I thought last night was far from a complete performance particularly in attack but surprised by some posts on here. At no point in the whole match did Leigh have any real sustained pressure and although the no try for them was an awful decision I thought the scoreline flattered them a little and we contained them pretty well over the 80 minutes and I feel if we had needed to we could have produced more in attack, certainly the last 10/15 minutes we just territory wise killed them and made sure they wouldn’t score rather than push for the try, if needed I think we would have scored. I do agree with another post saying it reminded of them of Huddersfield in the Cup Final last season which I agree with and I think we may have been a bit too negative but overall I think we showed good play off rugby, Smiths in play kicking was brilliant and I’m confident with the extra week off we will win the semi at home.

Would the reserve game count?

I’m back in the Bevan’s not a 6 camp after last night. I literally jump from he is/isn’t on an almost weekly basis.

If you contain his running threat then you pretty much nullify him and I do worry that in the big tight games he lacks the craft and plan b to get us over the line.

I do think he will get there as a 6 but I do worry he hasn’t enough game time there and experience there to get us over the line this year.

As for the try no try thing I felt both were tries, or if the ref was consistent no tries.

Lots of positives, outside backs again fantastic, I think Wardle has been second fiddle to King for most of the year but he has really kicked on at the right time of year (not that he has been poor the rest of it either he’s just gone up another level).

KPP looks determined to go out a winner, Faz just so consistent and Hill went well and will get a lot from that kind of play off intensity game.

Smithies though for me is the highlight love watching him play, a genuine hardened pro already even at his age.

As an exercise I think it was a positive. We can’t expect to blow teams away every week at this stage of the year and that sets us up nicely for what is to come.

Real intense game, something which we needed, as has been said by others.

First half was a great performance, solid defence and clinical in attack with our two chances. If we replicate that 1st half, we can progress. However, we won't progress if we play like we did for the last 40. We were hanging on at times IMO.

Nonetheless, a massive win in the context of the season. Making Saints go the long route plus as potential Catalans v Saints semi makes last night an even bigger win.

Sadly, I think French is potentially looking at a 1 game ban for the contact, although I wouldn't be surprised if the disciplinary just give him a fine; they've been very, very lenient over the last few weeks. I'd still be confident with Hampshire slotting in for the home semi, though.

Well done Wigan on 2 counts.
Beating the awful Leigh and keeping the smug Saints in 3.
Just go and win the final now please.

Enjoy the Championship lampface!!

I said a week or so ago that one of my concerns about us being capable of winning the GF is the ability of French at 6. Smith quite rightly dictates how we play but he dominates it so much that French for the majority of minutes becomes almost anonymous and when he does get the ball he is quickly closed down. I think French kicked the ball once maybe twice last night? Peet and his team need to come up with plays that get French more involved and with more space which is easier said then done with an inexperienced 6.
On reflection the result and the performance is what I expected last night. Leyth are no mugs and they put in a lot of effort and made at times lots of metres which was a bit concerning. I wasn’t particularly worried in the final 20 minutes or so primarily because our defence, as usual, was well organised and Smith did some good kicks to relieve the pressure. Obviously we need to raise our game even higher and I’m hoping that Havard might be available to enable us keep up the intensity when Ellis and Dupree are not on the pitch. Hopefully Peet and the coaching staff can work on improvements over the next couple of weeks to lift us to the next level.

I believe it would count but the jokers at Red Hall might give him 2 games


Under the modern rules it will have to go up to the panel to be assessed, I also think Ellis might be in trouble too for a shoulder with no wrapping action of his arms.

Just on the super league website and saw that our semi final is Saturday 7th October 12:45 on sky and channel 4.

Bit of a weird time for a semi final.

I always thought first place got the first semi for the extra days rest? Not that I feel it’s much of an issue. Latics are also away that day so there should be no movement like previous years, I would have been quite interested to see what would have happened if they were at home. Under joint ownership surely a semi final trumps a league one game? Although it’s maybe easier to re-arrange a game that’s never officially been set or tickets sold.

Ellis normally gets a ban for farting on the field so I’m sure he will cop one.

It should.

It’s a sign of the times that every clubs fans (and players and officials I’d imagine) are on pins waiting for the findings of the disciplinary committee. French was a bit silly in doing that but there is absolutely no malice, he’s not shouting and bawling at him and is just trying to get his attention. I can’t say I recall the Ellis one but as pointed out, it doesn’t take much for him to cop a ban.

As for the game now the dust has settled, I wasn’t overly impressed with our performance as I said last night but it’s a game we really needed and we should be better for it. We will need to raise our defensive intensity a couple of levels in the games we have left but if we can do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance. We have more game breakers that most teams in attack, so in tight games, we can hopefully find enough big plays to win them.

Think it was always going to be Friday night Saturday afternoon but channel 4 won’t go to France.

Saints fans won’t be happy again that the first placed side gets a days less rest.

After Wire beat them next week it'll be no concern of theirs

Was the same last year Saints played on the Saturday

And we never heard the end of the conspiracy theories that the RFL were trying to hinder them

They love a good conspiracy

I''ll have a pint of what you're on

i think youve started already

Yep lol

So we potentially bring Hampshire in for French if he’s band

Just watched the recording of the game and maybe I was a bit harsh saying the 2nd 40 wouldn't warrant any progression in the play offs, we managed the game brilliantly at times and just backed our defence.

Brad O'Neill must be a shoe in for YPOTY. His last stint at 13 was immense, I think Peet will utilise him more over the few weeks in that position and keep Smithies on the field at prop.

I was fuming when he used him at 13, his distribution was/is far better than Powells, should have swapped them around