There's a lot of denial surrounding how good Warrington are. You can't deny winning 2 CC in the last 3 years and reaching the final this year isn't the mark of a good team. Last year they were head and shoulders the best team in the league, having a very impressive points difference. Reaching 1000 points in a season is no mean feat and if Wigan want to do it this year they need to average 39 points in their last 4 games.
Its not a sign of weakness to recognise your enemy as being powerful. After all, when you have beaten him, what does that make you?
When Pat Richards first came to our club, a friend formed an opinion that he was useless and a waste of money. Years later he still maintains that opinion despite him holding the clubs record for most points in a Superleague season and winning MoS. Pat will go down as a legend and stay in the all time Wigan top points scoring charts for decades.
Sorry, maybe I'm preaching a bit. Franklin Roosevelt said "Judge me by the enemies I have made". If you consider Saints, Warrington and Leeds as our enemies, then I guess you can judge Wigan as being in very good shape.
My own view is that Warrington are a class side and can't be dismissed easily. We haven't beaten them in the league for a couple of years now and without Tommy, our shape has seemed a little off. On the other hand we have a young side and Warrington have some older bodies on the pitch. They have had 3 less days to prepare and a much harder game in the run-in. They have some easy games to end the season and are certain of a 2nd place finish so staying injury free for the CCF will be at the back of the players' minds. They also might want to put one over on the best team in the competition.
Personally, I just hope Lauaki and Hock don't rise to the baiting that's sure to be out there and they let their rugby skills speak for them rather than their fists.
Should be a cracker!
