Wigan V Leeds 12/05/23

[Big Steve]

Typical Leeds performance and something they've done to Wigan for years - but never quite so convincingly.

It's almost like it's their game plan to play awful, let us get complacent then start playing with an attitude where they make their own luck.

I can't recall seeing a game which looked like it should have been a landslide turn around 100%.

Logic would say that Wigan can't throw away next weeks game like that and Leeds can't pull off another win lie that - but only if we turn around they attitude in both defence and attack.

Our lack of cutting edge invited Leeds back into the game - and the same goes for last week v Hull. We should have been out of site in the first half.

Leeds do what they do - and it exposed our lack of forwards in the middle (aided by a very questionable bench selection) and made us start playing catch up - and when our main/only threat is Smith playing the ball out of the back to Bevan it's a pretty easy read for a team willing to gamble like Leeds.

First time i've criticised Matty, but the bench selection looked a bit like complacency from him - thinking we would walk over Leeds while playing around with players positions. KPP/Smithies/Shorrocks/Faz/Powell in the forwards is far too small - Hill played pretty well last week I thought and should have ben in. If Cust needed a warm up, play him in the reserves.

Perfect opportunity to see how we respond as a collective next week - could be a make/break game for the season.

[Soul Kitchen]

"Heroics over Easter now a waste of time,12 man Leeds win 40 points to 4, what a humiliation"


Never thought of it as blatantly obvious as that!

In the words of Jim Bowen "give the man a tin badge."

[The Yonner]

A little unfair the criticism of Cust, who I thought was starting to make things happen, notwithstanding the intercept pass at the end.

Most striking for me was the contrast between Austin's performance - he was all over the field creating play left and right - and our halves who are in fixed compartments on either side. Surely this tactic is overdue for a review?

Running on empty in the second half with only two and a half props to rotate was probably the major factor though.

[Wintergreen]

The emotion has worn off now. I forced myself to watch the game back and one huge question manifests itself. Btw the level of anti Wigan comments (justified or otherwise) from Wilkin is laughable.

What did Peet actually do to try and influence the game once it was clear something needed to be done?

If someone can tell me I will be (genuinely) interested.

What I saw was when Plan A fails, there is no Plan B. There isn't even a Plan A mk2.

Peet needs to add this to his arsenal. And quickly.

In terms of the season, last night probably has little bearing. In terms of identifying weaknesses and areas of improvement, it was massive.

[Southern Softy]

Blimey - I think I must be still in shock. Can't recall ever seeing such a cave-in.
I believe that the players on the field last night need to be the ones to turn this round. Hampshire is not going to be the messiah - he wasn't when he was first at the club and he hasn't been at his other clubs. Although Thornley has scored three really good tries, he hasn't offered a great deal for the rest of the match and Marshall needs to be brought back in sharpish.
We might want a rethink about French and where he plays because sides have worked out how to deal with him when he picks the ball up deep in defence after a tactical kick. He's a genius - we just need to harness his talents to get the best out of him.
The complaints about Faz don't stand up - he has honed his technique to use that sideways movement to gain yards (see the stats elsewhere in this thread) more than others.
I was worried about Wardle's injury. His eye was totally closed and I hope he's able to play next week.
Agree about a young prop being given game time. Hill maybe looks the best so should now be a regular.
Tactics are for professional coaches but the sight of endless failures when battering towards the line is really depressing. Havard is the only prop who is likely to score - the rest of the forwards (Isa especially) never get through. KPP can get to the line through tackles but never seems to be in the right position.
I thought we were going to be the sort of team who beat the lesser lights and struggled against the better ones but it looks as if we may be the team who can raise their game for some matches (Saints & Wire) but really aren't as good as we thought we were. Can't see this pattern changing this season unless the players can sort this out for themselves.

[Karl Carpenter]

The only person who showed heart and effort for the full 80 was French.
Isa great first half then missing second half, Shorrocks the same, even Mago looked ok in the first half.
Also KPP is a blue print of Gilly, got his NRL gig and now just coasting. Get him out now if his heads not there, he’s offering nothing at the moment

“even Mago looked ok in the first half”. “ For goodness’ sake, he only played for 12 minutes and should have looked a lot better than ok.

[Barney841]

We are missing 3 props at the moment which won’t help us making a platform for the backs.
Think our pack need a good looking at, i think we need at least 3 new props for next season with losing singleton, Mago and maybe Ellis. Also Byrne has improved slightly but still isn’t good enough

[medlocke]

We are missing 3 props at the moment which won’t help us making a platform for the backs.
Think our pack need a good looking at, i think we need at least 3 new props for next season with losing singleton, Mago and maybe Ellis. Also Byrne has improved slightly but still isn’t good enough

Ellis been offered new contract and we are looking at 2 props & Second Rowers supposedly

[Barney841]

We are missing 3 props at the moment which won’t help us making a platform for the backs.
Think our pack need a good looking at, i think we need at least 3 new props for next season with losing singleton, Mago and maybe Ellis. Also Byrne has improved slightly but still isn’t good enough

Ellis been offered new contract and we are looking at 2 props & Second Rowers supposedly

That’s not too bad then. We do need them, badly

[Charriots Offiah]

I said before this game Blake Austin can win a game when he’s up for it - he’s been up for it tonight - you can point to new man’s interceptions but Blake Austin for me was the bigger factor

Wigan have imploded tonight a lot of average performances

I suppose if you were gonna lose one of the two games we have with Leeds then this is the one to lose - I expect we will bounce back for the cup

Austin was great in the second half but it is no coincidence that he continually ran where Cust was defending. In the first half he did not get a sniff against Shorrocks.