Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:42 pm  

One last point. For me, the players are actually playing for Chester that much, they actually try too hard rather than stick to the basics.

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:59 am  

burtonsrlfc wrote:

Since I wasn't born when we was actually good (I was born in 1981) I go to games with hope, last night was no different. Yes it was disappointing, but the effort couldn't be faulted, and if I try to get to games and they try to win, then I feel I'm getting 'some' value. I grew up around players, my uncle played for Cas very successfully until a TJ style injury ruined his career. Lived on the same street as Glancy and round the corner from Gaz Ellis. My father was a ref (grade 2 for the old school). I repeat, I go to games with hope, I know Rhino fans that stopped going because they knew they were going to win games and it was boring. Watching Wakey is never boring. It's sometimes a hard watch but it has been worse.

These current players are light years ahead in term of nutrition , fitness ,training, player welfare from the Glancy , Mason era but IMO are no further ahead in ball skills or tactics than those predecessors who wore the shirt . Same could be said for a lot of teams in the current era ,Wigan as a prime example. Just take a look at the current NRL games to see how far behind we are on every level . I dont think we’ve come a long way playing wise from those early days whilst our antipodean rivals have gone meteoric in every aspect . The apathy of fans I talk to who have stopped watching the game is sad ,but until we and the RL get our houses in order there will be a continuous steady drain on our fan base .

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:16 am  

burtonsrlfc wrote:

One last point. For me, the players are actually playing for Chester that much, they actually try too hard rather than stick to the basics.

I think that's overdoing it, but I don't think they aren't trying. The problem is they look uncoached rather than lacking effort

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 10:00 am  

FIL wrote:

I've tuned in but the coverage keeps dropping every few seconds...is anyone else having this problem ??

Trust it to be the first game of the season we have a problem when it's the first where away fans are allowed back with no TV broadcasts.

It's being looked into as it's not good enough but unfortunately there is nothing the two of us at the stadium can do as we aren't the tech wizards.

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 10:02 am  

Trojan Horse wrote:

Ashurst isn’t the glue and hasn’t been for a couple of years. Couple of injuries and although he’s not a bad player by any stretch he’s just a decent option these days.

Tangi has gone backwards because he’s never been a prop. He’s playing out of position to accommodate Ashurst/Pitts a starting spot. I will say I’ve been happy with Pitts though on the right. I think Pitts, Lyne, Mason, Kershaw have been much more effective this season than their left counterparts especially in defence by far. Tanginoa produced numerous motm performances in SR and I just can’t fathom why he’s not back to SR with 4/5 props available. Reality is that I know the answer and it's because Ashurst will miss out.

Personally imho I would consider switching Ashurst to LF for 2022 and bang Tangi back where he belongs.

I agree with you for the most part, i'm just quoting what he said when Ashurst re-signed. I think part of the problem for me is, he appears to think it's still 2017 or 2018! He's obsessed with quoting I need my left edge fit and available etc, etc. Don't get me wrong, Tupou & TJ at their best makes us better, but we don't need Tom Johnstone to win games as was proven with our best spell winning those 3 games with Kay & Kershaw. We have 24 or 25 players good enough to step up and perform, we have good individuals, we just don't function well and often enough as a group/team, and over a period of more than 50 games, that has to come down to the coach.

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 10:26 am  

I think the main areas we lack are at prop and the fluidity and cohesion of the team in general. We lack a lot of go forward. Arona and Tanginoa aren't props (GTanginoa is our best prop but is playing out of position - what does that say?). Green just isn't good enought unfortunately not sure what has happened to him as when I saw him play against us for Hull he looked alright. Fifita looks past his best albeit still good enough for us. Aydin has barely played any super league. Battye doesn't look quite as good as he did when he wa son loan for reasons unknown to me. The team don't seem to lack effort per say but they seem to not quit be able to focus mentally for more than 40 minutes in a game.

As for the rest of the forwards, Ashurst is past his best and for me is no longer good enough to start. Pitts is solid every week and has been one of our most consistent performers. We need a new hooker (I know we've struggled due to injury) a Kyle Wood is good off the bench but the other player that play at hooker aren't good enough to take the team forward. They're good enough to keep us where we are at. Batchelor is pretty solid and works hard. I definitely think he is useful and I'd be tempted to start him over Ashurst these days. Crowther, i'm not really sure about. Works hard but he's not going to get a game at loose over Westerman and he's not in the top 3 best second rows and isn't a prop. Again, decent enough squad player to cover injuries but not necessarily going to improve a team that is really struggling.

