I said at the beginning of the season that I was confident that the next five seasons would be better than our last five. We are definitely heading in the right direction. I still think our best chance of silverwear this season is the hubcap - unfortunately its the one that commands least financial gain and the least respect, (maybe not with opposition players but with the media and fans).

Whether we can make a dent in the playoffs remains to be seen, we do not have that "Big Game" Semi Final / Final winning experience yet, however that will come over the next year or two certainly.

What about the 6 they've lost and 1 they've drawn already this year?



Huge improvement in Wigan this year - I said at the start of 2009 that 2011 would be the year Wigan regained top dog status, based on some leeway in the cap, and I still think that will be the case.

There is that, but that Leeds team was something like the Leeds team we have seen for the last couple of seasons. I had doubts about winning all week, think we matched them - perhaps we should have pipped them, but its history now.

We must get the Top Spot now, Our next six games are crucial, i expect a big performance against Cas next week.



Leeds are getting back into form and even so It was a 50/50 game to be fair, maybe Leeds have a nack of winning big games who knows?



Im most pleased about the consistency this year, last year we would put a big performance in then throw it all away the following week, we now seem to be able to put in good performances week in week out.

Your right we should be able to recruit some more quality in the forwards as lots of players could potentially go at the end of this season, our backs are fine IMO, although i expect Saints to be stronger in 2011 too with the cap space they will have.

Im sure we will come up with a good performance on Sunday. We played well at Leeds, just lacked a little composure towards the end, and as they say, didnt get the rub of the green? Bring on Cas and lets get back to winning ways

i FEAR A CAS HAMMERING ON THE CARDS . WOO WOO

Either our heads will go down and we will lose this closely or we will absoloutely take Cas to the cleaners.

Next week I'm hoping for some decent weather to give us dry conditions thus allowing us to use our speed effectively, a positive response to yesterdays disappointment, an improvement of our discipline to cut out needless penalties and plenty of noise from the stands.

Oh, and plenty of tries!

Just a bit over the top there. 20 points max in dry weather.

=#8000FFWainwright is small and always out of position, so either winger will have a field day there, McGoldrick can't catch/tackle/get in position so most kicks are effective, as are clean breaks, defence is weak straight up the middle...Cas are a terrible side this season no 2 ways about it.

As prevoius posters have said, I was gutted and wet through yesterday, hence 1st time on here since the match, the little things just went against us, thought the ref was poor allround, 23 penalties in those conditions, watched state of origin last week, ref let the game flow, was it 7 penaties, you can pick an infringement at every play the ball if you want to, got to use common sense, thought we missed 2 chances to put the game to bed , once down the left when the pass just went behind Carmont I think, then Sam's attempted cut out pass, then Amos just made the wrong decision thought the ball would have gone out, it felt like Leeds had got of jail, but 24hrs later as the thread says, it's gone, 4 points in front, finish top then get to OT and win the big one !! Keep going heads up.

I think it will be 36-14 to Wigan next Sunday.

Crowd, 15978

Man of the Match, Sam

I fear somewhere between your predictions.

I'll probably be there, but I genuinely can't see us having anything close to a chance.

This is one of those very rare games this season when the outcome is nailed-on.

This is Rugby League. I once went to a "Nailed on" Challenge Cup Final back in 1998, so much so that the bookies stopped taking bets, guess what happened?

We need to take a page out of Leeds book from last year when they got knocked out. Concentrate on the main prize!

Shame we hadn't won at Leeds merely for the crowd this week. It will be a little down probably.

We need to really put in a real good performance in and score plenty and keep up the good defence ,for us to get the cup out of players and fans heads and to show the rest of super league we are the real deal this year.

This week I'd get the players in to the video room and show them Saturdays game then let them do their training.

I'd then get them to watch the Oldham Cup game from 1987 and then bring Shaun Wane in to show them what happened after that in the season.

Good idea.
From that dark February day within 8 months we were playing Manly.

This is one of those very rare games this season when the outcome is nailed-on.'"

I'm expecting a definite reaction this Sunday. I think this is the first time this season that the players have to deal with being beaten by the opposition as opposed to themselves, which is what happened in our previous two defeats this season. Hopefully we'll get right into Cas from the off and stay on them for 80 minutes

Yes i think that would be a good idea, we need the players to put that defeat behind them but also recognise that the season can quickly go pear shaped if they dont perform.

Ohhh another who we are playing next week topic from Tricky. Just so you know, i do know the fixtures

Nice to see a Wakefield fan is concerned about us and coming on the Wigan board to say it.