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[Exiled Wiganer]

I really enjoyed watching the team that played Cronulla.
My sole issue is with the teams that we have to watch every week.
These players are trying hard and have some potential, but our inability to get and keep people fit, and have them return in decent nick that annoys me.
At least we have another week of Wane not looking at the league table, seeing small things that they will fix, and updates on how much the injured lads are enjoying their free time, looking really good and won't be rushed back pretty much any time.

[adiddy]

I don't watch Wigan just because we win things, I watch Wigan because they are my team and I enjoy watching and supporting rugby league. I enjoy watching Wigan win trophies but I don't expect us to win everything every season, that is not the catalyst behind my support. If we win nothing else this season it won't and doesn't really matter as I'll enjoy watching my team win or lose and continue to be excited by seeing some excellent youngsters being blooded and thinking what these boys will achieve with this club in the near future. I will also look forward to getting the experienced players back on the field to be able to see what a near to full strength team can actually do against the rest of the league.


Matt

Can you name anyone who does watch Wigan simply to see them win things? I can't think of anyone who does or who expects to win something every year.

That is not the same as looking at the team on paper in any given season and thinking given the opposition we ought to be contesting the finals. That is just an opinion based on what people see as the potential of the team and capabilities of the opposition. So when the team falls short of this expectation people voice their opinions.

That said even with the best team on paper it is all essentially knockout rugby which means on the day anything can happen so ultimately only watching Wigan in order to see them win things takes no account of circumstances beyond control. And that includes injuries.

The bottom line is this though. Regardless of winning a trophy or not, I defy anyone including yourself to be enjoying watching the excuse for RL Wigan are serving up at the moment.

I cannot recall a sequence of matches where I have seen Wigan play as badly since before 1980 and I include 2006 in this.

I am one of those who constantly argues the league games are important because as a season ticket holder I will see a lot more of them than I will a final (if we get to one) and I expect to enjoy going to these games, not watching poor play week in, week out. I really do not like the opinion some have that so long as we win the GF the fact numerous games in the regular season where downright poor doesn't matter. They do and I think we are being short changed to a huge degree despite the injuries.

If we went all season battering teams playing great RL then lost in the GF of course I'd be mad but I would have had the enjoyment of all the excellent play gone before. We are not seeing any of this and so are already reduced to hoping we can hang on to leave us with enough of a chance for a top four place and the chance the season will end up coming down to a GF.

For some this enough. Not for me. I expect to be entertained and seeing young lads have the confidence knocked out of them doesn't cut it.

The amount of fans on this forum and others that are forever throwing in the towel and never coming again because of the rubbish rugby, wane out, etc says to me that a lot of people do expect to win things every season.

Yes a number of games have been disappointing, maybe we should have won a few more, maybe Wane should change the game plays to suit the inexperienced youngsters but nothing can take away from the fact that due to a horrendous injury run we're having we are having to play regularly, third, fourth and even fifth choice players, so no matter how much I want Wigan to win, I'm not expecting us to do so until we have the more experienced players back and have a balanced side. Does this mean I'm not entertained, does this mean I'm not going to a game again?? Of course not, even tonight at times we played some lovely stuff and scored some lovely tries and some of the young players who's confidence is being battered were in the middle of the moves! Forsyth, Davies, Marshall were again superb tonight and watching these boys playing like they do gives me a great deal of pride and confidence for Wigans future whether it's this season, next or the season after.


Matt

[Exiled Wiganer]

I agree with 90% of that. Wane has shown he can win things, and develop players and put out a very watchable team. What we are seeing now - 2 wins in 11 makes us the worst team in SL by the way and our early form is simply disguising the fact that the team we are fielding is playing as badly as the 2006 relegation team - is actually what we should expect from the team our medical staff and conditioning experts can turn out. Plus, seemingly, the cosy "don't bother playing, get another PB in the gym first" culture.
In 2 weeks, we will be able to focus solely on avoiding the middle 8s and I hope we all get behind the lads as we did in the great escape season.
It'll get worse before it gets better but I could see us winning our 23rd game in the last minute to stay in the 8.

[adiddy]

Matt/Exiled? does it matter? Mayvbe we are not meant to achieve anything in 2017 other than tickets does Wigan matter in 2017 Maybe the RFL. RL supporters prefer Castleford, Salford at finals, high in the league, winning games.

