I don't know what the answer is to this issue but its always depressing when playoff games come around and the stands are practically empty, despite them being the most important games of the year.

The obvious answer is to get rid of the playoffs. What have Wigan got? Two extra games after today, one of which is at home and will have a reduced crowd.

If we'd have been going for the (proper) title, then we'd have not turned out some dire performances like Wakey away. Saints would have been an even bigger game. We wouldn't be seeing weakened squads being turned out. Likewise we wouldn't be talking up Salford, despite them being $h!te for 3/4 of the season.

Yeah the playoffs give you drama, but it kills a lot of what should be good with the regular season too.

Or if we still need playoffs, we could run it like The Hundred in cricket. Top team goes straight to the final, 2nd plays 3rd (with 2nd at home) for the last place in the final, then league places really do matter.

Never been a fan of the playoffs, but I don't think there was a single side with nothing to play for with 4 left to play.

Take the playoffs away and that becomes 5/12 sides. That is the argument for them.

Take away the playoffs though and Mission Impossible 1991 doesn't happen. We probably play the kids every week. The NYD win at Wire means nothing, and the 8-8 draw with Saints played out like a final would have had absolutely nothing riding on it.

The playoffs reward mediocrity and allow the top placed teams to pick and choose what they do. We don't play two reserve sides this season and send fans paying good money to watch crap games such as tonight.

I'm not sure how prize money works, but being rewarded by the place like football may help in making games matter more.

I wouldn't have thought we should even consider this a few years ago but there may be something to this now. As fans of a club competing at the top I like the idea of every league fixture feeling like do or die again. You'll never experience that with a playoff system.

The problem is unlike the premier league where there are champions league places - there are no secondary achievements for clubs to aim for without playoffs. But that only matters if getting into the playoffs actually means something. If there is more strength in depth and the clubs finishing 5th/6th are capable of having a crack then it can mean something. If clubs finish 6th only to get pummelled in a playoff game it's meaningless.

The other issue is the prospect of losing the Grand Final which in fairness has turned into a major event for the sport and the sport does not have too many events which truly puts the spotlight on it.

If Channel 4 had not got the tv rights Saints would have played on the Thursday and Wigan Friday.

All of the banter and St Helens excuses aside......

At the start of the season there were plenty of our own fans that questioned the appointment of Peet claiming he only got the job because he has a Wigan accent and claimed we wouldn't make the top 6. They'll deny it now, but they said kt.. A good mate of mine got it right when he said if he had an Aussie accent and the CV that he has we would be hailing him as the Messiah.

Even those of us that backed him could never have imagined the season we have had and would have snapped your hands off for a cup win and 2nd.

I've been confident on here recently (and still am) but the fact is we may not win the Grand Final.....HOWEVER we weren't supposed to do anything this year according to the media and as I said even our own fans.

This team will only get better under Peet and if I'm IFL I'm signing him to a very lucrative, very long term deal.

This, in spades.The turnaround has been massive, and surely beyond all expectations. And, better still, we are the entertainers of SL!

There’s just a buzz around the place again. You could feel it around the fan village beforehand. The season has been hugely enjoyable. I keep seeing the try of the weekend competitions on the RFL social media channels and it feels like it’s been a Wigan player whose won the vote 90%+ of the time. It’s been entertaining but above all else, there’s just been a real sense of pride and togetherness in supporting the club.

Yes, absolutely.

I was on the last minute this week so missed the fan village walk out.

Looked superb on social media though, a great way of getting fans in the Robin Park and not sitting in the ground early buying pints.

Should do it again for the playoff game and maybe a few big games next year

The kids loved it

It was a great idea that by whoever thought it up. We’re a group of 40 year old blokes, so we went to the fan village but it was absolutely packed, so just had a pint out by the running track but it looked superb.

The atmosphere out the back was something I felt a bit jealous of that I’m not a 10 year old kid anymore. To be able to have a kick around on the first team training pitch pre game is something I’d have loved. They had the PDRL team training, touch rugby teams training, community clubs down there and the families of the academy lads who’d signed up where knocking around. To have open access to the facility like that makes people feel part of the club. There’s things they can improve on at the fan village but it’s such a fantastic concept.

It's a brilliant facility and despite the online insults from the football fans it's a great way of bringing money directly into the club. It would be great if it could be expanded in a couple of years if possible.

It really is such a great idea. Took my daughter for her 3rd game last night and she loved it (apart from getting interrupted by Jenna Brooks when she was having her pic taken with Peet l



)

Would have been better if the team came onto the running track from changing rooms like the reserves and turn left down the running track and went out of the stadium by the side entrance as they did last night . The stands could have been packed and down the side of the running track and not squeezed into the building which was packed to the rafters .

So Wigan will play Huddersfield if they beat Salford next Saturday or the Catalan v Leeds winner if Salford beat Huddersfield. Wigan can't meet Salford.

I always think the same way at this time of the season. It doesn't matter who we play. We just have to be at our best.

That said, I watched the Leeds v Cas game today and it was truly the worst standard of rugby league I've ever seen from two teams claiming to be professionals. I have literally seen junior teams with better ball-handling discipline.

There is no way Leeds can be that bad again. But if they are, any of those finishing above them will win by 60 points.

Salford to win at Huddersfield and Catalans to beat Leeds for me, meaning we’d play Catalans in our semi.

Leeds did their best to bottle their good run today and with Handley and Dwyer looking like they’re done, I can’t see them getting past Catalans.

Wigan v Huddersfield and Saints v Catalans for me. Catalans have been poor for the last 2-3 months - they won't get by Saints. Wigan and Huddersfield would be a 50/50 game just like the CC final was - I think the week off will be helpful for us though.

So who comes in for Cust and Farrell if they don’t play? Isa and Tommy still?

In your 40's NK . That's still a kid in the eyes of this old codger lol








EW

Hudds v Salford - Salford
Catalans v Leeds - Catalans

Wigan v Catalans - Wigan
Saints v Salford - Saints

Wigan v Saints - Wigan

You know I think Leeds will beat Catalan but we shall see.

I fancy Hudds and Catalan next week.

Leeds were dire against cas.

Hudds will have too much for Salford in the forwards Imo.