Got the basics all wrong today.

Played soft and tried to play rugby without earning the right.

Looked very clunky and disjointed.

Some of the lads didn’t look interested in doing the tough stuff rather thinking they were playing in “dinner suits”.

Bateman got skated by some last year but replacing him
With KPP means we have sacrificed someone who will do the tough stuff. KPP seemed unwilling to do that particularly in the first half.

I’m thinking Isa definitely comes in next week.

3 props on the bench means we lack a bit of a game changer to bring on, unless it’s Mago. I think if we go with 3 props on the bench Mago needs to be one.

Bad day at the office, everything that can go wrong did go wrong, and fair play to KR who got their tactics right.

What was unacceptable I’d that for long periods we were out enthused and really didn’t look interested in earning the right to play.

Pretty dismal start that. We had about 10 minutes where we were in some sort of flow and had some ambition and verve to our play (but still pretty loose and sloppy in that time, has to be said), but apart from that looked well off it. Didn't really get up for the intensity required, attack didn't click, goalkicking didn't help to put some distance on the scoreboard early doors, defence was just weak, discipline suspect too and at times fell into the trap and they baited a reaction out of our lads.

One game yes, but we've got to wake up ASAP. Were miles off it today in every aspect.

Plenty of OTT reactions. We’ll be absolutely fine, I’ve no doubts whatsoever. There was a huge trap waiting today and we walked straight in to it. Even in a shocker of a showing like that there are signs we’ll score rafts of points. It’s going the other way we’re going to need to get better in.

Yes. It is irrelevant, unless you are superstitious.

This

Perfect summation from Peet.

We played soft.

Tried to play off the back of it but you cannot.

Comes back to earning the right to play, and we didn’t.

I wouldn’t fancy being at training this week.

Expecting a big reaction next week.

How is it OTT to point out what's a hard and cold fact?

We'll have a good season & it will be enjoyable. If we're going to win the GF tho, it will take an effort that only one team have previously managed to complete.

Entire forward pack was completely anonymous. Zero dynamism around the ruck. Sliding defence going right was abysmal.

If we manage to fix those 3 things we might stand a chance against Wakey.

Very lazy effort from the pack - letting the backs do all the work - some of them need a roasting in training or dropping.

Very disjointed in attack, we didn't look like we had any game plan at all at times and fell for some sucker punches from KR. Kicking game was all over the place.

Some poor disipline but Kendall nailed us at times for holding down but KR were just as guilty but somehow never got pinned for it.

Bloody awful game as a spectacle though.

Not a surprising result but a disappointing performance.
Reminiscent of our performance at Leeds last season. In fact reminiscent of a number of performances in Yorkshire last season.
We would have struggled to beat anyone from the competition today.
Hopefully the kick up the arris that we fully deserve and a much improved performance next week.

I said there were plenty of OTT reactions, so I’m not sure which fact you’re referring to. If it’s the fact we were awful, then I agree but I don’t think it will mean a great deal come the end of the season.

Until we get a 9 who can do anything other than tackle, I don’t see the point in us trying to think we can win the grand final.

I thought we'd lose today, but I expected a better performance than that. Rovers were far more enthusiastic in every aspect and it showed.

Our front row was very ineffective. Cooper was decent but not great by his standards and Singleton was good for his standards (which is just about decent) but there wasn't much from Havard, Byrne or Ellis. Farrell was the quietest I've ever seen him. I'm a little concerned that he might actually prove to be human and maybe have a quiet year and that would be real bad news for us because we're noticeably weaker without him at his best.

Our right edge was pretty shocking. It's a concern but worth remembering that King is new to the side, Cust was defending on the left edge last year and KPP hasn't had as much experience in the back row as the man he's replaced. At least KPP was a threat from kicks.

We certainly tried to play without earning the right to as Matt Peet said. There wasn't enough work down the middle and we started snatching at opportunities and putting in wayward passes when a bit more composure and willingness to do the tough stuff could have created some easier openings.

