Judge me at the end of Season

[The booze hound]

Thinking about playing Saints, in a must win game the week after Wembley...

And at first I was afraid, I was petrified,
Kept thinking how can we win with big Frank in our side,
But I've spent the last few nights thinking maybe I am wrong,
And I grew strong....

We will survive..

Beat Saints, and for some crazy reason I think we will, and this season rolls on.
I'll take stock at the end of the season. But for now, come on boys, stuff them Smellys.

[eccywarrior]

I've spoken to several season ticket holders who are reluctant to renew for next season. Is it Wigan's or the RL's fault?

I think its rls fault. The structure is poor and has been since the change. All you got look at is the attendences and how they have have gone down and not just us at wigan. I think if its you finish top your champions then we wouldn't play poor rugby for most of season

[Wigan_forever1985]

I've spoken to several season ticket holders who are reluctant to renew for next season. Is it Wigan's or the RL's fault?

I think its rls fault. The structure is poor and has been since the change. All you got look at is the attendences and how they have have gone down and not just us at wigan. I think if its you finish top your champions then we wouldn't play poor rugby for most of season

I think its a bit of both, i think if Wigan played rugby that people wanted to watch then the league structure would count for less because its still wanting to go watch them. However due to the league structure and the bore fest that is wigan the is little motivation

[Wiganer123]

Can you please tell me why you think that the WCC is a non event and doesn't mean anything please?
Are you saying that full time professionals aren't bothered about playing or winning this competition?

[First Try Tickle]

I've spoken to several season ticket holders who are reluctant to renew for next season. Is it Wigan's or the RL's fault?

I've heard that before, most of my mates said last season they wouldn't renew, but there they were fist game. We go because its our team, good or bad we are still Wigan.

And what would we do instead on a dark rainy Friday, sit at home and watch it on TV, well most of my mates also said they were getting rid of Sky.

If we win on Friday against a team we are level with and Salford beat Wakey then we are 4th.

No I don't think we can beat Cas away in the play offs, but I also didn't think we could win the league last year.

[fozzieskem]

I used to be a season ticket holder and now just pick and choose games. I'm cancelling my Sky subscription, too.

I'm going to do more walking.

Given the potential cost of sky it's a cert that sky sports will be leaving our household

[Wigan_forever1985]

Can you please tell me why you think that the WCC is a non event and doesn't mean anything please?
Are you saying that full time professionals aren't bothered about playing or winning this competition?

I can

1) The game is played the following season, quite often the teams that come over are not the same teams that played in the GF sometimes can be significantly weaker

2) The game is played in the Aussies pre-season, they havent played a single competitive game before this game so they virtually have little to no prep other than preseason warm up games which as we know from our preseason are virtually useless

3) The game is HEAVILY loaded in the favor of the uk team. Not only do we already have a few competitive games under our belt we also play the game in our climate which at that time of year is pretty alien to most Aussie teams, and the Aussies have flown half way around the world to play in it.

Bellamy said once that some of the NRL clubs dont take the game too seriously

https://stevemascord.com/2013/02/27/bel ... seriously/

Add to this last year when the NRL struggled to get intrest in teams coming over despite an agreement that 3 would this is a telling quote from the melbourne chief exec who refused to come over;

“We do have some serious concerns about travelling across to the other side of the world two weeks out from our season starting for what is effectively a trial match,’’ Donaghy said.

or Peter Parr from the Cowboys

I would have to speak to the coach (Paul Green) — and I can’t speak for him — but I would suggest we’d be reluctant. It’s a long way to go for a game that doesn’t mean anything,” Parr said.

article;
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... b7374c8d03

now admittedly these were the clubs that werent up for the "main prize" but if it was such as scalp to come over and beat a Superleague team then surely the interest would be far higher?. The main team will always have to say good things because they are probably contracted to do so as part of the arrangements, but this gives you an insight into how inconvenient this game is for the NRL clubs

While i dont believe that they come over here to lose, i dont think any of the NRL teams care too much if they do as there is a vastly loaded advantage to the SuperLeague clubs.

Its a one off match any team can have 1 bad match and youre more likely to not play well especially at the end of a match if its youre jet lagged and undercooked.

