Said at the game tonight that a defeat next week may not do us much harm. If we do we'll probably play Hudds then Saints then Hudds again (presuming we beat Saints) and that's no bad run.

I think our recent run of league defeats may just give a few teams a false sense of security against us and that's dangerous.

Thought we (Leeds) were comfortably the best team tonight, but this result will have little bearing on what happens in the next few Weeks. We have been poor attacking wise for Weeks but looked sharper tonight. The test for Wigan is if they can up their performance in the coming Weeks.

You guys know better then anyone how meaningless games like tonight are.

Season starts next week.

i don't doubt his commitment, it's his involvement watch last weeks warriors game.

Wigan will win SL this year. For that I am certain. Tonight only makes me feel that to be more true. Never before Have I seen a team just going through the motions as much as we were tonight. Keep calm guys, the double is ours.

Yep

Largely agree: notwithstanding we were dire in defence & deserved the scoreline, assuming there are no more injuries & someone actually learns how to be a captain in the next few days (how much do we miss Lockers!), I wouldn't actually be too bothered losing next week. If (and from where we are after tonight, it's a BIG "if"icon_wink.gif we can get a head of steam up & some confidence, there is still scope for momentum to take us into the final: with 1,2 & 3 having knocked seven bells out of one another in the meantime.

Glass is half full.

(or have i got them rose tint glasses on again

)

Barely got out of our own half and when we did we just either gave it away stupidly or just looked clueless. Blake green yet again played terribly and so many plays broke down on the 5th with a poor kick through from him. I won't say the same for Smith who kept it together a bit better, some good kicks and he certainly didn't lack any effort but with the lack of field position we had he was always up against it.

I thought Andy Powell looked ok in all honesty. Only played some short stints but when he was on the field he was difficuly to tackle, made some yards and always looked to offload and get the ball away which is something we have lacked from forwards. I think with a full pre season under his belt and a bit more fitness he'll do a job.

Leeds played very well, and as usual are turning the screw at the right time of the year, where as we just look completely flat, tired and totally devoid of any idea's. We were well beaten in the pack which doesn't exactly help the backs to create anything.

Re Adam Powell, he is a big unit who will give us something different. He will certainly be able to look after some of the younger guys coming through. He made Peacock look small (in size- for the record he is hard as nails and a obviously a very very impressive prop forward) I don't think he will be a world beater at 32 but will be a useful addition to the game once he gets fitter.


I'm not so sure about the rest of the optimism. Once again our halves looked ordinary, Green was better than he is normally and actually created a couple of things for a change, but overall still need a massive improvement.

Wane still baffles with his choice of substitutes. Once again no back cover. Farrell tried his best but at a stroke bang goes our attacking option and our most effective strike player, Charnley was also effectively out of the game. I would really like to hear the rationale for not having a back on the bench as it beggars belief for me, especially if it means our choice of a "back" is Farrell.

The absence of Lockers as the 3rd pivot was covered by.........er having no pivot.

Had we not gone for it 100% I would have had a different opinion, but the reality is that either the entire Wigan team deserve oscars, or they were putting 100% in.

Can't see us progressing to OT tbh, hope I'm wrong and they can step up.

This ^^

What are you on? Our record against the top teams is very poor. If you think we are about to reverse that, where is your evidence? The games against these teams all point the opposite way.

I do not have any evidence Dave nobody has any evidence to present on here to back up opinions.

My belief after tonight is that there is significant improvement in us, and I think looking at some of our key players we are moving towards it.

We look disjointed in attack at the moment and we are playing too flat. The halves are not clicking but they have hardly played together.

We have 2 weeks to put that fine tuning right, I think we will.

We also have 2 weeks to build physically and I can see in our lads that is happening.

Time will tell I guess.

I couldn’t go because of work so I only saw the second half on the tele which looked bad. I just can’t see us doing anything in the play-offs if we play like we have been recently. We seemed to have the passion, but no gel. I have seen some turn rounds in form this season Saints have improved over their woeful start, and naturally Leeds seem to be geared up now (hope they do Wire next week)but can we? I don’t know, but I live in hope that we can start to change a few minds, including mine, next Thursday.

I'm sorry but this simply isn't true. Leeds would have put a much bigger score on had it not been for tremendous last ditch defence from wigan. Think of the amount of times leeds had space out wide only to see it closed off by 3 or 4 wigan players charging accross. If wigan were going through the motions the game would have been over at half time.

But how does a team approach a game when it knows the result will have a direct impact on who they play in the playoffs? Do they simply go for the win regardless or do you (subconsciuosly) choose next weeks opponent - club call came early

To try and engineer a supposedly easier game is a losers mentality. To win you have to beat the best anyway at some point. No good can come from doing anything other than going out to win and giving it a 100%.

Since when were wigan a club with this type of attitude? They should be confident of anyone, anytime.

Next Thursday is for me when the performance is important not the result. After that its all about the result.

Did they take the Challenge Cup trophy with them?

This.

Just re read this thread in its entirety. Outstanding.

Keep the Faith. The week off means we will only be stronger faster and better drilled for the semi.

It looked a long shot after ten minutes but thankfully the people who thought it was just a case of getting the league rounds out the way were correct.

We need to improve with the ball but that defence will give us a shot and Matty Smith is playing a blinder.

Apologies Mr Wane, I have posted very little this season, even during our brightest moments, I thought we were heading for a fall. Tonight proved very different, a fantastic performance, a strategy to play against the weakest team in the last 4 and the Challenge Cup already in the cabinet, my beleif in Mr Wane has been proven unfounded. Take a bow!!!

Mark Bitcon deserves massive credit.

To me, it's just plain as anything that the playoff system is wrong. Once a top 4 finish was secured we've been going through the motions, CC games apart, in prep for week 1 of the playoffs. It's the crap system that allows this. The fact we are now at HOME in a semi final after finishing 4th shows there is no reason or motivation to finish top. Season ticket holders get short changed.

I hope your right pal. Think Powell needs a good off season but the signs are promising