if I was a Wigan fan as there are risks on the downside for them as well. They really need to re-sign Finch, if he leaves then Matty Smith is nowhere near the same calibre of replacement. I also think a Iestyn Harris situation is developing with Sam Tomkins where it's inevitable he will go to union in a year or so, probably the RFU will make their move in 2013 so they can have him in time for the 2015 World Cup, and Wigan will get a large transfer fee as he is still under contract. Wigan are good and have a lot of strength in depth of home grown talent but remove Finch and Tomkins and they will need to sign big (from Australia) to replace them, big as in get someone like Slater or Inglis to join.

Sorry Sally but signing big from Australia is almost impossible now, every club needs to build from Within to be successful, seeing players given a chance in SL must motivate every player in the U18's and U21's to do everything just to be selected for the senior side.

Losing Leuluai and finch next season would be a big blow, we would have others chomping at the bit though just for a chance, Losing too many is always a killer which worries me as Carmont, Lima, Fielden are gone or almost certain to go.

If Joel Tomkins comes back from Union next season, i think Sam wont be going anywhere apart from Maybe the NRL.

No way atall we are second in the league and have won eleven games on luck!...

IMO were doing well this year, bit scratchy at times but im not worried atall, go look at the league table n chill....

Just in reply to those doubting Wigan's ability to keep up this level of play. In 2010 we (Wigan) led from the beginning, maintaining that consistency all the way to our Grand Final victory. Just because Wire led from the beginning last year, looking very much the team to beat, only fall at the last hurdle. Doesn't suddenly mean that'll be the case with any subsequent teams that dominates the weekly rounds. Know one's placed to determine whether a team has peaked or not until season end.

we have missed monas more than anything his speed around the ruck hope he is back soon

Last season we were by miles the better team, but as we painfully know Leeds were 'Crowned Best In Super League'.

If we reach 2 finals the that will be an improvement, I agree that improvement will not be in form but in the season outcome.

I agree what you say about the current top clubs and I still greatly fear Saints. They are the ones who this year could stop us reaching our 1st ever G/F.

But all this is early days in a season only 50% done. Wherever Saints, Leeds Giants & Catalans finish come round 27 they will greatly turn up the heat come the play-offs & we must match and better that.

I'm relaxed at this stage of the season. 2nd place and not playing our best with key players out. I trust Smith. Wigan will not relish playing Warrington as they will a few more times this season no doubt.

That said last year was probably our best chance to win the SL, but that does not mean we cannot win it this year.

Call it a mirror image of last season. Wire were the best side by a country mile last season. Wigan had definately fallen behind them. This year, probably due to the reasons already mentioned on here - injury to M Monas (massive blow), King gone, Morley injured / not playing at same level. Whereas Wigan for whatever reason (Wane / Harris?) have improved players performances and recruited extremely well. Hansen, Goulding, McIllorum, Finch, Sam and Mossup have all improved on last season. Added to that Dudson, Flower, Luarki have been relatively successful recruits. Hock is benefitting from getting game time back under his belt. (When he is not suspended that is!)

I was worried about Hoffman going as he was a class act, however Hock, when he keeps his cool, has been sensational.

Joel left but was not missed as he played a full season out of position at centre anyway, where Goulding has come in and is putting them on a plate for Charnley, something Joel couldn't do.

What tickles me is that Wigan posters last year, knew deep down that Wire were better. Coming out with rubbish like, were not putting 50+ past teams like you are because we are conserving energy. What total rubbish. I don't hear them complaining about wasting energy after Friday nights performance. Alright you lost in the play offs, you didn't bottle it, you just didn't quite get the result against an inspired Leeds.

Fair play to Sally for the opening post. Still think that Wigan / Wire are the best 2 teams by a mile. There will be the odd upset and strange result but the only fixtures I have concern over ATM is you away in the league and the Wembley final should we both get there which would be a great game and worthy final.