Thankyou for speaking up Lord Bilko, frankly some of our fans will never change whinge whinge whinge after every loss, they dont even look for any positives it's just embarrasing really. Ryan hampshire showed some touches of brilliance last night but with the negative red tinted glasses on they failed to see this. The kid is 18 years old and he produced that offload, the Sky cameras even turned to Sam and he looked to be blushing as if to say im not even sure i could have produced that at 18!

Why do you think saints got rid?

We played them in March without Briers, and we had Westwood, Harrison and Monaghan, but got beat 22-10 at home.

But if Wigan had all their best super dooper players back for this game (being rested for a game vs London..) and saints still had theirs out, Wigan would have won convincingly.

I disagree about Tomkins, Hampshire was more than capable last night. We missed SOL and H so much last night it was ridiculous. The forwards looked absolutely lost all game.

Yes, would be silly to expect otherwise and you know it.

A first class centre is needed Goulding is an ok one but Gelling strong lad but woeful as a centre he just dosn't know what to do with ball in hand his positional play is woeful sorry he's had enough chances ,MattyB once said about 3 players from the John Monie era that they weren't good enough and did we really want them in the team well Matty I'd settle for two of them now, CENTRES please Mr Lenagan please for next season!

I happen to agree in relation to a centre.

In my opinion it is where we are weakest Goulding is a good centre, but I do not think he is good enough to be considered the senior centre in our side.

Thornely and Gelling are works in progress, both have question marks over their ability. I am sure one will make it but I still think we need to look at a 2 year plan, just like with the fullback position where we bring in an older experienced head short term to pave the way for these lads and aid their development.

Good idea but if Gelling doesn't play in the first team he doesn't play full stop because of the rules.

And that is a real problem. If he isn't good enough to hold a 1st team slot down and makes way for a more experienced signing as has been suggested by others then he's never going to be good enough as he won't be playing.

We took up the option on his contract for next season didn't we? With the rules as they are might it not have been fairer to release him so he could try and find a club back home?

Your assumption may or may not be correct, but you speak as if you know some that no one else could, except for the man upstairs, bloody hell you’re not him are you?

Possibly but don't think its as simplistic as that. What if we did bring in a more experienced signing and they were on more money so that has a knock on effect on other positions etc. I wish we could strengthen in a few other positions but someone better placed then me sees the bigger picture and offered him a new deal. I don't think he is as bad as some make out and hope he continues to improve

Right, in the cold light of day!



Just watched it back (I know I am a glutten for punishment sometimes).
We massively rely on Sam in attack. Perhaps too much - reminiscent of when we used to rely on Faz. Put Sam in the team last night and we win the game. It's that simple.

That said, as Grimmy pointed out, I understand why we rested players (though I would have understood it more if we had been playing Warrington, rather than London). That said at least it shows that Wane recognises the value of the big games rather than the weekly rounds.

Our forwards WERE dire and no doubt we missed SOL, however, as I posted last night, when things are not going well, he tries too hard and gives away penalties, so again, the correct decision to rest?

Overall though, we really need to replace Sam with a quality player or we really are mediocre.

I think our winning record without Sam in the team is under 25%. That would secure us 12th position in the league.

I would agree with the Centre comments.

We haven't replaced George yet and it shows.

We also really need a decent half though as it's obvious that it is Sam who is making them look good when he plays.

Wane was so desperate to beat Saints (as he always is) that he had the forwards so wound up they wanted to go fighting rather than play rugby . Flower and Dudson normally good steady players lost the plot big time last night . Makes me wonder whether SW believed we could win with that team playing our normal game .

Regards , EW

last night was another Widnes, SW played the side he though would be enough to win the game, unfortunately it wasn't.

IMO he should have gone as near to full strength last night as possible and rested vs London.

Probably cost us the LLS, but then again the LLS doesn't count for anything does it?

Why do you think THAT game cost the LLS? What about any of the other loses or the draw? What would stop Wigan beating Hudds to get back or Hudds losing elsewhere?

This. The reason you lost last night was nothing to do with resting players or needing new blood. It was purely and simply down to a complete and utter lack of discipline in the second half.

Agreed.

Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 6 - That's Since 2011. He didn't miss a game in 2010 and we were e in 2009 regardless.

If he did that and we lost to London (thus knocking ourselves out of the cup), all to have a crack at the LLS, he would (and SHOULD) be sacked. That London game is a knockout game against SL opposition, it would be incredibly stupid to tempt fate by resting anyone. The Saints game was a regular season game that ultimately might not even decide the LLS, and will almost certainly have hardly any bearing on whether we win the Grand Final. Wane did the right thing in resting players, I'd have rested even more if I was him.

If IL were to stick his hand in his pocket for some dosh, who do you think he should bring in?
Or, what position do you think we need to fill urgently?

Or I'll bite n that one Father Ted.

1.Full back IF Sam leaves - and a good attacking one ideally. Thought Hampshire did well last night but I think HB is his long term position

2.Centre - sadly nether Gelling or Thornley have really fully convinced that they are good enough as yet (if ever) - Goulding is a shadow of himself (carrying an injury??) so we lack attack/flair in the centres

3.Possibly wing - do we have a replacement for Richards in the squad?

On 3, Rumours that Tom Briscoe is Pat's replacement.

2, Gelling has come into the side with a disrupted midfield. He isn't getting good service at all. Thornley was very good IMO but was played too long, his first full season and he was our longest ever present at about 17 games. Should have been rested earlier. Both 21-22 and following Carmont, an impossible task.

1, I do wonder if Hampshire is as good as all the rave reviews he was getting in the U19s. He was our main attacking threat v Saints. Is a full season of SL at 19 too much although playing fb?
Rumours about Minichello, that's all though, rumours.

Still like to know who would likely come in who's better than we have at the club now?

Pretty convincing stats by anyone's standards.