That's near enough decided me about whether to take Saturday night off work and watch it all as it happens.

I'm just weary of going to or tuning in to these big games when hopes are so high, only to watch Wigan be systematically destroyed.

I may sound disloyal, but this season reminds me of the 1970s, a decade during which it seemed to take us an age to realise that a once-great team had gone and that their replacements were not (and never would be) up to the job of doing the Cherry and White proud.

Let's not kid ourselves. They can talk all they want about last-minute checks, but those four will not be playing, otherwise I'm sure Lam wouldn't even have mentioned them. Sadly, it'll be no contest.

This squad is probably the worst one in my lifetime.

It just depends how old/young you are.

I say get yourself to the game. As cliche as it may be, we need to support the team through good and bad times. Not only go when we’re winning. Wigan keep all of the proceeds from Magic Weekend tickets that they sell too, so your £20 can go towards a new signing - OK, not a long way

Yep, this side would stick 50 on the 2007 team for starters!

I'd say we are about 4 league points better than we were in our 'relegation battle' season. Which is just about the difference between where we are now and where we were then at this half-way stage.

People keep saying that this is the worst squad ever, but we won the grand final last year with a pretty similar squad.

We lost Tomkins, Bateman and Sutton yes, but surely that doesn’t make the difference between a grand final winning team, and “the worst squad in my lifetime”.

Correct

Correct

And 2006 was worse than that

Correct
What about the 2005 Team?
Or 97
Lets not even get back to anything pre85 (I can go back to 77 and Oh My God!)

What a time to be alive. Mick Cassidy at hooker and players like Doc Murray, Paul Koloi and Gael Tallec.

Edwards
Tuigamala
Long

All left 2/3 games into season and then it started

Koloi
Murray
Tallec
Ian Sherrat (OMG!)

Not to mention Hansen coming in for Long

A pretty similar squad apart from 2 of our best players? There you go, we are an average squad and overachieved last year because of a few world class players and Shaun Wanes excellent ability to get players up for a game.

97 wasn’t the best squad but we had World class players in Rads, Robinson, Connolly, Henry Paul and Andy Farrell with decent supplementary players like O’Connor, Tony Smith, Neil Cowie, Nigel Wright and Simon Haughton.

2005 weren’t that bad either with world class players like Rads, Carney (Played poor), Dallas, Newton with supplementary players like Orr, Guissett, Seuseu, Tickle and Wild but both would beat this squad.

Time to put the drink down and step away from the computer.

Computer? It’s not 2002.

It’s beside the point, the table doesn’t lie but there’s far too many happy clappers on here at the moment with their heads buried up their backsides.

I don't dispute that

Sorry, I didn’t hear that, you were a little muffled.

What's that? people with a different opinion?

That would make a change from the last 4/5 years
I post 10% of what I used to do (And feel better for it) due to the unbelievable Negativity over the Years Whilst we "Were Winning".

FWIW - Lam wouldn't be my first choice, he's been dealt a bit of a Bad Hand but he's not made a great fist of it.
I have many opinions on individual issues that have happened and previously over the past 10 years whilst 90% would be positive & 10% Negative the last 12 months or so I would say it's been 70/30 the other way.
There may be many reasons for that - But a One Size fits all lets pick 1 Player/Coach or chairman and not be happy till they've gone only to find things don't improve so we pick on the next person we want to blame approach to things doesn't work.

Good news for Ben Flower. No damaged vertebrae but ligament damage in his back. He’ll be out for 4-6 weeks.

It’s even better news for TT I suspect. Not that Flower’s 7 carries for 50 yds per game has been that good anyway.

I think you do Flower a disservice. None of our props end up making a huge number of carries because they are all spelled pretty much equally. And while Flower doesn't carry as strong as Bullock he gets quick play the ball and has good technique going into contact (although the strapping on his knee slowed him down noticeably). His defence is exceptional and his technique in the tackle generally prevents dangerous players from getting on top and that's what we'll need to replace. Our defence is often noticeably stronger when Flower is on the field, particularly around the ruck.

Also, Tautai shouldn't be in the side given he's the latest on our growing list of drink drivers.

Flower is mediocre which makes him the best prop we have. The TT comment was prior to the news released today.