Fair point.

Go back further to when Robinson and Offiah used to take the ball in from their own twenty on a regular basis.

With the corner flags in play Makinson would be no more than an above average player.

In an era when they would get a lot more 'special attention' than defenders would get away with now.

If ever there was a post that highlighted how little Wigan fans know about rugby this is it.

He won’t sleep toneet now

Just explain why you think Makinson is currently the best player in SL rather than sidestepping the issue.

Superleague's top 3 try scorers were all wingers last year and didn't include Makinson. Care to explain why? Incidentally, Tom Johnstone beats Makinson on every measurable marker. He's faster, stronger, makes more yards and...lo and behold... finished top try scorer. Go figure! The only thing he doesn't do better than Makinson is play for Saints. By the way, in case you're in any doubt, he's currently Superleague's best winger and that's not opinion.

I'm tempted to say that your post illustrates how little Saints fans know about rugby but, of course, you aren't a Saints fan, are you? What it ably illustrates, however, is that Union trolls should stop making fools of themselves on League boards.

i'd say there was a subtle difference as i never saw Offiah as one to do the hard / dirty work, and the defences were a lot more broken than they are nowadays. I'm not saying he didnt take the ball out (or Robinson), but it was perhaps 1st /2nd tackle. Last year especially, we had on a regular basis Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall taking 4 / 5 drives out of our own 20. The best example i can give of this was v Saints on GF. we'd been pushed back onto our own line on tackle 1, but with those 4 exited over the half way line, and Smith kicked Makinson onto his own line and smashed him in defence.
thats where Miski also added something different to when we had French on the wing too, as i dont think French likes to do that sort of work. I would say French is a better all round winger due to his pace and elusiveness, but Miski adds something different in that he likes the hard yards, and sets us up to put our plays on

Say's a RU trolling little man.

I cannot understand why people continue to engage with the wind-up bell end.

Just ignore him/her/it.

Tom Burgess signed for Hudds for '25, great signing for them

You can’t knock Ken Davy. It must like he’s fighting a losing battle at times but he keeps going.

I didnt see that coming!

Sam must have advised him about signing for Wire.

Not a rumour just a comment and one that confirms our policy under IFL is regarding players going to the NRL.


Laters edition on the Bye Round features Jon Bateman. He said during his first spell at Wigan IFL approached him and discussed his opportunities in the NRL and said that Wigan were a bit of a stepping stone to the NRL and if it didn’t work out for players they would be welcomed back.

It was pretty telling in terms of why we’ve struggled more than most to keep players away from the NRL. It wasn’t a surprise to me because I remember being at a fans forum years ago where Lenagan spoke about players going to the NRL for fees being part of the business model of the club.

Re. Bateman the business model worked a treat, two transfer fees for him must have made him one of the cheapest big money players we've had at the club

Definitely. The strategy they’ve used in the main has worked pretty well for us. We’d all like to have kept certain players at certain times but the bottom line of the success we’ve had had been positive.

Broken collarbone for Walters, 12 weeks if he needs an op.

Gutted, I was really looking forward to seeing him play, on the plus side having N'Semba/Walters coming back April/May will be a real boost.
Giving Isa another season has turned into a masterstroke.

A real shame - hopefully Isa and Farrell can get through OK otherwise we'll have to ask one of the front rowers to try and make it work. None really stand out as suited to that position but Dupree or Ellis would probably have the best chance.

No criticism of Walters whatsoever but it perhaps is a lesson to be a little smarter when it comes to pre-season games (or even a competitive game that is already won). The injury came when he went for a unnecessarily big hit towards the end of the game when we were 40-0 up.

Big loss is Walters, we are a little thin at second row and with him and Nsemba out we are at bare bones to start the season off, big chance for Chan and hopefully he takes it, I do however think we need Walters X factor in the Penrith game.

Unlucky to have both injured at the same time. One more injury and we’re in trouble.

Our massive set of props are great but lack the versitlity of last year (KPP could play prop, 13, centre backrow, Smithies prop, backrow, 13, Shorrocks 13, backrow, 6).

Hopefully Chan can do a job there but looked way out of his depth vs Wakefield (maybe I’m reading too much into that first hit out).

Seen people mention Ellis as a backrow option but he’s nowhere near mobile enough to defend in space.

Thompson used to play a bit of backrow in his younger days but that was pre injury.

Am I crazy to think Brad O’Neill could do a job there in an emergency? Would hold up defensively that’s for sure.

I’m sure Peet will work it out.

After Chan I think I'd look at Dupree next. He looks in excellent shape this season and I look at his footwork and the sort of lines he runs and he looks capable of it. I think back to his try on debut and look at that try at Hull last week and he runs a line where he hits it just drifting wide and he has a bit of pace about him. It would be nice to not have to discuss this but we're in that spot and he gives me more confidence that he could do a job than guys like Ellis, Mago, Thompson etc.