I'm not as bitter as i was after Wembley, i think the lads tried and from where we were last year, thats a big achievement, if not a sore outcome to a match.

The fact i wamt to raise is simple, Kevin Brown isn't good enough, even if he tries his hardest. Offered nothing tonight and I'm now confused how he's getting a gig next year.

Drinkwater has just been released, Hastings signed a 1 year contract and Eastmond (i know i know) was released months ago. Is Brown really the best option we have as a club?

Brown is absolutely not good enough and should go now, contract or no contract!

If paying him off is an issue the I'll organise a bucket collection, no problem

Just a quick one but what the hell has happened to Harvey livett ? He was in the 19 and was ripping it up earlier on in the season. Seemed more than capable of playing centre, 6 or back row. Why hasn't he been involved ?


Brown gave luke gale a run for his money in terms of going awol in a pressure cooker game.

As a Wigan fan I never rated him. All the hype around him was caused by Stevo when he scored 3 simple trys on his debut. I never saw anything in him back then and I saw nothing to change my mind over the years. How he got in the England team last year is beyond belief especially when Williams was sat on the sidelines and never given a fair crack. Wasn't it Brown who missed the tackle in the WC final allowing Australia to score the only try? I honestly don't remember him even touching the ball tonight he was so anonymous. Wasn't he a bit of a panic buy for you guys after suddenly losing a player?

Eastmond signed For Leicester and is ripping it up.

I think he's a cracking player, He'd be my selection in your first team every time

Thought he played well for England. He has now however been anonymous in 5 finals. Was appalling in his absence last night. Hid all night.

I'm not a fan of any of either Brown, Roberts or Patton. Half back has been our problem area ever since Sandow jumped ship, as we have nobody that can make something out of nothing. Before someone points out that we lost both finals with Sandow, he was injured at the end first half at wembley, and a passenger in second, and wasn't fit when he came off the bench at OT.

Sometimes, things don't run for you with injuries, but we didn't make the most of Wigan's difficulties in that department, yesterday.

We can soldier through next season with Brown.
Ball in hand he's decent...it's just is short game kicking that stinks.
I'd just say 'no longer can you kick'.

the half back problem has been evident to most fans for most of the season. perhaps it would have better to have replaced both roberts and brown with someone like smith, mellor or luis to show that the club were aware of the problem. I feel that the club had almost written off this season and the league position and 2 finals papered over the cracks. the basic premise is without good half backs teams are not successfful at the top level. and the retainng of brown for another season makes me wonder what the club see in him tthat the fans miss

To be fair the half backs were not blessed with runners and options last night. Our try scoring play was very good as we put doubt into the defences mind. The rest of the time we were easy to read. All season we have looked without ideas near opposition line. Last night was no different.

Shouldn't the half backs be calling the running options though?

Lui would have been great for us.
Attacks the line, upper body strength and excellent hands.

He was on our radar if the deal with Roberts , (who was stalling, not wanting to leave Gold Coast, now we know why) fell through.

In hindsight....we missed out.

Pound for pound I'd have Samutt and Lui over Roberts and Brown all day and at a fraction of the wages

Not just the half-backs. The easy part of attack in rugby is taking the ball up and smacking into the opposition. The difficult bit is what to do at the end of the sets and being creative. Wigan's defence has stopped lots of decent attacking players and plays from other teams.
I can't remember any half backs cutting them up towards the end of the season.

Yes and worked on in training. Our half backs are ineffective but they are not our only problem.

What angered me was that we kept repeating the high kick to the corners when Wigan had that covered all night long.

I've watched Sammut for a long time and always wondered why a bigger club doesn't try to nab him.

I believe off field issues (not necessarily drink n drugs) was the reason Trinity (ok, no jokes about "bigger club"icon_wink.gif very rarely played him even though he was terrific when he did (my opinion).
Three coaches overlooked him if I remember correctly.
My abiding memory of Sammut is walking into the club shop, just after he signed, and seeing him stood there in just his underpants while waiting to be kitted out, much to the female supporters delight

Here is one for the club to think about. I will definitely not be renewing my long held season ticket until I know that Brown will not be playing for us next season. He is boringly unimaginative and offers little in attack. Passing the ball left or right isn't enough. His kicking game is not up to scratch and any speed he had has gone. The forwards last night ran their blood to water, apart from BMM, and then the half back's let us down. At least Roberts took on the line now and again. I can't bear another season watching this panic buy offer nothing in attack. I have heard other season ticket holders saying the same.

Brown is too slow..always has been too slow. He found his level when Widnes signed him. Then he got lucky because we HAD to sign someone, As long as he is in the team we will win nothing,,,,absolutely nothing,

It's another Matty Russell saga for me. I know he's not good enough, many other fans know he's not good enough. But he keeps getting a gig and has signed another 12 month contract so I'm left wondering what the coaching staff see in him.

I ask the question who was better this season...
Brown or Roberts, I throw Patton in too.

Who was the best....not is.

To be fair, Wayne Bennett saw something in him too.

Roberts for me, if he wasn't marquee I dont think he would have been a terrible signing, he definitely hasn't justified being a marquee player but he hasn't been absolutely terrible, I think (justifiably) we all expected more.

He has looked like another hooker who thinks he can play half back to me though.

I think your right.
I said something like that.
Put Ratch at hb and Roberts as interchangeable 9 off the bench.

Bit late for that now, I am. Happy with ratchford at 1 but would be happy with him at 7 too if he could practice his kicking game. I'd rather we kept him at 1 and signed another halfback. Kevin brown has tried and put himself on the line for us, but unfortunately he isn't the answer and if we want to finally win one then we need to bee ruthless with our signings.
I actually think next season is a great opportunity for us, we should be better (or at least start better) and I expect saints and Wigan to be a bit weaker (not a guarantee obviously) as a result of the players who are leaving them, however if we haven't addressed the half backs then we won't capitalise on it.