Are Wigan MUGS for developing junior players? Are qigan fans mugs fot attending, paying into RL/Wigan coffers?

The WCC was possibly our trade off?

It doesn't matter to me.....like my first post, of course I want Wigan to be successful, if we're not I'll still be watching next season. As for whether Wigan matter in 2007 of course we do. Teams always want to turn us over and raise their game to do so, beating Wigan is a huge statement for any team and their supporters.

Fans imo always want lesser teams to be successful, I am more than happy to watch teams like Wakey, Salford and Cas work their way towards the top of the table, and I'm sure the RFL are extremely happy that some unfashionable teams are producing some entertaining rugby league.

Are Wigan mugs for producing young players??? Don't really understand why we wouldn't, to be able produce successful quality youngsters can be the lifeblood of a team, as no team can afford to buy in quality players like Williams, Tomkins, Ashton, Lockers, Farrell.

Are Wigan fans mugs for watching/ paying into Wigan coffers??? Are you??? Are any supporters who follow any team in any league mugs?? Without supporters paying into their teams there would be no rugby league or any other sport.


Matt

[adiddy]

RL has been changing for 2 seasons at least, certainly this season. In terms of higher risk, off loading, less structure. It is changing in the NRL and to a lesser degree here in the UK.

Ps this I agree with, strictly structured play is dying a death, for me we need to find a happy medium, which for me would be still an element of structure but with enough scope to allow our creative players to play what's in front of them.

Matt

[DaveO]

The amount of fans on this forum and others that are forever throwing in the towel and never coming again because of the rubbish rugby, wane out, etc says to me that a lot of people do expect to win things every season.

What people say in haste they usually regret at their leisure and in that vein I don't know of one regular poster on here who goes to games to has actually given up going just because of results despite blowing a gasket on forum.

That said when I have been fed up with a result in the past I have always managed to convince myself we have a chance against the next team regardless of who is injured or the circumstances etc. At the moment I expect to lose. That is first for me since 1980.

Yes a number of games have been disappointing, maybe we should have won a few more, maybe Wane should change the game plays to suit the inexperienced youngsters but nothing can take away from the fact that due to a horrendous injury run we're having we are having to play regularly, third, fourth and even fifth choice players, so no matter how much I want Wigan to win, I'm not expecting us to do so until we have the more experienced players back and have a balanced side.

As I just said I don't expect us to win at the moment but the difference between you and I is you don't expect us to win until we get experienced players back whereas I have expected us to win when despite the injuries and contrary to my expectations when we have got into a winning position.

Despite the injuries we have blown games having got into a winning position and in my opinion this is down to poor tactics and decision making primarily from coach who is carrying on as if he had his 1st 17 out.

Does this mean I'm not entertained, does this mean I'm not going to a game again?? Of course not, even tonight at times we played some lovely stuff and scored some lovely tries and some of the young players who's confidence is being battered were in the middle of the moves! Forsyth, Davies, Marshall were again superb tonight and watching these boys playing like they do gives me a great deal of pride and confidence for Wigans future whether it's this season, next or the season after.


Matt

People often say we have no right to win games (which is another excuse) but what we really don't have a right to expect is an injury free season. Unless we get one then under Wane you and I will be having the same conversation next season and the season after. Cameos from young players are great but they themselves are being let down by poor coaching.

[adiddy]

People often say we have no right to win games (which is another excuse) but what we really don't have a right to expect is an injury free season. Unless we get one then under Wane you and I will be having the same conversation next season and the season after. Cameos from young players are great but they themselves are being let down by poor coaching.

Fair Dinkum DaveO

Matt

[Exiled Wiganer]

On structure, I have long held the view that we need NRL influence at least every 3 years. No one can stay at the top of our sport without input from the highest level. An NRL reserve grade coach to assist Wane would be my preference,
I think our development and recruitment are excellent, and that our problems start and finish in our conditioning and medical departments. We have been flirting with disaster every year since 2013, and the most we have done about it is ask the numpties who can't prevent and cure our players whether there are any problems - 5 years bad luck, apparently. If we have broken a mirror, it'll be 2020 before we can get to see the first team players we pay to watch on a regular basis.