IIRC Our record v Warrington is worse than v Leeds making your assumption somewhat poor.

The week before the GF you played as well as we did. Sheer speculation but had you played wire in the final I reckon you'd have beaten them, regardless of past records between your two club,s unless your levels inexplicably dropped or theirs rose.

It's getting a bit surreal this. Here I am, talking up wigan and their coach while one of their fans argues the contrary

I'm gonna have to go for a lie down.

Really impressed with Wane. I was not confident of the appointment when it was made but he has proved me wrong. He has the team running great lines and they are very well drilled. I was never confident he was the man to do this but he has proven me wrong.

He has also brought in a real toughness both physically and mentally to the team and pride in the shirt.

Great start to his coaching career at the top level, long may it continue.

Wane has brought the Wigan back to Wigan

Great tactics employed recently by Wigan. Get the game won in the first 25-30 minutes then take your foot off the gas to ensure we don't burn ourselves out in September.

Madge was able to bring in four players from the NRL (IIRC). Piggy, Hoffman, Lima and Finch. All proven quality.

Wane lost a whole raft of players last year and this year, and he is getting results most of us would never have dreamed of with new recruits and youngsters.

Yes, some of the things he says make me cringe, and he could do with more media training, but he won't be remembered for what he says, he'll be remembered for the silverware he wins.

I am very happy to be top of the table, with a third of our salary cap sitting in the stands.

Me too.

The thing is though, that Tony Smith and Brian McDermott really aren't too fussed about us being top of the table. It means zip. In fact they may have a wry smile on their face as our over exertions.

The saving grace here is that with so many players out, they will hopefully be fresh come the important part of the season.

I really hope SW knows what he is doing. I really do.

Mmm. I am not Wire fan (obviously) but your disregard for their ability is bizarre. Remember, this is the same Wire that easily beat Leeds in the CC Final. Not a one off either. Wigan routinely find Wire more difficult to play than Leeds who come the final series of SL then Leeds conservative finals football and experience makes them a very difficult opponent but one Wigan stil chose to face.

Leeds have shown that gaining a very high position let alone winning the LL is trivial. We as Wigan fans can revel in it but the end result is that Leeds are considered the team that won SL. Let's not kid ourselves; in British RL today the CC Final and the SL GF are the 2 most prized and regarded achievements.

You can play the best RL week in week out for 90% of the season but it matters not. During our CC winning streak nobody played more entertaining RL than Widnes. Sure, we played some too but the difference was that we played finals football when it was required, Widnes could not but they like some of our fans do today satisfy themselves with with hugely entertaining easy wins when it does not matter.

I hope Shaun Wane delivers success. By that I mean winning CC's and/or SL GFs. If people hate a club then that club is successful. Patrionising pats on the head are for other clubs not Wigan RLFC.

Your post is incorrect. Madge famously came to Wigan and made no changes to the playing squad that Brian Noble had under his charge. Lets remind ourselves of the 2010 SL GF Winning Team;

Wigan: S. Tomkins, Goulding, Gleeson, Carmont, Richards, Deacon, Leuluai, Fielden, McIlorum, Coley, Hansen, J. Tomkins, S. O'Loughlin. Replacements: Prescott, Riddell, Paleaaesina, Farrell.

Piggy was here already and transformed by Madge and Mark Bitcon. You will even notice a young Liam Farrell emerging under Madge.

Shaun Wane inherited a club transformed by Madge. Our owner played a huge role in that but he never achieved what he wanted until Madge arrived. The youngsters coming through now are products of the Madge Way. Arguably, Bitcon has had a bigger role than Shaun Wane.

I thought Madge brought in Deacon?

Stated in his post match comments that he doesn't think Farrells defence has been outstanding this year! What has he been watching?

I rather hope he is saying these things just to make your blood boil...

Its been better than outstanding.

IIRC, Paul Deacon came to Wigan primarily as a coach. It may have been at the back end of Brian Noble coaching Wigan.

A very smart signing by the club.

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He certainly was

What a great post and summed up "Wigan vs Widnes" very very well. I would add Leeds to that too. Leeds had a very talented team but Wigan were the ones who could grind out a win when it mattered.

Madge did bring in Deacon. Deacon was ready to start his pre season with the bulls when he got the offer to move. Joined in November 2009

True, but don't forget most of our youngsters are Wane products from his Academy days.

Correct.

There was little excitement when the announcement was made but bringing in Paul Deacon was a master stroke from Maguire who recognised that bringing in a half-back with big game experience, organisational skills and a kicking game was exactly what Wigan needed at the time.

The move seemed to coincide with the downward spiral of Bradford Bulls.

Moving back to Shaun Wane and its interesting to read the differing views on his tenure so far but its not unsurprising that opinions are varied.

The defeat in the play-offs to Leeds last season really hurt, not because of any lack of effort from the players but because tactically we messed up big time and people won't forget that unless Wigan learn from their mistakes and play smart in the big games this year.

We are playing some fantastic stuff at the moment and seeing the young players step up has been amazing at times (today included). What has also been really pleasing is the performances of Wanes signings who have all proved their worth except perhaps Epalahame Lauaki who has looked average.

We simply need to win something and I think we will this season.

This comment is almost as bizarre as Wane's

whatever.... no more bizzare than your constant snipes at the Wigan management because you are 'in the know'

How old are you??? aside from my involvement in the Hock debate would you care to show me my "constant snipes at Wigan management" I have stated quite clearly that I rate Wane as a coach and believe he is doing a good job. I also rate Lenegan massively as he has truly turned this club round.

I do however dislike Wanes attitude when it comes to the media and some of his comments, My opinion (of which I am more than entitled to) is that his comments about Gelling and Farrell are both Strange and innaproriate. I also don' t agree that a SL coach should be keeping the company he keeps and being involved with some of the situations he has been involved in. As I have stated many times I don't care what you believe, I know what I believe.


So your stance is that you hope our coach makes bizarre comments just to irritate me??

Grow up

The GF and C Cup are the trophies but to me winning the League can't be underestimated and it is, vastly.
If we are to improve RL and SL then teams/squads have to be more consistent. That means improving standards so that the best are rewarded with a trophy and financial reward for finishing top of the League.
It is over 27 games and is very difficult to do. I do feel the RFL/SL are really missing a trick by not making a bigger deal out of the the winners of the League.
What they have managed to do is separate the "Super League Champions" from the best team in the League.
Each year coaches in their after match comments talk about "N being the best team in the comp". Yet that team now rarely wins the GF.
I do think the RFL/SL have to re-think the relationship between the League Winners and the "SL Champions".

What people and situations are you reffering to?