KR v Warriors

[DaveO]

Not much now being said by some about the coaching of Wane and the player's who left!

Go on, I'll bite.

I could have said exactly the same thing about our failure to kill off a poor Saints side. What did that say about Wane and the current squad and the players who left? IMO (as I mentioned in that games thread) inexperience played a part in a huge derby game but whatever the reasons for that they are simply observations.

What did this game v HKR tell us about the relative merits of past players v the current squad and about Wane's coaching ability given St. Pats would probably have given us a better game? Not much but then you have no idea how many we would have scored with previous seasons squads so that is a bit of a moot point anyway.

Why this downer on past players anyway? Where you constantly saying they were not good enough when we were winning a CC and GF?

At the moment it is obvious we can kill off poor sides missing players. We put 62 past Widnes and have now out 84 on HKR. Very enjoyable to watch once and a while but ultimately tells us nothing and we won't be playing them in any finals.

To try and make the point you do based on this game isn't very smart. I won't mind you crowing if we win a CC or GF but if you think this result is meaningful you are mistaken. We can enjoy setting a record but while I wasn't surprised in the slightest to read your post I am surprised to see Wane's comments on the BBC today that this result was some sort of vindication of the team.

[cow yeds]

Not much now being said by some about the coaching of Wane and the player's who left!

Go on, I'll bite.

I could have said exactly the same thing about our failure to kill off a poor Saints side. What did that say about Wane and the current squad and the players who left? IMO (as I mentioned in that games thread) inexperience played a part in a huge derby game but whatever the reasons for that they are simply observations.

What did this game v HKR tell us about the relative merits of past players v the current squad and about Wane's coaching ability given St. Pats would probably have given us a better game? Not much but then you have no idea how many we would have scored with previous seasons squads so that is a bit of a moot point anyway.

Why this downer on past players anyway? Where you constantly saying they were not good enough when we were winning a CC and GF?

At the moment it is obvious we can kill off poor sides missing players. We put 62 past Widnes and have now out 84 on HKR. Very enjoyable to watch once and a while but ultimately tells us nothing and we won't be playing them in any finals.

To try and make the point you do based on this game isn't very smart. I won't mind you crowing if we win a CC or GF but if you think this result is meaningful you are mistaken. We can enjoy setting a record but while I wasn't surprised in the slightest to read your post I am surprised to see Wane's comments on the BBC today that this result was some sort of vindication of the team.

Fair comment.

[Wes]

Sorry Dave but it is down to the team playing fantastic and they do deserve the credit from Wane, we are the only team to pick 4 points up over the Easter period, 1 of those games being the toughest derby in SL.

Well done Wigan and well done SW.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

DaveO I have to say that sometimes you make great points and articulate them very well, clearly an intelligent man, however, sometimes you try to argue a point that doesn't need arguing with. It is ok Dave to just say well done or good point sometimes, it doesn't make you any less of a poster!!

We have had turmoil so far this year with injuries and I think SW has managed the situation fantastically well, unlike what you are saying about it being forced upon him so nothing to do with his coaching skills at all.(On another thread)

Decision to play Lockers against Stains then leave him out against KR.
Resting Crosby against KR along with Logan.
Introducing Burke at the right times as a sub and starting.
Powell coming in again against KR along with Spencer to freshen things up.
Resting MM more during games.
Sam not playing every game when clearly not fully fit.
Taylor not being pushed to much as a starter every game.

No doubt some other key players will be rested when more senior players are back as Wane has been quoted as saying.

All the above are examples of good coaching and not just forced decisions.

Yesterday's result does not mean we will win anything come crunch time but it does show strength in depth and good coaching skills to manage the players over a tough few days to get us 2 wins, unlike ALL the other teams. I agree with another post where you said it doesn't make us a championship team and silence the doubters but what it does make us is top of the league and the players and coaches deserve a big pat on the back.

For what it is worth I think SW has learnt lessons from last season, will we win something? who knows? But surely at this moment a simple well done SW is warranted. No?

[josie andrews]

Well those that listened will know that I made my debut as a match summariser on Wish FM's commentary of this match and what a game to commentate on.
I mentioned on air about it being our record away victory but once I got home to look fully at the records you appreciate the enormity of what was witnessed at a cold Craven Park.

Wigan Record All Time League Victory - (was 78-4 v Workington 1996)

Wigan Record Super League Victory - (was 78-4 v Workington 1996)

Wigan Record League Away Victory - (was 72-6 v Wakefield 1987)

Wigan Record All Comps Away Victory - (was 80-20 v Limoux 2004)

Super League Record Away Victory - (not a clue)

Hull KR's Record Defeat - (was 78-6 v Halifax twice 1956 & 1991)

Pat Richards also equalled the record for most goals in a league match with his 12 matching achievements of massive club legends Jim Sullivan against Rochdale in 1924 and Ken Gee against Cardiff City in 1951. That Pat record is even more outstanding when you consider he missed his first two.

http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=2659

Part of Bilko's report on the match at HKR on Monday

[josie andrews]

Wane Not Completely Happy

Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane was still not completely happy despite his side racking up their biggest win of the Super League era as they beat Hull KR 84-6.

Wane was disappointed not to have kept Rovers scoreless in one of Super League's most one-sided matches.

"Sometimes that happens, when everything goes right," Wane said.

"I was pleased with our attack but I didn't know this was a record score. It was a great win and we scored some great tries.

"I'm disappointed to concede the six points. I don't mean to sound arrogant but I was gutted we didn't concentrate for their try."

