Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 5:43 pm  

Some on here have said several times that they are impressed with the forwards and not with the backs and, by and large on the first half at least, so it was. Friendlies mean little except match practise and no one's getting too stressed yet, but after this one, only one thing is guaranteed, and that that there's another long season ahead.

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 6:21 pm  

One looked like a team a few weeks out from a World Club Challenge, the other looked like a set of new players and youngsters who are not SL ready

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 6:33 pm  

Wigan finished last season as worthy champions and since then they have recruited superbly and have acquired a billionaire new owner.

Probably the last team you'd want to play in a trial game.

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:05 pm  

Spoke to Carlos and Ligi tonight. Both just been struggling with a bit of flu as have some of the boys who played today. Not overly concerned with the score.

One thing to note was they were both a bit shocked how little time Denive got and are shocked Cator getting nod before him

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:50 pm  

Whilst it was only a friendly, I don't think it was meaningless. Whilst I never expected to win, I never expected that scoreline either.

Same old failings. Poor discipline, too many unforced errors, missed 1 on 1 tackles and players on the edge shooting out of the defensive line.
We also remained toothless in attack, far too flat and static.
I thought our forwards were very good however.

Smith certainly has a lot to work on still.
I'd much rather see the changes on the field now instead of hearing the same repeated tripe from Smith on what needs fixing.

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 8:58 pm  

It always amazes me how worked up people get about friendlies. I accept it wasn't a performance to inspire confidence, but ateotd it's a glorified training session. An opportunity to gets some minutes into some players and to try out a few things.

Play like that against Rovers and then we can start to worry, but lets just wait and see.

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:32 pm  

Funny enough in the NFL the
Baltimore Ravens are a serious team with massive Super Bowl ambitions under coach Harbough.

They compete at the highest level every season and have for 15-20 years.

They didn’t lose a pre season friendly for 17 years approx and that’s 3-4 games every year.

It’s a philosophy they have !!!

We are 1 million fricking miles from that mentality

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:38 pm  

Mr. Zucchini Head wrote:

It always amazes me how worked up people get about friendlies. I accept it wasn't a performance to inspire confidence, but ateotd it's a glorified training session. An opportunity to gets some minutes into some players and to try out a few things.

Play like that against Rovers and then we can start to worry, but lets just wait and see.

After ending the season so badly, it would've been good for Smith & co to show the fans what they'd been working on in the off season in both attack and defence. Not scoring one try in a game where the purpose is to try things out and conceding 40 points isn't great at all.

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:22 pm  

Can only echo what most have already expressed.

First-half was at least encouraging, although that may have been due to Wigan not really getting out of first gear.

As soon as they upped the tempo early in the second-half it started to look all too familiar, missed tackles, careless penalties, errors leading to scores, all the usual traits we've come to know and dread over recent years. Scoring, in particular, looks like it may be a major problem.

I'd agree that it was only a pre-season run-out and we will have a clearer picture of where we really stand after the opening three games (think we need to win at least two of them), but it's difficult already to dismiss thoughts of another fraught year ahead.

Let's hope it was a bad-rehearsal, good-gig type scenario!!

Ah well, onwards and upwards, eh! with everything crossed for something better to hopefully come soon.

Re: Pre-season. : Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:34 pm  

Hullrealist wrote:

Spoke to Carlos and Ligi tonight. Both just been struggling with a bit of flu as have some of the boys who played today. Not overly concerned with the score.

One thing to note was they were both a bit shocked how little time Denive got and are shocked Cator getting nod before him

Tuimavave according to Pinocchio Smith is out with a knock not flu but i have to say this Balmforth situation is becoming obvious that Smith either doesnt like him or doesnt rate him.
He was supposed to be injured and playing in an arranged reserve game in the near future then suddenly called into the team for no real reason but played for so little time.
Just wonder if someone like Pearson has had a word and this is Smiths response.