Let's get some rugby chat going.

How will we do this season, realistically? Lots of talk of culture change (does that mean there is an agreement that standards had slipped, if so since when and who's fault was that - the causes around this).

Short term, will we see tries scored can we manage more than a try a match?

Have we realistically resolved the sub standard goal kicking problem, who will be our main kicker when our main kicker hasn't even started training yet due to injury (or if he has apologies I haven't seen it).

Our new signings and the progress of our existing players, can we expect to compete with the likes of Saints, Catalans & Wire? They and other teams have strengthened too, can we expect to put up a serious challenge?

And finally our coaching staff, lots of right noises coming out of Robin Park Arena.


What can we expect? Who's confident, or not?

A rebirth to come or another damp squib?

After the last last few I’ll be happy to just being able to compete with the likes of Wire, saints and Catalan. Everyone has strengthened well so winning the comp and cc will be difficult but I don’t want to be leaving a game this year feeling like the lads didn’t give it all, over the past few seasons that has been the feeling for most games.

The whole thing about culture change is good to talk about but it needs to translate on to the pitch like it did in 2010.

Hopefully Briers can improve the goal kickers, I don’t think it solves the problem.

I’ll be interesting to see how Peet, Briers, Lockers and Waney works. It does seem like a great mix on paper but might be to many people.

Overall just looking forward to having rugby back and hopefully a team that is willing to put the effort in to each game. A little bonus would be seeing the younger lads and new signings kicking on/ standing out this season.

As an opposition fan, I’m hoping the big clubs are all fighting near the top again, simply for a bit more of a buzz and atmosphere about the season. Hoping that there’s no disruption now the pandemic is on the way out.

Not sure how Wigan or Warrington will fare versus last season, but I’d expect Saints to be at least slightly ahead and more consistent. Cats may nkt be able to replicate last season without Maloney. Not sure about Leeds either, not convinced they’re as good as the media buzz suggests and whether Agar should move upstairs.

I just hope the play this year is more open and we get more ‘off-your-seat’ moments. RL just isn’t the fun it used to be.

I think we're going to be far more enjoyable to watch and ask the better teams more questions and make them work harder in defence.

We'll be less reliant on one player and I'm hoping this gives players like Smith and Field more chance to influence a game.

I like the messages that are coming out of the camp and overall positive for the coming season.

Hoping to see Bevan back, but I think Field has the opportunity to step in and make a reputation this season. I think with the new management in place he will be given all the encouragement, support and guidance he needs to make this happen.

I think being realistic we’ll be an outsider for a trophy but I wouldn’t rule out us challenging for one. I’ve said before, I think the main issue we may face is not how much we can improve by but the fact that a lot of the other sides look so much stronger as well. Saints will continue to be tough to beat, Catalans look stronger, Leeds look far stronger, Powell will kick Wire on a level or two, Cas have recruited well and both Hull clubs look stronger as well.

If we concentrate on ourselves, I expect there to be a bit of buzz about us early doors. I think the players feel there are some wrongs to put right from last season but because of the unknown element of a lot of our new players, it’s tough to really know exactly what a realistic expectation is. That opening night at HKR will be a real test of both talent and our mentality. The atmosphere should be superb, with a big crowd on and they’ll expect their side to kick on as well. There won’t be many better spines in the league this year than Coote, Abdull, Lewis and Parcell and we’ll have to be very good to get anything. It’s a tough start but I actually think it’s one that could be very good for us. There can be no easing in for anybody, they will need to be on it straight away.

Challenge Cup winners, beating Warrington by 17 points

Silva to take SL by storm

Finish 3rd

Massive injury and covid crisis for Saints that see them finish 8th after missing several games

Cade Cust MoM 7 times also MOS

Compared to last year where we finished top 4

Peet/Wane massive upgrade of Lam

Mago/Ellis/Silva massive upgrade of Bullock/Clark/Clubb

Thornley obvious big downgrade over Gildart (although 2021 was a mix of injured/terrible from Gildart)

Cust v Hastings - downgrade on paper but like the attitude and reports about Cust

Miski replacing Manfredi is an obvious positive give Don’s situation.

