Lets get some perspective hereSouthern Softy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 11:10 amYou're right about going wide all the time but battering down the middle is a holding operation until you can switch the play wide and then, because of our slow play, we've probably used up most of our tackles, a ground kicking game is crucial. George Williams kicking to our left flank was the most potent play we had in Wane's last years but we seem to hardly ever use it now unless Harry Smith is on the field. He's not the messiah but he does offer a something different which liberates Burgess, Gildart and Farrell.nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:00 amWhilst I agree with some of your post, it’s about striking a balance. If you start going wide all of the time, the defensive team don’t need to be compact in the middle and can spread out more. That means there isn’t the space out wide anymore.Southern Softy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 9:32 am We lost because we weren't good enough to win and were undisciplined. Which doesn't mean that Saints should have won - they weren't as good as they usually are. Two knackered sides with not a great deal of creativity and that is down to the coaches. Lam doesn't have much of a game plan - we were still running the same moves in the 75th minute as we were in the 5th minute. Everyone could see that when we went wide, we stretched Saints and had chances to score but we concentrated on battering down the middle which didn't work all night. Saints have sacrificed flair for some Leeds-type nastiness (Bentley is a prime example) but they will say that it worked this season so expect more of the same.
The touch judge gave the crucial penalty and was insistent that it was a high tackle. Can't say I agreed but it does happen.
What was depressing was to watch us getting near the line and having no plan to get over and score. The absence of Harry Smith to give us something different was obvious near the end. Smithies was lucky not to be sin-binned for that shoulder charge and can expect another ban.
The loss will be worth it if we learn, adapt and play differently but I'm not holding my breath.
It’s a combination of bartering down the middle to make the defence compact. Then to get it out wide and have decoy runners to keep them compact as you get it outwide and hopefully in space.
Wigan finished top of the league
scored the 2nd most points of any team in the league during the season
Adrian Lam won coach of the year
Literally a posts width from winning the Grand Final (Zaks cross bar, Makinsons Drop)
Kept the top points scoring team try less until the final second of the game
you know what i think Lam probably does know what he's doing