I'm glad, he was being an most of the game.

At times I thought we must have picked up injuries in the game given the subs. MM went off quite early IIRC and I did wonder about his fitness as a result.



I am still wondering if Thornley's pass for the 1st try was a masterstroke of timing or just fortunate he didn't hold onto it too long but regardless it was the half backs who need to look at what they did in that game more than he does. I have only watched Hampshire via Wigan TV and even with that you can tell he's "got it" like you could with a young Sam, Hansen, Joel T or Lockers. It was good to see him do well tonight despite the dropped ball.

I bet the next great debate if Sam does leave will be is Hampshire the next Wigan No. 1 ! And to lay my cards on the table before it start's, he's a 6!

Definitely got out of jail there! A lot of the lads look tired to me, perhaps mentally as much as physically - if I were Waney I'd give them 4 or 5 days holiday, and only resume training midweek.

Thought Hampshire did pretty well, but I still think he's a better half back than fullback. We weren't too bad defensively, but bombed way too many excellent chances in attack (again!), either through bad decision-making or just poor execution. Nothing that can't be fixed, but I do think a rest would do them more good than more training.

Replacements, players just coming back from injury and not up to game speed, maybe even too much training based around Sam, as an outsider. Who knows? All you see is what looks like a drop in enthusiasm in some games, a lack of cohesion, and a shed full of dropped ball and errors. As to why, I think we’re all just guessing the reasons, SW knows more about the behind the scenes stuff that could be in the mix, and he’s not telling. So let’s just keep on analysing and guessing.

I think this sums it all up...

Plus, most importantly in my view, SOL missing, and not and giving the crucial link/organisation twixt forwards and backs.

the last 2 games we also have seen the biggest shake up in the backs we've had for a while. with new combinations and players lacking a bit of confidence, the ball is getting stuck/slow, allowing the opposition defence to cover the gaps/perssurise.
last week and 1st half last night micky was poor, so we also lacked go forward from the PTB.
its easier to rotate the pack without impacting the team. however, when 6/7/3 and 4 are tired/injured/new combinations its a lot more difficult.

Just seen this quote from the BBC.

Bradford Bulls head coach Francis Cummins:
"Sometimes you feel you don't get what you deserve and that is what we are feeling now.
"You know when you come to Wigan that you are not going to get all the possession and maybe not get all the calls you should get - that is my opinion. But we gave them a bit back and we played really well.
"I just get a bit frustrated with some decisions. They didn't need any help."

That' just sour grapes that. If he hadn't told his players to start trying to run the clock down from 20 mins out - they would have won that game.
Bulls were the better team for most of the game, but their negativty meant they deserved to lose.

Not too sure what he's on about with the ref either. Will have to watch the game back when the full highlights are available, but for me the worst decision of the night was their try 2nd try, where they were clearly offside for the bomb that RH dropped.

That's sour grapes of the highest order, I'm not saying he got all the calls right but I've known Tim a long time from when I was a ref and he's no cheat. You would think someone who has been in the game as long as Francis Cummins would know better

Who was the guy in the shirt & tie who was on the touchline between the north stand and tunnel last night? He seemed to be talking to Bradford's 'water carriers' - had there been some sort of complaint?

One man team.

We shouldn't be but the structures are all about playing to open up space for the FB. This works when your FB is the best player in the league, but now when he's a young lad.

Just look at the wins/losses when Sam doesn't play, and look at the way the team plays.

And yes Sam is going. Just waiting for the club to announce it. Why do you think we're making offers to Minnie if Sam's staying?

Personally I don't care if Wane stays or goes. Drives me mad watching they way the team plays. Yes I know we're top of the league, yes I know about the points difference, but I also know the poor quality of opposition we're playing and also how we perform against the top 4 teams.

Man I miss Madge.

