Oh No, our season is over!

[DaveO]

The only criticism I'd have of Wane this early on are his post match comments saying he wouldn't consider changing his bench of four forwards.

Surely the coach should at least be open to the option of having a different type of player on the bench. It looked an awful lot like that was something that Wigan needed, to the point where he was asked that direct question and he denied it.

Yes I heard that. I was quite surprised when he said he was convinced 4 forwards on the bench was the right way to go. If that is how he sees it the only way any of the young backs will get a game is by being in the starting 13 and play the full game which does not sound right to me.

He also gave me the impression he was going to play the exact same 17 when asked about possible changes. I think he was trying to defend the players a bit but it did seem like he was a bit affronted at the suggestion he might make some changes.

A stubborn approach isn't necessarily the best. He picked a bench with 3 very similar players in Flower, Tuson and Farrell, all who work hard but really lack size. The pack was beaten by Huddersfield's kids.

Farrell is a back row forward and so to my mind the problem is mainly with the other two who are supposed to be props. When Prescott is fit and if Fileden ever gets fit I would expect them both to make way before Farrell I'd Wane insists on playing four props.

[taliesin]

:conf: For a 1st hit out it was disappointing,but not repairable.

Of more concern are the fact that Wane said he had CONCENTRATED on building up the players speed & skills ?
Both sadly lacking
And what I think is a fairly dumb thing for a rookie coach to say :doz:

The Warriors were never in front as a Giants team lacking seven regulars through injury and suspension established an early stranglehold on the game and held on for a 20-16 victory at the DW Stadium.

"It was disappointing," Wane said. "I never saw it coming".

[Bodles44]

There wasn't any area of our game that bettered Huddersfield and what really concerns me is not loosing the game, it's the dropped shoulders, lethargic walking back to form a scrum and generally what I can only describe as a "couldn't care less attitude. Come on Wigan - you're better than that.....

[cumbria_warrior]

Surely by keeping the same team next week, this goes against Wanes pre season coments of earn your place or be dropped?

[Matthew]

I think that Hudds may be the first of many reality checks for us.

The squad that Wane has inherited is inferior to either squad that McGuire had. The biggest loss being Hoffman - but also the likes of Andy Coley will leave a hole in our team.

The players we have recruited are hardly world beaters (mostly coming from the Crusaders) and it's never easy for young players coming through.

It is also a huge step up for Wane, going from an assistant to a very successful coach to the top job will take time.

Clearly Wane will have a different approach; however I personally felt that a trip to Florida was a return to the sort of thing that we did pre-Madge.

We've now lost our first game to a massively understrength side that even at full strength are unlikely to make the semi finals of the play-offs. Clearly that is a worry. However the jury is still out and I am certainly not going to condemn him for one loss, regardless of the manner of it.

I think that next weeks match against the whinos will be a better indicator of where we are.

That said, should we lose that match and then either of the following matches against the bulls or cas; then expect the "faithful" to start calling for Wane's head.

After a trophy in each of the last two years; the fans have now got the expectation of silverware back and they are unlikely to show much patience with a coach who isn't winning.

[Wigan_forever1985]

This is my 2p's worth.

When i watched the lockers testo game i noticed the team looked very very slow and unfit and this was youngsters who id of expected to be zipping round the place.

Say what you want about these "warm weather" camps but under Madge they didn't do it and were fit as a fiddle on game 1, under Nobby and wane they did and they don't look half as fit, you cant paper over that.

Other things that bothered me are why we played such vastly different sets of players in the pre-season games esp ones close to the start id like to have seen a more regular team given a run out.

I have an awful feeling we may have in wane our own Brian Mc, having said that they did win the GF so i guess ill wait and see what happens

[DaveO]

Surely by keeping the same team next week, this goes against Wanes pre season coments of earn your place or be dropped?

We will have to see if he does. I got the distinct impression he reacted to the suggestion from the interviewer that the team may be changed by saying something along the lines of he saw no reason to change it (I can't remember his exact words but he seemed to virtually pick the team for next week in response to the question).

As someone else has said though, he does not have the same players to work with as Madge and this is a point I made some time ago but the other side of that coin is you must get the best from what you have got and I do not think we saw that v Hudds

[bertina]

I agree to a point, no need for knee jerk reactions, but to me it is glaringly obvious that we need a specialist scrum half. Tommy is NOT the answer, and he is gone at the end of this season anyway. So, unless we are planning on buying a scrum half from somewhere, Wane needs to go with either Mellor or Powell and stick with him. The kicking game at least can't be any worse, and Tommy at acting half back gives us much more zip at the play the ball.
On another note, I cannot agree with four forwards on the bench. It limits your options massively.[/quote]

[DaveO]

I think that Hudds may be the first of many reality checks for us.

The squad that Wane has inherited is inferior to either squad that McGuire had. The biggest loss being Hoffman - but also the likes of Andy Coley will leave a hole in our team.

The players we have recruited are hardly world beaters (mostly coming from the Crusaders) and it's never easy for young players coming through.

Kept saying that when the rumours of who we were signing first cropped up.

Clearly Wane will have a different approach; however I personally felt that a trip to Florida was a return to the sort of thing that we did pre-Madge.

I questioned this at the time but the replies tended to be "well if we do the same thing year after year it will get stale". Really? How can being flogged to fitness by the Marines ever get stale? That is like saying Pat Richard's will get bored practising goal kicking. It is what you do because it needs to be done.

Wane needs to be careful that he doesn't take a different approach for the sake of it. My view over his appointment was the best thing it would give us would be continuity. If he doesn't try and build on Madges's methods but instead adopts a completely different approach I don't think he will be successful.

After a trophy in each of the last two years; the fans have now got the expectation of silverware back and they are unlikely to show much patience with a coach who isn't winning.

The stated aim of owner and coach is constant improvement and at least a final a season. I questioned how that would be possible given the recruitment previously and although only one game I certainly can't see it this season myself. Not because of this game on its own but because of what I said in the past about losing Hoffman, Joel, Coley and Deacon v the recruits we took on.

[BriH]

I just hope it is opening match rustiness.

Wigan sounded pretty dire listening to it on the radio.

Fingers crossed for next week, which will be a huge challenge.