How to avoid the Million Pound Game

[Exiled Wiganer]

First, I remain as steadfast a fan as ever, and firmly behind a team which has given me infinite pleasure, including by gloriously winning the GF and WCC in the last 12 months.

Second, I think that 2018 could and certainly 2019 should be fine for the club, as long as we sack the current "experts" and get modern medical support. I am agnostic as to whether the coach should go.

That said, we are in relegation form, and have been for about 3 months. Our strong start hides the fact that we are the worst team in the competition at the moment. We are certainly as bad as Hull KR were this time last year. The club needs to accept that reality.

We need to avoid finding ourselves playing in the MPG, as we could well find ourselves in the same position as HKR last year. Play like we have these last 3 months and we could well lose that game. There is no prospect of our beating Leigh or Wire away. To think otherwise is to ignore the lessons the last 11 league games. But, things could get better after that.

There are 2 ways we can manage this. First, we can target 8th place. To do so, we need to stay above Catalans and Wire, as Saints have now got a better record than us. That will be hard, as they have better squads than the one we have to rely on, but if we could somehow find a way to beat Wire at home, that is a possibility. We need to treat the games against them, Widnes and the Giants as cup finals. We should not bother playing Lockers in any games other than those. Even if we get past Wire, we would stand no chance against Cas etc in the semi, and the distraction could lead to us losing a league game we need to win.

If we fail to finish above Cats and Wire, then we need to take the middle 8s very seriously indeed. We ought to be able to finish 9th (we should be able to win 2 games before the split, if only be luck), so will have 4 home games. Apart from HKR, I would back even our current lot to beat the other 3 championship teams. If we can persuade Sam T and Bateman to pop out of the gym long enough, and can keep our centres fit, then I would back us to win 2 of the games against the Giants, Widnes, HKR and Leigh. Probably our home games.

We as fans have to get behind the team as we did in the great escape games in 2006. There are plenty of players in the squad who deserve our support, as even against the odds they are digging deep. The likes of Marshall and Davies deserve to be playing in SL again next year. I still think we have the talent to turn this round sufficiently to avoid the MPG, but it'll be a close thing and there may be even more non tackling routs to suffer before we do so.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I can't be bothered re typing this, but I still stand by it...

[moto748]

Can't argue with any of your post there, EW.

I'm still sobbing over that goal-line defence, though. And that's not personnel, it's organisation.

[DaveO]

As for the £1m pound game, is there a team who have recruited like Leigh did for theirs?

Relegation form we have, but is there a team that actually wants to come up! Can they afford it?

[Wigan_forever1985]

As for the £1m pound game, is there a team who have recruited like Leigh did for theirs?

Relegation form we have, but is there a team that actually wants to come up! Can they afford it?

Hull KR are the only one really, they have a pretty decent team theyve only lost 1 match all season and when i saw them play last they looked pretty good, at least as good as leigh

We are in massive danger of free fall, everyone will want to scalp us in the middle 8's. The teams confidence is absolutely shot

[Exiled Wiganer]

In a way the nature of last night's defeat could lead to a sense of reality finally sweeping through the club. Even yesterday there was a headline about us winning the GF on Wigan Today. No!!!!!!
Please god they will now singly focus on staying in the 8. Home wins against Widnes and Wire may still be enough but we have to take the hold we are in very seriously indeed.
Surely, the defence will improve with Farrell and Bateman there?
If i were a betting man I would put money on our scraping 8th and then playing entertaining rugby for the rest of the year with no pressure.
Sadly, Wane's curt dismissal of the question around the middle 8s suggests he either has to go or we need to sink lower (though not sure if that is possible).

[TrueBlueWarrior]

Are people seriously suggesting we wont make the top 8?

[thegimble]

Are people seriously suggesting we wont make the top 8?

I seriously think its a realistic prospect no wins in how many. We are promised players back since April but were still get hammered by crap sides atm.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

Are people seriously suggesting we wont make the top 8?

I seriously think its a realistic prospect no wins in how many. We are promised players back since April but were still get hammered by crap sides atm.

So you don't think Sam, Bateman, Lockers, Powell, Farrell, Gelling, Gildart, and Clubb all on the field at the same time won't improve us and we will still be relegation material?

[thegimble]

Are people seriously suggesting we wont make the top 8?

I seriously think its a realistic prospect no wins in how many. We are promised players back since April but were still get hammered by crap sides atm.

So you don't think Sam, Bateman, Lockers, Powell, Farrell, Gelling, Gildart, and Clubb all on the field at the same time won't improve us and we will still be relegation material?

I will believe it when I see it. Sorry but I tend to deal in the here and now and Sam, Clubb (unfortunately) Bateman and Gelling have hardly been seen all season.

If they are all fit and all playing to close to potential we will make the top 8. But

If the injuries do not improve those players breakdown again and miss most of the remaining games do you think we make the top 8 on current form with the side we have now.