Maybe im a blind optimist, but i think if any other player gets more than a couple matches at fullback (russell, murphy, tierney, charnley, richards, hampshire) i think they would be significantly more comfortable in the fullback role we have. God forbid someone gets a preseason there too. Obviously they wont replicate sams abilities, as sam is a freak who pretty much invented (along with madge) how he plays the position which is now copied by others, but i think once someone else gets a good run and consistent coaching and games to play there, our attack would be less pathetic without sam.

What was different about our style of play under Maguire?

Not much from what I see.

Nah we played completely differently. We had carmont, gleeson, coley, fielden fit, joel tomkins, hoffman, deacon.

Lima Riddell and Finch.... If anybody doubts that the quality of SL has declined, how do they think that the 2010/11 sides would have fared this season...? I think they would be looking at a treble.

LSoW reckons we are a one man team. Yes to a very large extent but we are also missing Lockers big time. He's so important to the performance of the team.
We lose when Sam doesn't play, we also lose when he does.
We lost at Hudds without him, Leeds without him and Wire with him. We've lost at Hudds and Leeds when he's played.
For 60 mins last night Bradford were the better team due to their pack winning the game for that period. Our halves were not good and Thornley was at 3 with Gelling at 4. Though Bradford had a stack of men out too.
Interestingly Wire haven't played well either since that Monday night. Their win at Bradford was a poor performance by all neutral accounts. They were out scored with tries last night at home too.
SW says we'll have Mossop, Lauaki, Goulding & Sam back next week. Lockers may be ready but he wasn't sure last night whether he would play him v Widnes.

Not sure I'd play Lauaki either way if Mossop is back. Dudson had a great game on Friday and Crosby and Flower are obvious picks

I rate Lockers very highly, arguably my fav player at Wigan but look at the win/loss stats when Sam's not playing, something like 3 wins in 13, with that we really struggled against Bradford.

I don't actually think it's the teams fault, we have an attacking system which centres around opening up gaps for the fb, this works with a world class FB like Sam, but puts too much pressure on the young lad stepping in, if he doesn't perform the team lacks it's main attacking move. We have no strike centres and play split halves so are attacking is so lacking without Sam, the results support this.

I also have an issue with debuting young lads at FB, what a baptism by fire. Not only in attack but in defence, why not put Pat or Josh there and break in lads on the wing. Lewis must be so disheartened after bombing it and being dropped, similar to Jack Murphy, put it against Sinfield in a massive game.

in the cup semi against leeds last year sam had a mere and cost us the game.none of our young guns are ready to step into his shoes,we are going to have to buy or imo move josh to fb.give him a time to grow into it and it could work,far easier replacing a winger than a god.

I think without Sam, we have the weakest Wigan team since the very early 1980's.

Without Sam and Lockers we struggle.

Have you forget 2005 and 2006?

Not a chance this side minus Tomkins is anywhere near that bad.

Fully agree with this. I've been saying it for a while, I think the position is too tough for a young debutant to step straight in to. A few games on the wing to get over the nerves is the way I'd go. You only need to look through superleague now at guys like Hardaker, Tomkins himself, Lomax etc and before them Wellens and Radlinski to see top quality fullbacks that have come through to the first team and been played in other positions before moving back.

Il start with the Negatives the end with the positives:

Negatives:

Half Backs didnt step up again in sams absense.
Lacked composure again with far too many mistakes.
Far too many breaks up the middle again but we was missing a couple of reliable tacklers in Lockers and Burke so cant be helped on this occasion.
Charnley and Thornley leaking soft tries again we need to put a stop to this.
Crowd was appauling Booing the team off at half time then only cheering once right at the end, we must be the most ignorant fans in super league. For anyone reading this please get behind the team in any circumstance, although you might not think it makes a difference it bloody well does when we get vocal it gives the lads a lift and a reason to increase the tempo.
Tuson leaving!

Positives:

Hampshire showed a lot of first teamers how to strike, sublime pass to go in the corner. The kid played well considering it was his debut start.
We showed grit to come back and win it after playing pretty poor throughout.
We won without Sam!!!
Il take a win of any form over yorkshire any day of the week!!!!!

The booing at half time was ridiculous.

I blame the Brigantes (seriously!)