To be honest i actually think that Rugby League is missing a trick with the WCC and that its an untapped resource for what could be an exciting comp. The international game is dire but i think everyone would love to see maybe a midseason break in which the 3 best uk go against the 3 best in oz maybe 3 matches here and 3 in oz or If it were to go to a 3 match test then maybe it would carry a little more substance but as it is its just an exhibition match with a trophy IMO no different as i say from the Charity Shield in football.

[pedro]

Can you please tell me why you think that the WCC is a non event and doesn't mean anything please?
Are you saying that full time professionals aren't bothered about playing or winning this competition?

I can

1) The game is played the following season, quite often the teams that come over are not the same teams that played in the GF sometimes can be significantly weaker

2) The game is played in the Aussies pre-season, they havent played a single competitive game before this game so they virtually have little to no prep other than preseason warm up games which as we know from our preseason are virtually useless

3) The game is HEAVILY loaded in the favor of the uk team. Not only do we already have a few competitive games under our belt we also play the game in our climate which at that time of year is pretty alien to most Aussie teams, and the Aussies have flown half way around the world to play in it.

Bellamy said once that some of the NRL clubs dont take the game too seriously

https://stevemascord.com/2013/02/27/bel ... seriously/

Add to this last year when the NRL struggled to get intrest in teams coming over despite an agreement that 3 would this is a telling quote from the melbourne chief exec who refused to come over;

“We do have some serious concerns about travelling across to the other side of the world two weeks out from our season starting for what is effectively a trial match,’’ Donaghy said.

or Peter Parr from the Cowboys

I would have to speak to the coach (Paul Green) — and I can’t speak for him — but I would suggest we’d be reluctant. It’s a long way to go for a game that doesn’t mean anything,” Parr said.

article;
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... b7374c8d03

now admittedly these were the clubs that werent up for the "main prize" but if it was such as scalp to come over and beat a Superleague team then surely the interest would be far higher?. The main team will always have to say good things because they are probably contracted to do so as part of the arrangements, but this gives you an insight into how inconvenient this game is for the NRL clubs

While i dont believe that they come over here to lose, i dont think any of the NRL teams care too much if they do as there is a vastly loaded advantage to the SuperLeague clubs.

Its a one off match any team can have 1 bad match and youre more likely to not play well especially at the end of a match if its youre jet lagged and undercooked.

To be honest i actually think that Rugby League is missing a trick with the WCC and that its an untapped resource for what could be an exciting comp. The international game is dire but i think everyone would love to see maybe a midseason break in which the 3 best uk go against the 3 best in oz maybe 3 matches here and 3 in oz or If it were to go to a 3 match test then maybe it would carry a little more substance but as it is its just an exhibition match with a trophy IMO no different as i say from the Charity Shield in football.

we have played 1 game and they have more than double our cap....hardly massively in our favor, so next year if its in Aus will it mean something then?

Bellamy talks garbage like all the Aussies, when they win its all fine when they lose they dont care.

[Wiganer123]

Ok so point 1 I agree that not being the same team that played in and won the grand final isn't a true representation but surely you can't argue that a team would be significantly weaker. If that's the case surely that's the fault of the club for not recruiting correctly not the competition.

For point 2 true pre season games are a little pointless I don't see much difference though given we have only played 2 league games usually at this point. Some teams also start the season stronger than others and get progressively worse as the season continues.

For point 3 - surely you can't say in this day and age that the climate is alien? I'm sure oz has wind/cold and rain. It won't be what they are used to back home but hardly alien. Plus how do you ever resolve this as whoever plays at "home" will have an advantage.

Regarding Bellamys comments - maybe he is right, maybe he was having a dig at other clubs, maybe he was trying to emphasise the win I'm pretty sure you won't find any clubs agreeing and saying they don't. Also, it was a few years ago and I haven't looked but I bet I could find quotes from coaches/players saying the opposite.

Regarding the club series I, at the minute think that is a bit of a farce and we are missing a trick with it. I think one thing is it happens too often and therefore de values the games. Im purely talking about the main event not the other games.

[moto748]

I've watched a few NRL games lately played in the most atrocious conditions,torrential rain, waterlogged pitches, in Canberra and Perth (where it always seems to rain), and it always makes me smile, I think back to February, and you'd think every NRL game was played in glorious sunshine to hear Aussie coaches talk!