I've always noted that teams tend not to change their style even when a new coach comes in.
Saints always play an open game no matter who is the coach.
Warrington always move it wide, especially to the right.
Bradford rely on brute force with big players.
Leeds play an open style.
Hull play strong and off the cuff.
Wakefield throw it about with enthusiasm.
Castleford live up to their classy name.

Yet Wigan have been transformed this year. From 5 drives and a kick we are now playing expansive rugby.
How can a coach make such an impact. I'm loving it. And yet I realise that this year is only the beginning. Next year, with expensive player coming off contract we should have money to spare to make 2 or 3 key signings.

To be fair, we did play some good stuff last year and scored some good tries. It is better this year though, it always is when you're winning.

we can all see the difference. I wonder what noble realy thinks

Last year the players played well in patches, This year with the increased fitness levels they are able to perform at a high level for longer so a coach who is more fitness orientated is going to come up trumps everytime. We saw last year that the ability was there in short bursts but to see it for the full 80 is excellent. Also a coach who is not scared to drop players regardless of who they are on performace is a coach you want to keep. With everyone fit and pulling their weight the players like Sam don't have to do as much defensively so are able to shine with the ball in hand.

what was good too see again last night was when we made the breaks etc we have at least 3 players available to pass to, i know its basic but its just good to see the "team" mentality

To be fair we did not play 5 drives and a kick last year. We tried to play some expansive rugby but the passes were not sticking and we were knocking on it was at that point we had to go back to basics. The difference this year is the team are fitter and more together than they have been for years. Our passes that did not stick last year now are Deacon's has had a big influence on Tommy and Sam and there kicking game is a whole lot better. And lastly the rule with an iron but fair fist of MM and SW have brought a steely determination to the club we have lacked since Faz went.

It isn't just Madge. Its SW and the fitness side that are playing a big part in this. The whole culture of the club needed to change and whether you say its a new culture under Madge or a return to the old Wigan standards epitomised by SW, things have changed at Wigan. It is fantastic. The rest of RL is worried and they are right to be worried - Wigan is rising again and the club that sits on the greatest hotbed of rugby talent in the world is actually well placed under the SC system (though I still hate it - you won't see me doing about an about face like the scousers a few weeks ago when Hull thrashed them calling on their board for the SC to be raised massively so that they could bolster their ageing squad with expensive recruits (you couldn't make it up!

) - and I'm sure the RL mafia will try to move the goalposts once we starting winning trophies again!)

Totally agree.

Players got away with murder under noble and it looks like mm aint taking any **** and backs up what he means and it's good to see

Last season we were third highest try scores in Superleague and our wingers were (combined) top try scorers.
The five drives and a kick is myth.

However, we do seem to be quicker moving the ball this season and it's good to watch.

I'm not a pessimist, but will wait until after Easter when the league has settled a little before getting over optimistic. but so far so good.
8.5 / 10

oh rogues thats a mean score it a deffo 8.9 from me

MM seems to have brought the winning mentality and the attitude of a winner with him and instilled that into the squad. Apparently he was non too pleased about the 2 late tries we conceded last night when the players got back in the changing room. It would be very easy to pat everyone on the back and congratulate them for a sterling win but the performance wasn't up to what he expects so they got it off him, good to see and something thats been missing at our club since the days of Lowe and then Monie.

Its a 8/10 from me because although our defensive pattern is good I think we are conceding too many points overall and may come unstuck against the likes of Saints and Leeds.

We have changed our style

Smith has added a new dimension to our attack for us this season we offload alot more hes getting our players play off the cuff more not seen us play like that.

The Warrington offloads nearly did for us in that first half at the Haliwell Jones.

It was a real clash of styles that Wigan and Wire game. I thought on one side(Wire) you had a team that looked like they want to be the new St Helens and by that I mean keeping the ball alive and playing entertaining off the cuff rugby and on the other hand you had a team(Wigan) that look very professional and well drilled both in attack and defence. We're also good to watch with the ball but in a more structured way.

It's early days but i'd be suprised if both sides aren't top 4 come the end of the season.

Well you know what they say about statistics. You can argue the toss all day over whether the stats mean it was five drives and kick or not but the fact is the style of Rugby played under Noble for three seasons never mind last year was just downright poor for the majority of the time. That's not a myth.

I dread to think it would have been like had we not had Barrett when we did.



There is A LOT more too it then being quicker to move the ball wide. The attack has been transformed with things like a staggered attacking line and players like Roberts having the confidence to take players on and players like Sam having the inclination to try stuff like chips over the top.

The notion I see developing in this thread that Wigan can now do the things we tried to do under Noble simply because the team is fitter is way off the mark IMO.

Dave

No point in auguring with you DaveO as you think your right all the time. Its just most of us on here know better

Yet another "disagree with me and you're wrong" post from Dave!

I think the point about statistics is a good one.

They seemed to be used an awfull lot to try and prove a point about players but they don't tell you everything.

Stuart Rapers comments about statistics when he was at Wigan are correct.

In our game against Crusaders there were times I thought we played in attack abit like Saints, be interesting to see how we play against Bradford tonight.

But the players are stepping up the stats prove it.

Paul Wood

2009 games 21 offloads 15
2010 games 5 offloads 15

To be fair, there are a few on here with that 'attitude'.

One stat hardly proves anything.

I would agree you have improved massively but to say you are playing like saints would suggest to me their running style. Are you playing really deep with loads of dummy runners?

Very much like the current NRL style, (obviously from Maguires up to date experience) Deep attacking lines and spreading the ball wide quickly with dummy runners. Thats how Australia always seem to kill us in attack in internationals.

All of us fans spoke for years about how the mentality and work ethic at the club wasn't right, and by addressing that we've been able to take a giant leap forward in the way a Wigan team takes to the field.

For me I always though we'd have a brilliant coaching team in McGuire and Wane, on the one hand we have a coach who comes over with the most up to date techniques and methods, and on the other a former player who recognizes what at the club need's to change to once again allow us to challenge at the top.

I was personally ready to right this season off in some respects purely because I thought we were lacking in certain areas, however the coaching staff have remedied those weak spots, and I honestly believe were on the way to something good in the short and longterm.

I remember going to Barrow in the cup last year and saying to may mate, "Even Barrow play better rugby than Wigan."