The best defensive performance I’ve ever seen from a wigan team. Clinical is the only word to describe that game.

If we defend like that next week we win, but a tough ask against a quality side. I just pray JC doesn’t score the winner.

Nice post. 'Classy Cas' personified.


Questionably tougher to lose in a semi final than lose next week

Commiserations.

Sarginson was really in a mission tonight.

Get your back here Brian

I'm glad you don't coach us

Never been a wigan fan by any means, but last night you were defensive machines.... fair play. Here’s to a few decent battles in the future (where you aren’t as defensively dominant..... hopefully).

With so many players and coaching staff saying farewell, if there was ever a time to put indiscipline and sloppiness aside, it is now. I can only see another 80 minutes of near-perfection in terms of game management from this squad next week.

That was a superb display of defence - totally nullified anything Cas tried. Even though our attack was maybe not as sharp as it could be we never looked like being beaten.
Good performances all round - but thought Tommy and Sam T lead by example, Gildart completely took Shenton out of the game every time Cas gave him the ball with some fantastic tackles. Manfredi was strong as well for someone only just back from so long out.

Bateman was seriously made up at the end so funny to watch.

Well the performance was appreciated by the Wire and Saints fans , Wigan cheated , conned the refs and were dirty and niggling throughout the game

Do not eat that fruit. It is a bit sour.

Superb defence, reminded me of Roosters nullifying Melbourne in the NRL GF. Which is praise indeed.

I didn't think Cas were terrible, or 'bottled it', but they only played as well as they were allowed to. Wigan made sure they just couldn't get going.

And yes, Gale should have got 10 for his attempted decapitation. And that wasn't the only example of, shall we say, poor tackling technique

from Cas.

Manfredi came so close to scoring a carbon copy of his brilliant second from the other week.

Really the only downside for me; the very poor crowd, especially considering the number of Cas fans. Without them, it would have been a four-figure gate, which is just abysmal however you slice it.

As some of you will know I am a huge SW critic, however that last night was simply an outstanding defensive display with 1-17 each putting their bodies on the line. It was as good as a defensive performance I think you’ll see anywhere and it’s quite right SW gets the plaudits and praise for being responsible for that.

Offensively it wasn’t a spectacle but I thought we were just patient didn’t really test out Cas’ defensive line too much, knowing full well we’d break them down in D. For me I don’t think any one player stood out as I thought all were exceptional. It was a true team performance and to keep a team like Cas who have immense attacking prowess scoreless is a superb feat.

Yet the atmosphere was good again, not unlike Easter Monday against Hull KR. Thanks in part to the wonderful Cas following this time. Kudos to them.

Any Wigan fans that chose not to go missed out.

Saints fans are an utter joke! They hide away on their own forum, patting themselves on the back for being 'the best side in Superleague' when they haven't got past a semi all season (if you don't count the semis they all got on thinking Barba the Turnstile was going to win them a Grand Final!

)

To be fair they did look good beating the mighty Widnes etc. Pity they couldn't beat anyone of note when it actually mattered. Shame that. Still... they are the best team in Superleague..

I loved watching the Red Vee TV post match video the other night with the proper scouse bloke saying ‘we’re still the best team’ and them saying they wouldn’t blame the system of only getting one chance to get to Old Trafford whilst blaming the system!

I remember the same guy being on the Wigan fan tv site before our game at the DW talking about how they’d firstly win the Challenge Cup and it would then be interesting to see how they’d respond in their run to winning the Grand Final. The big two were already in the bag in his mind!

The same guys were proclaiming how Saints were that far ahead of us that only O'Loughlin and "maybe one of the wingers" would get into their side! Strange how a team that's made 5 Grand Finals out of 6 has done it with players not good enough for a team with 1 major trophy in 10 years! Arrogant much?



Their latest contribution to Rugby League is announcing in droves how they won't be watching the Grand Final. Watch them shout the loudest when the Sky deal goes belly up! But it's everyone else who is killing rugby, don't you know?

Genuine question to those of our own fans who tore our club to shreds mid season, who proclaimed SW to not have a clue and that the sooner he was gone the better etc...The ones who relentlessly said our rugby is boring and devoid of any ideas..... You know who you are.

Would you rather have had our season or Saints season?

The reason I ask is that during the off season I said I’d rather have a side that wins the grand final than a side like Cas last season who won nothing. Saints have done what Cas did. They entertained with some great rugby throughout the season overall but won zip! I still maintain that it’s this end of the season that matter most and I’d much rather have our season than theirs. Am I a happy clapper as was stated on several occasions? Perhaps, but watch how happy I am next week and how loud I clap when we are crowned champions again!

Here's my take, Wigan were so dominant in the game that it was effectively over at 11-0. Cas didn't get going, had no go forward due to Wigan's defence, made more errors and gave away more penalties (in the main due to high tackles).
All that equates to Wigan being worthy winners. Looking forward to the final, hope we get to see some good attractive rugby, but expect to see both sides to defend in the manner of the semi finals with few opportunities to score tries.

I don't even think it comes down to a "our season or theirs" debate. We've been every bit as good as them this year in the entertainment stakes anyway! We had a blip mid season and have ground a few wins out but they have had a blip for the last few months and EVERY champion team needs to grind a win out now an again. Was beating them in the playoffs or Wire at magic as good as anything they've shown this year? Easily! I'd argue better because they've shown themselves as incapable of taking out that type of game.

If they're going to point to rinsing lower end teams as a yardstick I'd firstly raise them the likes of Hull KR on Easter Monday and secondly suggest they need to reappraise their definition of a good performance.

I'll tell you now; I'd much rather watch a masterclass of defensive rugby league like last night than any number of games waltzing through also rans! We've been there, done that more times than Saints could ever hope to muster anyway in the 80s and 90s. Funnily enough, its exactly the criticism of that period that Saints fans regularly churn out. Strange how it doesn't apply when it's them doing it.

To a point, they have a point....

Indeed, RL is in the doldrums, and, i would agree its not as free flowing and entertaining as many would like.. That said, despite financial constraints, IL and co, including Wane, have managed to make Wigan a team that is workmanlike and not just a flash in the pan. Wane deserves great credit for what he has done, and his record will take some matching whosoever was to follow.

Always remember, it's not the 1980's anymore, and never will be, ask my knees

In the games between Wigan & Saints this season which club scored the most tries? I ask the question because I suspect it may well not be the "entertainers" who have been scoring tries for fun.

Great display from Wigan on friday night, thought Navarrete & Gildart were stand out players. One player not that good on the night was O'loughlin, I thought he had his worst game of the season.

I’d probably go further then that and say he had one of the worst games I’ve ever seen him have. He looked half asleep as though his mind was elsewhere at points which made me wonder if he’s fully fit.

Hopefully if he’s not quite right, he’ll have enough time to improve before Saturday.

Carrying a knock possibly and very conscious this ‘might’ be his last GF.

if fit next week I imagine he will need carrying off at full time due to a huge capitano knock.