Don't get the Miller hate. He was the only player looking to do something against Wigan and the only one that looked lively and not sluggish. Lino has been brought in for that organisational role and to take the game by the scruff of the neck and i'm not seeing that type of player. He looks more like a Jacob Miller rather than a Tim Smith in that his in play kicking is poor and decision making can be suspect. However, in defence of both half backs they are playing behind a pack that is beaten in most games!

I'm not sure there is a quck fix as a lot of our squad is aging and we probably don't have the youngsters coming throught hat are ready for this level yet but one thing is for sure there is a huge section of the squad that are past their best. The club needs a plan going forward and quick to how they manage the transition over the next two years. All the key players from four seasons ago are on the decline which I think explains the situation we find outselves in along with some questionable recruitment.

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:43 pm  

The difference between the teams was Hastings. Wigan scored 5 tries, he had 4 assists and kicked the drop goal. Without him we'd have struggled to win that and may not have done.
They were two average teams but one of them had a star player. Hastings was the best player on the field by a mile.
He played for Wigan and not Wakefield and therefore Wigan won.
Wakefield were not awful in most Wigan's fans views.
They lacked an attacking threat but took full advantage of Wigan slacking off when 25-0 up.
You may not be convinced about Chester but at least you don't have Lam.

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:48 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

The difference between the teams was Hastings. Wigan scored 5 tries, he had 4 assists and kicked the drop goal. Without him we'd have struggled to win that and may not have done.
They were two average teams but one of them had a star player. Hastings was the best player on the field by a mile.
He played for Wigan and not Wakefield and therefore Wigan won.
Wakefield were not awful in most Wigan's fans views.
They lacked an attacking threat but took full advantage of Wigan slacking off when 25-0 up.
You may not be convinced about Chester but at least you don't have Lam.

It just wasn't. You could have replaced Hastings with French or another fullback and Wigan would have still comfortably won that game. It was the attacking structure and the metres your forwards made as well as your superior line speed that created the conditions for the game to be won. Sure, Hastings executed brilliantly when he had the chance. But if you swapped Hastings with another fullback they'd have still made enough from the same opportunities to put points on the board. Wakefield wouldn't have created the field position nor have had the attacking structure in general to give Hastings the space that he had.

I agree that Wakefield weren't THAT bad but we are lacking in all key aspects of the game and have been for a while. For instance I don't think Wigan would have beaten many other teams in Super League with their own showing but yet still pretty comfortably were dominant in all key areas of the game against Wakefield.

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 10:28 pm  

Wakefield City wrote:

At least we showed we had a bit about us and didn’t give in. Listened until 10mins into 2nd half how many set restarts did Wigan have compared to us, bad rule totally kills a side.

Up the Trin

I know it wouldn't have changed the result but some of the decisions by Tom Grant we're mind boggling first half Hastings dropped a kick we picked it up cleanly scored the try and he pulled it back no try gave knock on against Hastings and ball to us why not give the try that with the goal kick would have put us 4-6 up which could have just instilled a bit more confidence into the team.
Then 2nd half 40 meters out Farrel blatantly lost the ball in the tackle Grant gave turn over to us then Sam Powell said something to Grant then he changed his mind and gave wigan the ball back which If I'm correct they then went on to score off when we should have had possession not them.
Then the most obvious obstruction you'll ever see was let go with the dummy runner coming through the ball going to Gildart the dummy runner proceeded to run straight into reece and grab hold of his shirt with 2 hands stopped him from attempting a tackle then Gildart then run back behind the player who was holding reece Grant put whistle to mouth was gunna blow then decided not to and again that would have been good field position for us to start in.
Like I said probably wouldn't have changed the result but some of the bad refereeing decisions are getting beyond a joke now I know it's frustrating watching us at the moment but the game as a whole is getting totally frustrating

Re: Wigan away Friday 23rd july : Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:01 pm  

Kettykat wrote:

These current players are light years ahead in term of nutrition , fitness ,training, player welfare from the Glancy , Mason era but IMO are no further ahead in ball skills or tactics than those predecessors who wore the shirt . Same could be said for a lot of teams in the current era ,Wigan as a prime example. Just take a look at the current NRL games to see how far behind we are on every level . I dont think we’ve come a long way playing wise from those early days whilst our antipodean rivals have gone meteoric in every aspect . The apathy of fans I talk to who have stopped watching the game is sad ,but until we and the RL get our houses in order there will be a continuous steady drain on our fan base .

You make a valid point,ive seen and hear about it when lads are coming through fittnes is more favored than actuall talent i get that players need to be fit but i always say is fitness not easier to coach than actual talent ..it is a tough one though i get that