A magnificent effort

[Ed Osmond]

I have waited 24 hours to digest the match before posting.
But it was a really excellent performance by the team. Very good discipline and the defence was immense throughout.
I am not sure Farrell deserved mom but he is such an important part of our team. His absence was the main reason for the attacking issues for much of the season.
Bateman, Tautai and Isa also very strong last night. I have been critical of Tautai and Isa this season but the former has stopped giving away penalties and the latter is very good in defence.
Sarginson had a very good game. He will be a loss.
And Smith and Williams controlled it well and kicked better than Patton and Gidley.
So, overall, very well done to Wane. It has been a difficult year but to land the big prize is a great achievement. When Charnley scored last night I did a jig of delight I did not know I had in me and there was a tear in my eye when we lifted the trophy.

[cpwigan]

His absence was the main reason for the attacking issues for much of the season.

Disagree with this Ed. The break cam because George 'threatens defences and pulled a defender away from Faz.

I do think Faz and Bateman are a fantastic seond row pairing.

Bateman suspension hurt much as Faz BTW IMO.

[Ed Osmond]

Fair enough, CP.
Faz and Bateman are a great second row, no doubt about that.
I just think Faz makes a lot of line breaks whereas Bateman does more hidden work.
Where do you think we lost the attacking thrust this season?

[cpwigan]

I think we probably never had it. Sam was seen as a panacea and the initial attack ideas was poor IMO. Constant injuries thereafter makes it almost impossible to be at your best in attack.

Initially I would argue Manfredi was the key to much of our better attacking. Thereafter Gelling had a hot period. Losing Williams made things difficult. I think getting enough players back at roughly the same time; Faz, Bateman, George, Matty being there week in week out and probably Josh. TauTai really added to that group who cumulatively gave us a collective threat, We also seem to be better when we go forward more than lateral and most recently we have been offloading.

[Ed Osmond]

Yep, good points.
I am not sure we really had it for much of the season.
Manfredi was certainly hot and Gelling at times. I like Gelling, bit of an x-factor.
But I do still think Farrell is key.

[cpwigan]

Balance in terms of star quality and workhorses is vital IMO and despite being (wrongly IMO)maligned for so called stupidity I really like Gelling as a centre and as an entertainer. In a dull season Gelling keeps you wanting to watch him/Wigan.

[DaveO]

I am not sure Farrell deserved mom but he is such an important part of our team. His absence was the main reason for the attacking issues for much of the season.

Ed I am glad someone else recognises Faz's contribution to the attack. I have been saying it for a while now. I am not sure we can say his absence is the main reason for the naff attack because Wane should have worked it out and fixed it despite him not being there.

But when he returned look what happened.

However having watched the GF replay for the third time, if we don't score a shed load of tries next season down the left with Faz, Gildard and Budgie working that side I give up.

[yonmon]

Sometimes things only get better when you have hit rock bottom and I think the Widnes match was a big wake up call.How things got to that stage in the first place needs to be addressed.The excuse given all season was the performances were due to injuries,probably true but Wigan squad depth has to be one of the best in the league so we should have coped and played better in my opinion.Team fitness won us that final and the fitness guys should get a big slap on the back in the way they prepare the team. Good luck to the lads who are leaving you did us proud.

[Panchitta Marra]

I am not sure Farrell deserved mom but he is such an important part of our team. His absence was the main reason for the attacking issues for much of the season.

Ed I am glad someone else recognises Faz's contribution to the attack. I have been saying it for a while now. I am not sure we can say his absence is the main reason for the naff attack because Wane should have worked it out and fixed it despite him not being there.

But when he returned look what happened.

However having watched the GF replay for the third time, if we don't score a shed load of tries next season down the left with Faz, Gildard and Budgie working that side I give up.

I don't thinks there's many people on this site who don't recognise Faz's contribution to the Wigan team, they maybe just don't express it.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I have a theory about the Widnes game.
I also follow cycling and there the big guns aim to be in peak condition for 4 week blocks. Prior to which they do heavy training, which will leave them lacking sharpness for a period before the benefits kick in. I wonder whether that was a factor here. It is unarguably the case that we have finished the 4 big games since Widnes much more strongly - scoring, iirc the last 12, 21 (!), 12 and 10 points in those games. That suggests to me that we timed our physical peak to perfection. We did similar in 2013, where but for Flower we would have strolled to victory after a fantastic run of form leading up to it.
In any event, the backlash from the fans - or "critics" as Wane insultingly called us - was so great after that debacle that it clearly focused minds.
And it all turned out nicel!!!