Shaun Wane has today named his 19-man squad for the Magic Weekend game with Leeds Rhinos.
Wigan face the table topping Rhinos in the main game on Saturday evening when a crowd of over 40,000 is expected to cram into Newcastle United's St James' Park to see the blockbuster tie.
The Warriors will be looking to bounce back from defeat in France to Catalans and come up against a Leeds team who are three points clear at the top of the table.
Wane makes just one change to his squad with Connor Farrell, fit again after injury, coming in for Rhodri Lloyd.
Speaking ahead of the game, Wane said: "I'm really glad we're playing the best team in the comp. They're always great games between us and Leeds, I've every respect for them. They're a great team with some great players.
"They've got some really good individuals, two of the best centres in the comp, their back five players are really strong. They're playing with a bit more structure now and are very tough to beat."
Wane is keen for his players to find the form that saw them win five in a row, including three games where they ‘nilled' the opposition.
The Warriors coach knows his team have a job on their hands against a strong Leeds outfit:
"They're the form team in the competition so we need to be a lot better, we need to play a lot better and defend like we did against Brisbane and attack like we attacked against Warrington.We'll trouble Leeds but we need to stay with them, they play with a high intensity, they defend with some vigour. There's no doubt about it, they're a tough team to beat but we did it last year with a weak team at the Etihad so it's a good competition for us.
"We've still no Tony Clubb, Dom Manfredi, Anthony Gelling, Iain Thornley or Liam Farrell so we've got some big players missing but that's a good opportunity for everybody to step up and that will make the win, if we can get it, more enjoyable."
Wigan Warriors 19-Man Squad
John Bateman, Matty Bowen, Joe Burgess, Josh Charnley, Dom Crosby, Connor Farrell, Ben Flower, Ryan Hampshire, Michael McIlorum, Lee Mossop, Sean O'Loughlin, Larne Patrick, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, Joel Tomkins and George Williams.
Referee - Phil Bentham
Read more at http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... r5r7Bsj.99
http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... WfdlDx8.99
Squad versus Leeds
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East Stand Faithful
- Posts: 1494
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Squad versus Leeds
Whatever happened to Billy McGinty's pineapple?
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morley pie eater
- Posts: 3293
- Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:01 pm
Re: Squad versus Leeds
Sounds like a realistic, though upbeat assessment of our chances to me: "they're good and we need to be at our best, in attack and defence, to beat them but we're up for it."
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
Wigan 
Saints
Saints Re: Squad versus Leeds
Will you be there MPE? I will not. Arranged concert tickets for my wife A LONG TIME AGO. Not cheap but you know the artist will deliver and my wife will be incredibly happy.morley pie eater wrote:Sounds like a realistic, though upbeat assessment of our chances to me: "they're good and we need to be at our best, in attack and defence, to beat them but we're up for it."
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
The press release are just guff or do you believe them?
Re: Squad versus Leeds
No matter what Wane says or does, some people will never be happy. We could go a full season unbeaten and certain people would still find a problem.morley pie eater wrote:Sounds like a realistic, though upbeat assessment of our chances to me: "they're good and we need to be at our best, in attack and defence, to beat them but we're up for it."
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
Re: Squad versus Leeds
Could we?Warrior20 wrote:No matter what Wane says or does, some people will never be happy. We could go a full season unbeaten and certain people would still find a problem.morley pie eater wrote:Sounds like a realistic, though upbeat assessment of our chances to me: "they're good and we need to be at our best, in attack and defence, to beat them but we're up for it."
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
We'd have to get all the Yorkshire games moved to the DW, for starters.
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platt-warrior
- Posts: 1940
- Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:33 pm
Re: Squad versus Leeds
Sw said the same or similar before the Catalan game iircmorley pie eater wrote:Sounds like a realistic, though upbeat assessment of our chances to me: "they're good and we need to be at our best, in attack and defence, to beat them but we're up for it."
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
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Wiganer Ted
- Posts: 3252
- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:31 pm
Re: Squad versus Leeds
He didn't say the same thing prior to playing Catalans.
His comments included remarks about their away form when they were at home. The week before he made some disparaging remark about HKR which Campese mentioned after the game.
Someone at the club must have had a word.
What he said this week was spot on. Pressy's should be kept boring IMO. Talk for 10-20 minutes but say nothing.
This week is more like the press conf script he should be sticking to.
Let's hope they've given him some home truths about far more than press conferances too.
Let's hope this change of events off the field can preclude a change of fortunes on it when wer're away from home.
His comments included remarks about their away form when they were at home. The week before he made some disparaging remark about HKR which Campese mentioned after the game.
Someone at the club must have had a word.
What he said this week was spot on. Pressy's should be kept boring IMO. Talk for 10-20 minutes but say nothing.
This week is more like the press conf script he should be sticking to.
Let's hope they've given him some home truths about far more than press conferances too.
Let's hope this change of events off the field can preclude a change of fortunes on it when wer're away from home.
Re: Squad versus Leeds
Agreed press conferences should be fairly dull build the other team up a degree and nothing more,say nothing nasty and generally talk about the weather as perhaps the most controversial subject.
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Owd Codger
- Posts: 5628
- Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:20 am
Re: Squad versus Leeds
What, a concert for the Wife comes before attending the Magic weekend?cpwigan wrote:Will you be there MPE? I will not. Arranged concert tickets for my wife A LONG TIME AGO. Not cheap but you know the artist will deliver and my wife will be incredibly happy.morley pie eater wrote:Sounds like a realistic, though upbeat assessment of our chances to me: "they're good and we need to be at our best, in attack and defence, to beat them but we're up for it."
Maybe it would suit some people if he said "they're good, we're crap and we've no chance - you may as well stay away and enjoy discussing who you want as the new coach"?
The press release are just guff or do you believe them?
Now we know who wears the pants in your house.
Only Joking, cpwigan!