I presume you are of vintage years ?

I share your historical memories too, for thats how it used to be.

Its not like that now though, your achievement at finishing top of the league has been greatly devalued by Sky, and ironically, it was your old chairman who brokered the deal all those years ago.

I think the departure of Riddell was lessened by the fact that Deacon was able to do another year. The signings we have made are no where near the same quality I agree, but we can still quite easily finish in the top 4.

Difference is can we perform in the big games like the teams around us can? For me Shaun Wane isn't tactically aware for us to perform in these games and I can see a similar scenario to last season for 2013.

Wane needs to keep his big mouth shut, in a game this aggressive you don't want your coach firing up the opposition,
let the players and fans mouth off.

Wouldn't be surprised to see you guys pull off a surprise big name, you're still the main draw for an Aussie.

1) I think if Wane adopted the approach of picking and choosing which games he could lose in the SL rounds would have the majority of wigan fans choking on their pies. I really don't think it would be acceptable.

2) Leed's had the mentality to and desire to stay in that game right to the end - as long as it was close - what they didn't have was the ability to break our line. I can't think of one time when I was worried about them breaking us down - even when they started a set 20m out. What they did have is the ability to finish off their sets and put us under pressure.
This approach requires players able to execute a simple game plan for the full 80mins and for them to stop the attacking team gaining any sort of momentum.

The loss of MM at 9 , and sam at 1 seemed to take away pretty much the attacking structure we have used all season - I'm pretty sure that Murphy didn't get the ball once in a set move with SoL at 3rd receiver. If we score in the first half, get more than 1 score ahead, then Leeds' game plan goes out of the window - they have to play catch up football and they didn't have the team to do it - and wigans defence was too good.

I think Wire at full strength will have too much attacking treat to get stuck in such a slog for the full 80 mins - as they showed at in the CC final when Leeds tried the same approach.

3) Have some people really forgotten how they moaned this time last year when under Madge we seemed to have been found out by playing the same attacking move with Sam? Madge made as many if not more tactical errors - he was far more reluctant to rest players, he was far more predictable in attack, he was often criticised for going for 2 points rather than keep the ball and apply pressure - especially in tight games.

IMO - wane has introduced more variety in attack, shown more faith in the young players, rested some of the senior players, shown a more attacking brand of rugby. I think he should be credited for that.

What he is guilty of I think is lack experience and nous when looking at how to beat the opposition in a one off game - his mantra is that if we pass/support/defend better then we will win. When we come up against a team that plays out of their skins in a do or die game we need to adapt our game as well - it's too early to write him off yet - it will be interesting to see how he goes next season.

Wane is just inexperienced, Smith did the same at wire, walloping teams early on to fall short at the end of the season due to exhaustion and injury.

Tactically he is poor, Leeds won on Friday due to better tactics, exploit the inexperienced FB, not come away from the line without points, keep the scoreboard ticking over.

We scored 2 tries to their one (interception), but poor tactics, indiscipline, and poor team selection (dont give a FB his second start in such a vital game) lost us the game

Madge would have taken the 2 to put us ahead. You don't refuse points in a SF be it 1 or 2. Leeds didn't and they won the game. I bet 90% of people on the ground wondered what the point of Sinfield dropping a goal at 10 0 was.


Oh and regarding Murphy, there was nothing wrong in his selection. Both slater and Barba have dtopt kicks in the GF this morning but they won't be getting hung drawn and quartered.