Hopefully a fully fit Jai Field as opposed to 4 games last year.

Hopefully eventually a fully fit Bevan French as opposed to 3 games last year.

I’m fairly confident we’ll see a better John Bateman this year.

Smithies/Partington/Bryne/Havard/Shorrocks/KPP all a year older with more support in the pack. Hopefully they can be rotated rather than all starting every game



Don’t think we’ll see a Madge style turnaround (this squad doesn’t have a 21 year old STomkins and 26 SOL).

But I’m fairly optimistic, like what I’ve heard from Peet hopefully he isn’t going to hide behind ref decisions and injures like Lam.

Hoping to look forward to games again rather than dreading them, scoring more points and I think we can make a final.

So many unknows around the coaching team, a pretty significant turnover of players, and also how players returning from injury have recovered.

The noises all seem to be very positive which is great and it is clearly a conscious effort by the club to engage with the fans and the town more.

What I hope is a total change in style in attack but a maintenance of attitude in defence.

The young lads are all a year older and in theory we should be relying on them less.

I am hoping for a significant improvement in performance and entertainment value.

I do see this as a final year of transition. I think other teams are probably ahead of us in relation to where they are in the development cycle. I expect up to be top 5.

I have seen a few comments about Silva, I think expectations need to be managed with him. Seems to be a buzz because of his background. The lad isn't anywhere near ready for regular SL. He is a junior player who would be best served going on loan. Don't think we need to rush him and if he progresses well maybe look at giving him a handful of games in 2023.

I don't think you can expect a cup run as it comes down to the luck of the draw but it would be nice to get to Tottenham.

The squad should definitely be stronger. In my mind we’ve lost Hastings and a quarter fit Oliver Gildart. The other exits may as well have not been here last season.

We lose those guys from the squad but gain Thornley, Miski, Cust, Ellis, Mago, Silva and I’d also include Field and (hopefully) French. We also have the younger lads with another year under their belts, so it’s without any question stronger.

Progression is all in after. Improvement on both league and cup positions on last year, even if it’s by one position/round. If we win something it’d be obviously brilliant but I don’t expect to see either final to be honest - Saints, Catalans, Leeds, Warrington all looking strong. Don’t get me wrong out squad looks strong too but there’s a few uncertainties for me, who’s going in the halves, FB, centre, will our props actually be effective, is Powell still up to it, is Matty Peet and co up to it?

I’m hoping all those questions and concerns are answered and negated within the first month of the season but the jury remains firmly out for me.

Realistic hopes/expectations for me 3rd to 4th, more entertainment, more variety and innovation in our attack and more competitive games against the top sides. I think the problem Peet faces is there will always be a section of the Wigan fanbase who won't have realistic expectations - for them it will always be a case of win a trophy = success, win nothing = failure. I don't think that's a fair way of looking at things, particularly as the squad on paper does not look to match up with St Helens and Catalans (despite the improvements made). I'm sure the coaching team will move us in the right direction but they can't work miracles.

The reality is if I were to pick a combined Wigan/Saints side today there would be a maximum of 3 Wigan players in it (French, Farrell and Bateman) and that would be pushing it considering French has barely played for us over the last year and Bateman's form was poor in 2021. I think the point at which we know we're truly back competing for titles is when we can reasonably say we would pick more players in such a combined team. Whether any of the new signings would get in there we will only be able to assess when we see them play. Then you have to assess if any of our younger players have enough untapped potential within them that they could conceivably compete for a place in the (fictional) team. Havard and KPP would have to be contenders for that and I also think Byrne and Smithies have a lot more in them. Less convinced in Partington, Shorrocks, Halsall and Hanley. Outside of that we can only look to further recruitment and higher quality academy products down the road to bridge the gap.

I’m quite optimistic about the season ahead. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new players in action and I think a fit Jai Field will be a serious strike weapon for us.