Blake Green scored a hat-trick against his former club and Pat Richards contributed 28 points.

The winger was one of three Warriors players to score two tries, along with Iain Thornley and Chris Tuson, while there were also scores for Josh Charnley - another former Robin - Jack Hughes, Matty Smith, Sam Powell and Liam Farrell.

Wane felt a good performance was in the offing after Wigan's early morning team meeting, having stayed overnight in Hull.

"We looked after the players to make sure they were in good nick today," he said.

"It's down to the mentality of the players and how they approach the game and that was outstanding. It's pleasing on the back of the St Helens win.

"I knew we were in the zone and I could tell in our team meeting the players were in a good place."

Rovers coach Craig Sandercock had no arguments about the outcome of the match and insisted his players will learn from their heaviest Super League defeat, in which their only try came from Craig Hall late in the first half.

"Everything that could have gone right went right for Wigan and everything that could go wrong for us went wrong," Sandercock said.

"The boys will learn a massive lesson in how to play rugby league.

"They named a full strength backline and we knew it would be tough. Everything they did turned to gold.

"We are extremely disappointed but we won't be letting this linger. We are extremely disappointed for our supporters."

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... &type=news

[DaveO]

DaveO I have to say that sometimes you make great points and articulate them very well, clearly an intelligent man, however, sometimes you try to argue a point that doesn't need arguing with. It is ok Dave to just say well done or good point sometimes, it doesn't make you any less of a poster!!

The point I made was very simple and I was responding to a very particular point. This is the wrong game to draw any conclusions from as WW did. In particular the comment about past players is totally misplaced.

We have had turmoil so far this year with injuries and I think SW has managed the situation fantastically well, unlike what you are saying about it being forced upon him so nothing to do with his coaching skills at all.(On another thread)

How has it not been forced on him? He has not been able to pick the injured players and there is no ifs or buts about it.

Micky Mac even played with a pain killing injection recently and Lockers and Sam have both played at less then 100% fitness. Where he has been able to pick his first choice players which is in the backs he has done so.

He is now going to get a selection headache as Hansen, Dudson and Mossop are all now fit again apparently. Up to know anyone on here could pick the team because we knew who was available and this is not a criticism of Wane but merely points out the fact we have seen a lot of junior players is because we have had a lot of injuries. Pretty simple.

Decision to play Lockers against Stains then leave him out against KR.
Resting Crosby against KR along with Logan.
Introducing Burke at the right times as a sub and starting.
Powell coming in again against KR along with Spencer to freshen things up.
Resting MM more during games.
Sam not playing every game when clearly not fully fit.
Taylor not being pushed to much as a starter every game.

No doubt some other key players will be rested when more senior players are back as Wane has been quoted as saying.

All the above are examples of good coaching and not just forced decisions.

Sam has played games when not fit as has Lockers. In fact when they have not played they have not been rested - they have not played because they have not been fit. Players are only rested if they are fit and are - given a rest!

Lockers would have played v HKR if he wasn't injured of that I am sure. As to Crosby he got replaced by Dudson. So as soon as one of the inured players is available again one of the younger players loses their place which is not surprising. This is also not resting players because Dudson was the incumbent player. I expect Spencer and Hughes to make way for Hansen and Mossop. Those two won't be being rested either.

Yesterday's result does not mean we will win anything come crunch time but it does show strength in depth and good coaching skills to manage the players over a tough few days to get us 2 wins, unlike ALL the other teams. I agree with another post where you said it doesn't make us a championship team and silence the doubters but what it does make us is top of the league and the players and coaches deserve a big pat on the back.

You can only play what is in front of you and killing HKR off like that was clinical but I don't think you can read anything into it at all. They were missing a shed load of players and while it shows our squad is bigger than theirs it doesn't tell us anything about finals or much about our team. Their coach was an idiot as well. They were beaten before they took the pitch IMO and his comments haven't gone down well in Hull. As I also said we didn't make a great job of beating an understrength Saints team so my point to WW is you can't harp on about the HKR game and ignore the previous one and once again the comment on past players is misplaced.

For what it is worth I think SW has learnt lessons from last season, will we win something? who knows? But surely at this moment a simple well done SW is warranted. No?

It would be churlish to say he's not done well but that doesn't change the fact he hasn't been rotating players. I think C{W may have a point about the relative strength of the league in that

[TrueBlueWarrior]

DaveO, clearly you can't pick injured players but with the players he has been left with whether 100% fit or not he has managed them very well in my opinion. To rest the likes of Lockers and Sam along with the injuries up front would have been suicude and could have wrecked the confidence of the likes of Crosby, Logan, Powell, Burke, Spencer, Taylor etc when playing in a weak team due to injuries only to be made weaker by resting players. As soon as a few more big hitters up front are back then maybe some key players elsewhere will be rested, I think it is common sense to do that which as I said earlier SW has been quoted as saying and hopefully he has learnt from last year. The only point I was trying to make is that this season in general SW deserves a well done, so far, and in my opinion where possible and still trying to keep a very competitive team he has rotated wisely, Crosby MOM v Stains, rested against KR springs to mind as a good example.

[josie andrews]

Highlights from the HKR game

http://www.superleague.co.uk/sltv/SLHighlights#

[exile in Tiger country]

I think an important point is that the current team and coaching staff refuse to "take the foot off the gas." Too many times under Madge we would rack up great scores in the first half, maybe even the first hour, then coast to a win. Wane won't accept that, and if for nothing else he deserves huge praise for instilling this killer instinct. The fact that he is a little disappointed with the fact that KR scored is fantastic.