We’ve not invested properly in the front row for a while now. We seem to have a policy of having 6 or so options but none are top class and most were signed as cheap project options. The team is crying out for a prop leader, a go to player to take games by the scruff of the neck and show the others the way. Things weren’t great at the start of this year and then we lost two of those already pretty average options and seem unable to replace them (other clubs seem to ship lads in and out at the drop of a hat).

I can’t say the options being linked (or already signed in the case of Clark) such as Green or Jensen fill you with confidence that they’ll be that main man we need. We need to stop signing 3rd/4th/5th choice props and go and get a 1st choice for me.

I see some of the metres made by NRL props (and forgetting Taumalolo, and accepting he's just a freak), and I weep. Surely there enough of those guys out there for Wigan to be able to get hold of one?

Or Flower

You don`t have to worry about your pack getting beaten up, we have 2 out and out props in our 19 in Anthony England and Keegan Hirst. Yes we are missing Fifita but the big miss tonight for me will be Craig Kops who has been our most consistent forward this season. I expect Pauli and Tanginoa will make up the numbers in the front row for us tonight.

Okay, things just got slightly better for our pack, Fifita may play tonight now.

The response you quoted was to how many minutes "Per Game" was SOL playing - Whilst the number of games Flower plays is currently an issue at least when he does he plays 45/55 plus regularly if not more.
Clubb's game time is very poor when he does play which impacts us more when he does play as we regularly only get 15/25mins

Hes done bloody well to get fit during those 5 minutes

Just after I posted the first time around, I got a notification on my phone from twitter saying that Fifita had replaced MCB in the 19 man squad. Whether he will play or not is another matter, it all seems a little strange being that he is supposed to be out for 4/5 weeks.

Is it possible that Mitch Clark could play tonight

Looking at our team I wouldn’t expect a resounding victory when you compare it to Wakefield’s team. That being said I do think we will still win.

Most exciting for me is the debut of Ethan Havard. I’ve never seen him play personally so I can’t comment on his ability or potential but from what I’ve read and heard he is a superb player with huge promise.

Havard, Smithies, Partington and Smith look like they’re going to be pivotal for us in 3-5yrs time.

I’m not too impressed that Sammut is in but equally I realise there’s not much choice.

I can’t help but feel that if we are going to make the play offs, which given our start and current injury status will be a minor miracle in itself, that it is imperative we get the win tonight.

Jeez, going off this start I’ll be made to look a little silly come full time!

Wakefield look like they can’t be bothered whilst GW and Powell are having a field day.

Liam Farrell is our best player by a good way for me.

By an absolute country mile. Everyone went well tonight IMO. I just wish we’d have turned up like this v Saints.

Take this now into the Hull game

Yes far exceeded my expectations tonight. I was hoping that we might squeak out a win but I never imagined we'd get there by that margin.

If we're to finish 3rd and have an outside chance of winning it we have to beat Hull in a fortnight. Biggest game of the SL season for us by far.

Great win for us tonight, thought Sammut ran the show in the middle which gave us direction and took some pressure off Williams.

Farrell was class great to have him back. Powell is playing like he's been given a new lease of life. Sarginson, Hankinson & Isa solid again and big wraps to the young lads in the forwards who bettered a bigger pack tonight.

Cant fault any of them. Yet again whilst we all whinge about Fifita I'd have him in our team tomorrow (been saying this for the last five years), he would be unstoppable with better players around him.

Same, as you may be able to tell from earlier posts! Wakefield just didn’t show up and we were ruthless in attack and defence. The proof in the pudding is only missing 1 tackle in the first half and only 8 overall and making over 600 more metres in attack. We fell off a bit in the 2nd half but realistically we were never in danger of losing after running up a 34-0 margin so that can be forgiven easily.

I agree re Hull also, it’s a huge game for us and for me, similar to the Saints game, a major statement-making game. To finish in the play offs after the start is an achievement, to finish 3rd with a very real shot at making Old Trafford and a Grand Final win would almost certainly trump the Leeds win from 5th in my own very biased opinion.

When I looked at the age of our pack I thought Farrell and Isa have to have big games tonight for us to have a chance and they both did.

We went full throttle from the off and they were unable to cope. They responded in the second and we switched off a bit but very pleased overall.

I’ve watched us a lot of times this year and felt the bounce of the ball was against us, it was quite nice to see the reverse of that for a change.

2 weeks rest & bring on Hull.

must be the worst wigan team ever,wont even win the sky second best egg cup in Manchester.

.... and still miles better than Hull FC.

We can’t be anything but happy with that. Good performances from Hardaker, Williams, Sammut, Navarette, Isa and Smithies (amongst others) for me and an absolute master class by the most underrated player in world rugby league in Liam Farrell.

Players back on board for Hull and things are looking up.

We have two weeks' rest before we play Hull, whilst they have to face Leeds on Sunday and Warrington on the Sunday after.

Great performance all be it against a team very low on confidence and clearly carrying players with injury, but take nothing away from our lads.

The youngsters were fantastic. Really ripped in.

Farrell was outstanding, the lines he runs are very intelligent and provides genuine threat every time he is close to the line.

Williams is showing his talent again now and it’s no coincidence the whole team has improved around him.

One player I’ve been particularly underwhelmed by is Hardaker, but he really is starting to show what all the fuss is about lately, great again last night.

I think talk of finals and outside chances of trophies is a little optimistic, however, we as a team are clearly moving in the right direction and developing an identity under Lam.

Going to enjoy the rest of this year with one eye on 2020 too where I think we will be back pushing hard on all fronts for titles.

I was worried about the pack , but the intensity showed by the pack was the best Ive seen all year, a lot of second efforts at tackles no quit. Navarette has been good in the last two home games. Farrell is all class. Sammut took on the line and offered another threat. Points difference getting a boost.

Bilko nailed it on Twitter “ Whatever will be will be this season but seeing Smithies, Partington, Byrne & Havard muscling up in the middle is looking money in the bank for later. Short term pain this year could be long term gain.“

We all admire saints pack but they went through some tough years blooding the young lads and look at them now

Top quality performance, not only in getting the win, but in the attitude and application shown in achieving it. One of my highlights was Byrne getting bowled over by Pauli but responding by lining him up and absolutely smashing him at the next opportunity. That's the kind of attitude that forges careers!

Great from all the young lads yesterday but I think the senior players should also take a bow. Again, their attitude and application were first class and they really stepped up to the challenge of being down on numbers. Probably unnecessary to single players out as they were, to a man, excellent but Faz, Powell and Hardaker gave near perfect performances.

Couldn't ask for more and a pleasure to watch. There now seems to be a genuine style emerging under Lam. I'll say it again; more of the same please!