Wigan versus Warrington

[SJ]

This post from Bilko on Twitter. He isn't making excuses BTW, he was just making a point

Wire equivalents our absences last night - Gidley, Russell, Hill, Clark, Sims, Hughes, Currie, Westwood. They'd struggle without them also!

His "point "sounds very much like an excuse to me Josie. It's a valid excuse tho' if you take my point

[OJ]

I dont think its just the result though OJ, i think many of us would accept the loss i think its the things highlighted within the result that have upset people, for me its the following;

1) Why are we in such a state with injuries - yes there is an element of luck but massively poor recruitment (id go as far to say the worst in the league) have meant we have signed no players to offer us strength in depth in positions that we KNEW we would be weaker in - for example why do we not have a single back up hooker in the club SL Ready

2) Why during a prolonged injury crisis are we playing a brand new youngster in a completely foreign position (stand off) when we have another youngster desperate to prove himself in that position playing for another club? if the deal does not allow him to come back why was the deal done that way knowing the lack of depth?

3) Why doesnt the coach change the plan to suit the players that actually are on the pitch rather than trying to play pretty much the same game plan as a fully fit squad. We should be spoiling, slowing the game, niggling but instead like a boxer with no chin we are throwing haymakers hoping we dont get caught.

4) Why have we not recruited someone on a year deal to cover what we knew would be half a year at least without tomkins

5) Why when the only halfback we have on the pitch is still our starting half back is he not everywhere on the pitch ala brough last night - ive seen more forwards kick the ball since williams has been out than i have all season

We can all accept losses but there are some serious, serious issues around the club that need sorting. Its all well and good for people to say "when people are back we will be better"- but what if we dont get everyone back? what if tomkins comes back and has gone backwards like mossop?

weve based far too much of our year on "if's", IF Everyone is fit, IF tomkins can regain his form, IF IF IF

You make some very good points Wigan_forever1985 and I don't dis-agree with any of them but I don't have any more answers than anyone else on here has. Suppose much is to do with the cursed salary cap and it's constraints but I do think there should be some leeway on the cap for season ending injuries so that other players could be brought it to cover for what happened with Micky Mac and Sam but that brings up the question - where would we get them from - how good would they be - would they be to 'Wigan standard' whatever that might be these days. You're right about the injuries too - they are truly baffling because I have no doubts our squad would normally be considered one of the fittest in the league and we also have both Mark Bitcon and Dr Chris Brookes to look after our players so something is definitely amiss that things like this keep happening - maybe they over train - I don't know, but I also think teams go through phases and that Leeds will not keep on losing, Wire will get some injuries (can't stand them but don't actually wish injuries on anyone) that will make a difference to their season as well.
We also can't really expect players who have only just come up from the academy to play like an experienced squad but rough times like this will no doubt help their development.
There certainly are far too many if's and buts about the team this season but the optimist in me, which is struggling a bit at the moment I must admit, is taking the view it's not how you start it's how you finish and with the number of first teamers we currently have unavailable things can only get better.

[DaveO]

Arguably the Wigan side that met Warrington this time was weaker than the one that played them earlier in the month. On that occasion we had Dom Manfredi, Sean O'Loughlin, Liam Farrell and Joel Tomkins out on the park.

And yet with those players in the side we still lost. At home.

So when they come back why are we expecting miracles?

As I have said before I think Wane is pinning his hopes on Sam T providing that miracle.

[DaveO]

Out of all the mess we are in at the moment, the main thing that puzzles me is how the hell are we at the max cap with this squad??

Some extremely average players are being paid way over the odds or Wigan are not being truthful about where and how much they spend on the salary cap. Either way, still does not sit well with me that this once mighty club is reduced to playing so many youngsters at this level at the same time with excuses being the only offering from the owner and coach for the current predicament

This bothers me as well.

With Sam T as marquee player (so most of his wage is off-cap) and Lockers as long serving player (so a fair chunk of his wage is also off-cap) where is the money going?

We have a large squad of over 30 players but the salary cap is calculated on your top nominated 25.

Who when you take Sam T and Lockerd out warrants a mega bucks salary out of who is left?

Maybe the club is trying to be fair and pay younger players a higher wage but whatever it is we seem prevented from signing players like Gidley, the sort we are crying out for.

[OJ]

As I have said before I think Wane is pinning his hopes on Sam T providing that miracle.

Rather him than me then Dave

[OJ]

I saw this headline in the local rag and thought someone had genuinely gone missing but turns out to be some smart alec Wire fan.
I do hope we can return the compliment at the end of the year

http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... ssing_man/

[cpwigan]

I will say this but if SAm T returns healthy and find his form we could easily do well. SL 2016 is shocking and one player can make a huge difference. We can even carry the useless Silverback.

[butt monkey]

Biggest problem I see is that there is massive pressure to bring him back, quite possibly when he is not 100% and that would be a real risk.

If he returns in the next week or two do you see him playing in the halves?

[butt monkey]

Out of all the mess we are in at the moment, the main thing that puzzles me is how the hell are we at the max cap with this squad??

Some extremely average players are being paid way over the odds or Wigan are not being truthful about where and how much they spend on the salary cap. Either way, still does not sit well with me that this once mighty club is reduced to playing so many youngsters at this level at the same time with excuses being the only offering from the owner and coach for the current predicament

This bothers me as well.

With Sam T as marquee player (so most of his wage is off-cap) and Lockers as long serving player (so a fair chunk of his wage is also off-cap) where is the money going?

We have a large squad of over 30 players but the salary cap is calculated ocn your top nominated 25.

Who when you take Sam T and Lockerd out warrants a mega bucks salary out of who is left?

Maybe the club is trying to be fair and pay younger players a higher wage but whatever it is we seem prevented from signing players like Gidley, the sort we are crying out for.

DaveO

Now not exactly rocket science and I am willing to be corrected on this matter. One thing intrigues me about our current predicament.

So far this season, Wigan have used 27 different players in our first team. Leeds have used 26.

Now we are told, that we can neither bring back Ryan Hampshire, nor sign any recruits due to the fact we are "over the cap" somehow. Leeds have re-signed Luke Briscoe.

Now I am not exactly sure how much Leeds pay their players (or more importantly exactly how much we pay ours) BUT it seems odd they are not at the Salary Cap limit, yet the excuse that Wigan are, is bandied around as the main reason for either not bringing one of our players back or recruiting anyone to strengthen

The point I am attempting to make is, is the club unwilling or reticent regards player recruitment, even when it is blindingly obvious that we need to sign players?

[Owd Codger]

I think you will find that with the introduction of the second phase of the league fixtures in the form of the top eight, you will see clubs using more players than before.

From what I am seeing, the idea is to get a position in the top four by rotating the players, especially the forwards and getting all the best seventeen fit for the play off competition.

Wigan are in the top four despite 'injuries' mainly to forwards, a virus and some poor results.

The secret it would appear is to have a large squad made up mostly of players of the same strength and backed up by a good academy.

In other words, the stronger and larger the squad with a good Academy, the more chance of getting into the top four and the extra home game in the play off.