Are We Really That Bad?

[ian b]

its rumoured that a few union clubs are on the brink with their finances so its happening everywhere i guess

[billy's pineapple ring]

Lies, damn lies and statistics. Are we that bad, comparatively speaking stats wise it could be argued that we are indeed a good side, are we a good side that is playing good attractive rugby consistently well no absolutely not.
Are we a long way off being a good side, again it depends what you are comparing good against, in the current scheme of things, no we are not a million miles away. If that other lot from over the lump win the treble this year that would indicate that they are a great side I personally don,t think they are, in fact I honestly believe that if we both had a fully fit in form squad, and we were to meet at OT we could quite easily turn them over.
Would that make us the Super League Champions of 2018, absolutely, would it mean that makes us the best Super League team over the season based on stats, results and playing attractive rugby , even the most ardent Wigan fan could not honestly hold his hand up and say yes to that one.
So are we really that bad hmmmm, attendences, results, performances and these forums would say we should air on the side of just above average.
The question to follow that should be is that good enough or are we expecting too much.

[moto748]

I'm only partially convinced (at best) by the 'decline of RL' argument. If our rugby was that bad, the Aussies would be beating us by a cricket score, or at least by more than they currently do. They used to beat us convincingly in the 'good old days' of Edwards and Hanley too!

I know the counter-argument to that it's only because of the English NRL players that we are competitive, but I don't really buy that. except I will concur that Widdop is way beyond any SL half on his current form (but that hasn't always been the case).

[TRICKY DICKY]

Its all about entertainment.

We are yet again dull as dishwater to watch.

[pearsy]

Wane latest statement we need to improve a blind man could see that

[Levrier]

In some ways we are miles ahead of the great teams of the past. We are fitter and more scientifically organised. That has allowed your average Super League player to compete with the best 99% of the time. When our patterns come off we look fine. Against Saints and Cats we were steady but unspectacular and when we needed a plan B we seemed lost. The problem against Saints was that they attacked from the ptb and pushed us back whereas we ran across their line without finding or making a gap. When we played Cats several times they showed the value of direct running. Even Thornley was finding gaps. Why is it that on our own line players will run from dummy half but almost never when over half way? We just seen incapable of mixing it up without Williams or SOL.

[Wigan_forever1985]

I believe there is a big decline in RL but i dont know how much of it is the product and how much is me

I mean i think back to when i absolutely loved rugby league and it was the days of Wigan/Saints/Leeds/Bradford were the big four - those matches were epic encounters and i really enjoyed them.

Rugby used to be the highlight of my entire week in our house when i was younger Friday was takeway and rugby night and the whole family watching the game.

Now looking back at that time there were no ipads or phones to distract me and i was surrounded by other people who liked rugby. The league seemed like it still mattered and the entertainment alternatives were limited.

So now my Mrs isnt into rugby so if im watching a match im usually watching it on my own, i always have an ipad or phone to hand to distract me and the league structure is such that the game im watching is normally a dead rubber match.

So while i think on the pitch itself the product might be the same there are a lot of surrounding factors that make it feel like its dropped loads

[jobo]

In some ways we are miles ahead of the great teams of the past. We are fitter and more scientifically organised. That has allowed your average Super League player to compete with the best 99% of the time. When our patterns come off we look fine. Against Saints and Cats we were steady but unspectacular and when we needed a plan B we seemed lost. The problem against Saints was that they attacked from the ptb and pushed us back whereas we ran across their line without finding or making a gap. When we played Cats several times they showed the value of direct running. Even Thornley was finding gaps. Why is it that on our own line players will run from dummy half but almost never when over half way? We just seen incapable of mixing it up without Williams or SOL.

Think the problem we couldn't cope with against Sts was Roby. He seems to have knocked 7 years off his age. If not for him, I reckon we would have won easily.

[fozzieskem]

It’s an entertainment business simple as that and it’s heing strangled by football more than ever,the standard has dropped but I feel it’s mainly because of the advent of the lads being Uber fit nowadays they all look and play in a similar fashion it is kinda cancels it all out.

It needs to change as the game is in trouble.

[old hooker]

My views are that the game in UK is in decline for a few reasons.The crowds are shrinking at almost every club.Amateur clubs are going to the wall and there is no reserve grade anymore apart from a handful of clubs.The challenge cup is nowhere near as popular and Wembley does not get filled for the final.I agree that players today are fitter, bigger and stronger than ever but that does not make them better rugby players.I am sure that at a young age kids have lots of skill but imo it is coached out of them by wrestling skills and gym work being so important.Many people including myself derided RU for naming it Kick and Clap, we are now getting the 5 drives and a kick tag and that is largely true.RL will always be competetive and tough but is now predictable and only a few games are really exciting these days.Of course I appreciate not everyone will agree with me but it certainly has less appeal than it had for me.