I must admit I’m absolutely shocked. I’m not his biggest fan but you can’t question the success he’s had with Wigan and the way he has led the team.

Gutted, struggle to get a coach as passionate about Wigan than Wane.

One of the most successful coaches in SL history.

Shocked. I've been a critic, but we have shown a lot of improvement this year which makes it even more of a shock.

I wonder if the whole Sam Tomkins contract debacle has caused a rift?

Does this feed into the Shaun Edwards rumours?

I've also heard Wane is also going to Catalans. Interesting that we've signed Hardaker and the comments Wane made but he won't coach him.

Certainly out the blue this one. I suspect it was only done this weekend with SW, IL and KR being the only ones who knew. Players would have found out this morning likely.

I am shocked I have to admit but I do think it’s probably the right decision, as daft as that sounds given where we are in the league. I just feel that we could do with a new direction, new playing style and SW has run out of ideas.

I know that sounds silly but I think it’s naturally coming to an end.

The conspiracy side of me is thinking is this in protest of letting S Tomkins and J Bateman go?

With Sean Edwards only weeks ago saying he wanted to come back to RL, is this the opening for him?

That is a surprise. I must admit to having a lot of respect for the man. I haven't always agreed with his coaching philosophy but he has always come across as an extremely honest, no excuses, type of bloke and he'll be a loss. Good luck to him.

Whoever comes in has huge boots to fill. Wane is renowned for being Wigan through and through but I think he’s far more than that. His ability to get a team up for a big game is spot on and I wish him all the very best in whatever he does next. As for a replacement, this could work out well for us. After 7 years, some fresh blood and new ideas might not be a bad thing.

Having just read his statement he is obviously moving on to another coaching post. The question is, where?

He's following Tomkins and Mickey Mac to Cats?

Well, this should please many of our regular posters....

Maybe one or two but not "many". For me, I'm shocked at the announcement and wonder where this leaves us going forward and for the rest of the season. He leaves with a solid legacy behind him and I wish him well. All in all it may be for the best. Gives both himself and the club a chance to freshen up (depending on who we get in, of course).

Off to Catalans, with McNamara moving up to Director of Rugby

I heard the Wane and Tomkins to Catalan rumour a few weeks ago. Looks like it's coming to fruition. Big shock that, I have come to respect him as a coach, even as a Saint.

Not half. But it won't be long before they find someone else.

In the meantime, IL will take the flak for 'not having got someone else lined up', when the reality will most likely be the at he does have but just can't announce it yet.

Good news, time for something new

Being a SW critic at times I thought I would be happier than I am. Maybe it’s how we’ve been going for the past few weeks or where we are in the league and cup but I’m genuinely shocked about this. Given who we have leaving and who is yet to leave I’m shocked at the timing of it and it does make me wonder what is going on behind closed doors at the club.

That being said I do think it may well be for the best. A fresh coach with new ideas coming in and who hopefully will reinvigorate George Williams. The interesting part for me now is with SW going and a yet to be announced Head Coach incoming - who makes the signings we do evidently need? And even more interesting, if SW, IL and KR knew he was going to resign, who sanctioned the Hardaker deal? It makes sense as a SW signing but now he’s leaving it doesn’t make much sense to me given we don’t know who the new coach is or his style of play.

Another worry for me is we’ve had the Tomkins leaving news, the Bateman and Sutton leaving news is rapidly approaching - who next? Lockers? I said it on another thread prior to this news breaking that we need some huge signings and I think they’re more prevalent now given one of those signings includes a new Head Coach.

Part of me is quite worried about him going, obviously he's seen as stability within the club. Another part is excited to see who we can bring in.

One thing is for sure, IL has had his work cut out this season with players and now the coach leaving.

The worry is that however poor the rugby has ever been at times, Wane always gets us competing at the business end and the players seem to want to play for him.

It’s easy to say I’m gutted when we’re playing well but even if our form was similar to last year I’d have my reservations about this because of his record.

All change for 2019 then. Let’s just hope we can sign these lads off in good style in 2018.

So is it Shaun Edwards to replace him?

Maybe they have already, but that won't appease the malcontents.... One vociferous Wane critic in here was unhappy when Madge was appointed, 'Wigan deserves more than a rookie coach', or words to that effect...

Well, will liven up the board, and may I wish Shaun all the very best, and thank you..

Really shocked.

If this had happened at the end of last season, given the shïte way we finished up last year, I would have understood and even agreed.

But now ???? Given the improvements that we've made ???

My instant guess was that he will still be Sam Tonkins' coach next year, and things suddenly make a lot more sense on that front (why would Sam want to play for as inept a coach as Steve McNamara?).

As long as we get a top-quality replacement in, we'll be OK.

As for Edwards - Love the guy, but is he really the right man, given that he actually has ZERO coaching experience in RL and has been out of the game for around a decade?

Really shocked when my son told me about it.
Like a few on here I had also heard the Catalan rumour and rather bizarrely I even got told that he had been approached by Harlequins and Scotland RU.
I wonder if he has been against some the recent moves of MM & ST plus the signing of Hardaker?
I was quite vocal about our performances in the last few seasons but I thought that so far this season he was turning it around and with some fresh blood next year he could really kick on.
If im honest not sure if this is a good thing particularly with all the changes in staff planned for next season.
A proper gent is Shaun and I hope whoever replaces him has just a fraction of the passion for the town and club that he wears on his sleeve.

Personally think it's the right move as the fan base is too divided. A new coach & a couple of new players might just be the change needed to unify the club. Think similar to the way Madge brought everyone together.

Needless to say however this changes everything. Everyone will be fighting for their spots with no one a guaranteed starter.

In regards to a replacement my heart says Edwards, but my head is saying it's time for another Lowe/ Madge esq paradigm shift. We need someone who is right at the forefront of the modern game and will drag us head and shoulders above the rest of SL. It would also be nice to bring in a new number two with a long term succession plan in place again.

With Sir Kev as his assistant

I'm absolutely gutted about this.

For anyone too young to remember or appreciate our domination in the 80s & 90s, the Maguire/Wane years have been a golden era for us, when you consider what came before it. All the more so when you consider how many of those involved have been Wigan lads and not expensive imports.

Remember all the worries about him when Madge left, that he would be one of life's number twos and didn't have the kitbag to be a head coach. How wrong was that!

I hope that whoever comes in is as willing to give young talent a chance as Shaun has been. More than anything else though I hope we send him out on a high, as he thoroughly deserves it.