I wouldn't say that; we had an injury crisis last year, but nobody noticed.

St Georege took the chances they had. We didn't. That was the difference

We lost Roberts for most of the season, and though he was a key player, he was only one man. We're now lacking two key players in Finch and Richards for a prolonged period, and we don't know how long it will be before Fielden and Gleeson return.

I should revise what I said before. I don't think it's exactly an 'injury crisis'. But Finch and Richards are two guys who would make a big difference to any team. If the other two are off for a sustained period as well, I reckon we'll find it harder than we did last year.

I think the point Geoff was making was that around the time we went to Leeds away we had around 7 players out injured and that tested the squad as much as it's testing now.

Roberts/Phelps/Prescott/Mickey Mac/O'C/Bailey/Mossop were all 1st team/1st choicce players in and around rounds 1-4 yet by this part of the season they'd all missed/been missing 6 weeks + each and you can add Hansen who was only coming back into the team after 2 month + missing.

This pushed the move to FB for Sam, the inclusion fo Goulding as a Winger & the development of Tuson/Farrell etc further on and quicker than maybe would have happened with a cleaner bill of health?

I find it amazing that we so easily find things to devalue an excellent game;

They had to fly round the world, the weather is different etc. If we had flown to aus and were beaten by the same score it 's because we were not as good - anything else is just excuses.

The St George team are extremely well coached and have an amazing defence (as anyone who saw any of the NRL last season would testify). They also have an amazing backline. Morris, Cooper, Gasnier, would replace the top 3 backs in any SL side.

Credit to wigan that they

a) kept them to within a score
b) put them under a great deal of pressure in the 2nd half - we were a bad pass and a dropped ball away from making things very very interesting.

It was pretty unfortunate that gleeson dropped the ball in our own 20 to give them position for their 1st score.

The only really disapointing thing from a wigan perspective was our defence on gleeson/gouldings wing - goulding always looked well out of position - not sure if that's where he's been told to play or whether he just got sucked in?

Hansen, McIlorum, Mossop & Deacon missed a lot of games too (as well as "fringe" players like O'Carroll, Phelps, Bailey). I remember games when we had 6 or 7 regulars out at the same time - but as I said, nobody really noticed because of the depth we have.

I think we only had Sam & Joel (and almost Pat) who played every game.

Thought it was a cracking game of rugby to be honest and the best team won on the day. Any penalty or knock on from us was punished by a world class outfit but I felt we played really well and if we keep that standard up for the rest year and we'll be hard to beat.

Wigan would have won if Gleeson had of stayed on the park. Joel Tomkins got murdered playing at centre. Didn't think St George were all that tbh, was more impressed by Melbourne in recent years.

Our right edge defence tightened up after Gleeson went off imo. Tomkins pulled off two superb last ditch defensive efforts which kept us in it. To say St George werent all that is completely unjustified, they would have nilled most SL sides with that defensive effort, whilst drilling 50 points in to them.

I agree... I though the defensive structure looked far more robust after Gleeson left the field.

Tomkins did pull off two decent tackles and put in an incredible effort but he was getting beat on the outside near enough every time and they made massive yards because of it.

I don't see why it is completely unjustified, I thought Melbourne were a far more dangerous outfit last year, that's all. Wigan could quite easily have won that game, and Wigan are perfectly beatable in the Super League.

Who do you think would of beat us on last nights performance?

Perfectly beatable is a bit strong

If Wigan aren't perfectly beatable, you must be of the opinion they are unbeatable. There is nothing in between...

Gleeson's hamstring is clearly still unwell, odd that when he went off Wigan stopped leaking tries on the right. If the defense was tight on the right all game then SGI wouldn't have got a couple of tries.

Of course they are, as is any team.

What a strange thing to say.

Just "beatable" is surely in between? If not why did you add perfectly in front of it then as its pointless?

Aye, obviously I meant a fully fit Gleeson. The tries may have stopped down the right but the yards did not, the territory gained from this restricted Wigan.

Yep totally agree. Error from Madge not having cover for a back on the bench, especially given Gleeson's fitness concerns beforehand.

I feel this is where Bitcon will earn his stripes this week.

Getting the team to peak physically and mentally at the right time is no mean
Feat but what this guy has brought to the club is phenomenal !

what planet are you on? injury or suspension! ban more like, i cannot believe your trying to change what really happened.

i agree gleeson was injured and SGI worked that out very quickly imo

If we play like we did on Sunday week in week out we should walk SL. St George were a different class and never seemed to run out of steam. The tries we scored were simply awesome. Gutted we lost but I know that our boys gave 150% and I will never ask for more.

Having watched the game back yesterday if you pick then yeah there were a few things - the Wigan forward pass that led to a try, the weakened right hand Wigan side, the St George high tackles and St George taking a man out off the ball - but a great game and the best team won.

Also thought the reffing of the game was very good and the best i've seen of Thierry.

The aussie fans we were drinking with on Sunday were also a credit to their club and we had a real giggle. They also admitted that they were biting their nails near the end.

As for the trolls on here - grow up a little please.