In my opinion we have a better squad this year than last season…the only loss I was bothered about was Hastings, and I feel like we’ve got a very good replacement in Cust.

We finished 4th last season playing with a pack getting totally bullied every week, a team with absolutely zero creativity , players playing out of position due to a long injury list and so on… so surely we should realistically be looking for top three and having a good crack at trophies this year?

I’d be mightily surprised if it isn’t between Saints and Cats this season. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Wigan push them closer than my boys (wire) as we’ve got a new coach to bed in and a squad seriously short of decent props sadly. Joe Bullock is being touted as the saviour, that’s how bad it is!

Top four at least.

I think we are in the mix as usual. Wigan or Saints this year.

I'd just like to see a brand of rugby that makes me want to go and watch live games again as it's a 4 hour round trip for me and that simply hasn't been appealing the last 2 seasons.

The messages from the club are very positive and During the off season that's what you'd expect anyway.

Early on we had an interview from Waney and spoke about the need to clear our yardage. That was one of our main problems last year. With pressure on us and a good kick we were often coming off our own line and ending nowhere near the 30. That is where our game seem to fall apart and then matters got only worse. Having a dh when 2 yards off your own line is nonsense but that's what Lam wanted it seems.

We now have a bigger and more mobile front row, that will make a difference. Surely Bateman and Farrell will have a better season that could make a massive difference. If Field is at fb with Cust at 6 then that is pace in the middle which has the potential to be devastating. Last season we had no structure, creativity or go forward. None of those problems from last year should occur this time around.

I think we'll have a good season and certainly end up top four if not higher. We will have as good a chance of the C Cup as anyone as so much depends on the draw.

Wanting to come off the ground thinking "I can't wait for the next game" rather than "Do I have to watch that dross again next week"

Id be happy with a CC final appearance

Wouldn’t we all

To begin with I just want to see a team that actually looks like they know how to, and enjoy playing rugby. Last year was awful, I've not ever seen rugby so bland in my life.

I'm hoping for some good things from Field and Cust on the way of attacking threat, I hope Miski doesn't have to wait long for his chance as I can see him being a fan favourite. We all hope that Ellis and Mago actually play like props should, something we haven't had in many years.

I'd go with the general feeling on here, in that we'd hope to improve our on field performance. One area I feel we need to massively improve and think smarter is our field kicking, whether it be from our own half way line to turn the opposition around and enforcing great 'Waney style defence' to pin them in their own forty (like so many teams did to us last season).

Fifth and last needs a massive overhall, too many times we simply didn't put enough pressure on our opponents by just gifting them the final ball. Very rarely we scored a try, most of the time never looked like scoring on the last as the set moves were too slow with inaccurate passes thrown in.

I'd like to think we now have someone who will take control of this by either feeding the pass to score or putting in a grubber over the try line and forcing an error leading to either a try or a drop out. At worst we pin the opposition on their try line. Possession and territory is everything in this game.

Wigan with a couple of props added, French / Field / Cust available and the clown of a coach gone willl be a much, much stronger side than last year, even without Hastings (who to be honest I thought was pretty average for Wigan but the whole side weas so poor it's hard to know whether that was his fault).

Don't think it will be enough to win anything but certainly expect lots of improvement.

I don't think that we have had a kicking game since Paul Deacon retired which is the best part of a decade.
If Tommy plays with regularity at best we will have half a kicking game and that assumes that Cust can actually kick.
It's part of the game that a player with average skills can actually improve pretty easily with practice and more practice.

Last year was as bad a team as I've ever seen wear our jersey.
From a personal point of view I don't think we have played any decent entertaining rugby since 2013 with any sort of regularity.

I hope we will improve but with so many changes on and off the field I think that it is difficult predict how we will actually play.
We have a difficult start and I think that after the first two games we will know how the season will pan out.

The player that I'm looking forward to watching is Farrell. He has been starved of decent ball for seasons and I'm hoping that Cust and Smith will give him some gaps and time to enable him to make some inroads with his great running game.