Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 2:06 pm  

Expected result was just hoping we kept it tighter. Wigan were ruthless and would have put that score on a few teams in the league.

Hopefully Myler can get 2/3 players in soon. The likes of Fash, Lane and Chamberlain aren’t gunna cut it if they are regulars each week but we already knew that.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 2:38 pm  

The Dentist Wilf wrote:

It’s a funny old game!!! Not so much Rugby League but more this being a fan business. The word itself depicts a fanatic and so we are all are really, because even after watching the club into my sixth decade I never cease to be amazed by how the pre-season hype, marketing and general talking up inspires me each year and convinces me things are back on track, a miracle has occurred and we will do well in the coming season.

Last night we sat there and witnessed a visiting team as good as anything our competition has produced that would hold their own very well in the NRL. I’m not saying Wigan would win it but boy, they’d give it a good go and were they good last night? Stinging after a defeat as they were, it’s unlikely any other Super League club would have beaten them.

However biased I am towards the club I love, however much I want a magic wand to have been waved you have to admit that and I have to be a bit more realistic as to just how far we have to travel to get anywhere near that level of performance.

Had we kicked on from 2017 we could have been up there but it’s hard to see how our attaining that level again will not take several seasons of building a team and developing the squad. How far we have been allowed to fall is the real disgrace really and yet we pitch up in our absolute thousands full of hope for a new beginning yet with many of us knowing in our hearts, through bitter experience, that it very likely that disappointment will continue to haunt many aspects of the season ahead.

I’m trying to not let the disappointment that comes with losing to a brilliant opponent on the night, colour our judgement for there were positives. We hung in, there the resolve to be better was there for all to see, the line speed was OK the ruck was a lot better we never gave up on what was a lost cause, we have tons of potential, we had some bad luck and tough calls but everyone tried.

And at last facing a big defeat heads didn’t go down.

I can hack it as long as that continues, but it’s a shame for those less case-hardened individuals who want to see a winning team and turned up fuelled by the hype and expectation, one win at a very average Catalan brought and who have not wintered and summered the almost unique experience of being an FC fan ‘till I die’.

The team isn’t good enough is it? WE have signed as well as an ailing club could have, but it remains to be seen how signing older players for their experience will impact on out injury situation going forward. That was always a worry for me, but by and large we have recruited pretty well.

I also think the coach is good enough (his post-match interview was succinct honest and realistic) and I’m of the school of thought that if he can’t do it no one can!!! I rate our football manager thus far too. In addition, anyone who has had a chat with the new owner will know that he is in it for the long haul really passionate about the club and very realistic about the task ahead.

Some players we fielded last night wouldn’t have got anywhere near the 2016/17 squad 1 to 30, but we are building and we have to rely on those less gifted both in ability and size to do their best and let’s face it last night they all did. Brad Fash is a point of question on this front. He’ll never be a second row forward, he’s not tall enough, he doesn’t have the hands and he's short on speed. Nor is he big enough for a prop, but he put his hand up, he’s FC through and through he gave his absolute all and ran himself to a standstill. He’ll probably knows that he’ll be replaced in the fullness of time, but in the mean-time we can really ask for nothing more.

I think that can be said for most of the others too, well beaten but certainly not unbowed. How a few more disappointments will impact on that resolve remains to be seen. But last night Wigan were just too good. When power was needed they had, it they showed patience, discipline, had pace to burn and so much skill through their spine. We chased the game throughout and weren’t at the races, but we tried and never gave in and that for me is a massive plus on last season.

All we can now do is stick with the team as we always do, but let’s take heart in the fact that a lot looks different now and we have to take that build on it and move forward. It’s going to be a long hard season but the fact the players are hurting because they felt they let us down is proof enough that things have changed. Let’s just hope for a bit more luck than we usually get on the injury front!!

Brilliant post Pete,

The analysis of Fashy is spot on, he never stops, frightened of nothing, but endeavour is always beaten by quality, and we need to replenish our squad as I said pre game. Hopefully we can find the available personnel asap.

We did show some good shape last night, just didn’t have the strike to finish it.

Rapanas hit on Field was worth the attendance ticket alone, and Young Pablos got some talent. Just waiting for the good old RFL to put the usual boot in now.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 3:14 pm  

I'm not a fan of breaking up the spine but with the plaudits Moy was getting preseason I'm really thinking we should move Rapana into the centres. Chamberlain is just poor and it's mind boggling we offered him a 3 year deal. Having said that, I still think he would do a better job in the second row than Fash can. I just think we'd be a bit better balanced and I know that Rapana isn't a established centre, I just think he would actually add an attacking threat there and sharpen things up defensively.
OR I'd be happy to see Westerman given a chance but I feel like I've read either Carty or Myler say they think he's still a year away from been ready. He maybe could handle a couple of games just until Hardaker is back.
It was quite painful watching Chamberlain have open space in front of him and his winger outside of him (might have been a 2 on 1) but then kicking dead for a 7 tackle set (which Wigan I think scored from?).