There's a lot of improvement that can be gained from that team, but I'm a little concerned about the fact we've gone into this season with a weaker pack than last year and are seemingly perfectly happy with that. Maybe it is a bit knee jerk, but you look at Paasi at Saints, how well Vaughan and Kasiano did for Wire on Thursday and then look at Ellis being very much 5th choice prop, Isa, Mago and Miski not even in the team and you've got to wonder what we're doing with our recruitment and use of the quota spots.

It’s not just Hooker. Wigan are so weak in a number of positions and I’ve been pointing this out for the last couple of seasons. Worryingly , no Wigan fans appear to agree with me and just think I’m trolling.

Wasting a marquee spot on a winger is also criminal. You are venturing in to Warrington levels of running a club.

Sport is cyclical and wigan will be back, but I fear it won’t be for a few years yet

No one had won from 5th. Didn't stop Leeds doing it. Twice. And making the Grand Final last year after possibly the worst start to their season ever. Get a grip. It's one game.

Just won the World Club Challenge and still spending your time on a Wigan board. Says it all really.

The main concern I had with the squad this year was the second row and today went towards confirming those issues.

In the first half in particular KPP wasn’t willing to do the tough stuff. I think he got a rocket at half time and attempted to get involved a bit more but still wasn’t great.

KPP is a wonderful talent with bags of potential but for me he isn’t a starter as he isn’t battle hardened. He hasn’t been in the wars that Isa, Farrell and Bateman thrived in.

We in my opinion are desperate to recruit in this area mid season.

I fully expect Isa to come in next week with KPP dropping to the bench. I also think Mago will come in at the expense of one of the bench props or Havard who in my opinion also played soft.

The actions of Singleton and Byrne off the bench were shockingly bad, both giving away penalties and providing 0 impact.

I’d be very surprised if a few lads were not made an example of for the Wakefield game by not making the 17.

I’m not of the opinion wholesale changes need to be made though, apart from in the attitude department.

our pack was garbage...the end

I may of been a bit OTT but our weakness is glaringly obviously and was exposed today.

Lets hope for our sakes its just early season rusty play etc but if its not theres going to alot of those frustrating games ahead and we won't be winning anything. For me and as much as it pains me we are miles still!! Behind saints

Trying to get mid season signings in will take some juggling due to the quota being full. Even more grating that 3 don’t play today.

Realistically and no cherry and white specs on hahah, does anyone here think we can win it this year?

I personally think we are too weak in a few areas to be able too just curious on others thoughts

I think we can win it but we need to get that mid season second row recruit in, more than likely from the NRL, which will obviously mean some shuffling in other areas either Miski or Mago.

Disappointed to lose the first game, but we couldn't have done much more wrong and were still in the game with 5 minutes left.

We aren't out of anything after a single loss, just like we wouldn't have been nailed on had we won.

On to next week...

We were very sloppy today and when we sharpen up the basics we'll still win plenty of games.

But today's two games has again brought into focus Wigan's main issue - which has been the main issue for around five years now. The power and athleticism of the forward pack.

St Helens' forward pack are a different class of athlete to ours. They are stronger, more explosive and more impactful. What would we give for three forwards that can drive the opposition back, challenge defenders and get us on the front foot. A more explosive and/or creative 9 to play off that wouldn't go amiss either.

Kris Radlinski and the Wigan recruitment team have tried twice to fix this and to be blunt they have failed on both occasions. They tried in 2020 - George Burgess and Mitch Clark did not work out. They tried in 2022 and whilst Kaide Ellis and Patrick Mago haven't flopped in the same way, they still haven't made the impact that we hoped. They've also stayed stubbornly loyal to Sam Powell when we all know there are far better hookers out there. 2024 will bring yet another opportunity with quota spots coming free and contracts expiring but who knows if they'll get it right the third time around.

Not an over-reaction - playing poorly in the opener doesn't mean we're a poor side and we can be far better with improvement of the basics. But this is a deeper issue that has reared its head time and time again over the last few years and the club deserve criticism for failing to address it.

Disappointing. Not one player stood out today IMHO.