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 6:15 pm  

Hasbag wrote:

I'm not a fan of breaking up the spine but with the plaudits Moy was getting preseason I'm really thinking we should move Rapana into the centres. Chamberlain is just poor and it's mind boggling we offered him a 3 year deal. Having said that, I still think he would do a better job in the second row than Fash can. I just think we'd be a bit better balanced and I know that Rapana isn't a established centre, I just think he would actually add an attacking threat there and sharpen things up defensively.
OR I'd be happy to see Westerman given a chance but I feel like I've read either Carty or Myler say they think he's still a year away from been ready. He maybe could handle a couple of games just until Hardaker is back.
It was quite painful watching Chamberlain have open space in front of him and his winger outside of him (might have been a 2 on 1) but then kicking dead for a 7 tackle set (which Wigan I think scored from?).

I wouldn't argue with any of that, the only positive with Chamberlain is that he finished a game.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 9:38 pm  

FC Callum wrote:

Expected result was just hoping we kept it tighter. Wigan were ruthless and would have put that score on a few teams in the league.

Hopefully Myler can get 2/3 players in soon. The likes of Fash, Lane and Chamberlain aren’t gunna cut it if they are regulars each week but we already knew that.

The worry is Fash and Chamberlain are under contract for 2026 and I can see Lane's slightly improved form winning him a new deal and the club doing a '2024 player of the year resigns' announcement.

With Sao and Ashworth also out of contract we need to unearth several players for the pack. Ashworth looks good when he plays but we need to assess the injury record (this week was just an illness however)

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 11:31 pm  

65% completion rate !
83% v Dragons I believe

These are the things Carty must work on - the basics

We have to get these right and I believe we will over the course of the season

6 agains and penalties need to be less than 5 a game combined with 85% completion rate a minimum standard

Carty has to work on the basics and I’m sure he will talk about it most of the season

We need a squad overhaul as we all know
Fash Sao and Lane to move on and be replaced by 2 props and a second row bit all of at least 75% more quality and fitness

We still need that massive centre who scores 20+ tries a season

Richie Barnett Snr type player

Anyways onwards and upwards
We don’t want to lose the next 2 matches on the spin

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sun Feb 23, 2025 12:45 am  

Even in a heavy defeat, you could at least recognise structures being put in place. Been a while since I’ve seen a Hull side with even a little bit of shape.

Personnel just not at the standard needed to get anywhere near a team like Wigan. Years of abysmal recruitment and retention will take a while to correct. Think we have the right people in place to make it happen.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sun Feb 23, 2025 7:54 am  

UllFC wrote:

The worry is Fash and Chamberlain are under contract for 2026 and I can see Lane's slightly improved form winning him a new deal and the club doing a '2024 player of the year resigns' announcement.

With Sao and Ashworth also out of contract we need to unearth several players for the pack. Ashworth looks good when he plays but we need to assess the injury record (this week was just an illness however)

Atm Lane is starting back rower, Chamberlain is battling Briscoe to be first choice left centre and 1 injury in the pack and Fash is in.

Either during this season or by start of next, (if they are all still here) they all need to be further down the pecking order.

Lane battling for a bench spot, Chamberlain a back up centre/back rower and Fash nowhere near the back row/6th prop option. I’d have Salabio above Fash for front row already.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sun Feb 23, 2025 2:42 pm  

BP1 wrote:

Wow! If those stats are correct there is no wonder the game unfolded as it did!
Looking back on last night in the cold light of a new day, Wigan were nigh on perfect throughout the whole eighty minutes. Power, pace, teamwork, inventiveness, they had the lot.

We worked hard, stuck at it the best we could, and didn't let our heads drop too much which is a big improvement on past seasons, but last night was a sobering reminder of how far we have to travel if we wish to compete again at the top. Hopefully we won't have to witness too many more games like this or the effects will begin to have a detrimental impact on the season. They need to file last night under 'experience' and move on to games where we may be able to compete on a slightly more even footing, here's hoping so.

Great Post. Has 99%completion ever been done before?
Also I did think Wigan rode their luck a couple of times, bounce of ball deflections etc not that Ican distract from an excellent performance from them, Some a bit harsh on Chamberlain who apparently played with an injury. Good to see Balmforth able to play for so long too

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sun Feb 23, 2025 11:05 pm  

Chamberlain on a 3 year deal was an absolutely mind boggling signing, especially given the fact he was given a starting number. He’s not even a decent squad player.