Have to agree on all points,if Wane wants back fine but it has to be full-time or why bother?

Ultimately you’d have to think the reason they would take him part time and Peet full time is that it would be cheap. I’m not a bloke who calls Lenagan a penny pincher but I see no other reason as to why they would prefer it that way, to Wane just coming back in full time, with Peet/Lockers underneath him. A head coaches job at Wigan is a once in a lifetime shot for Peet and I doubt it would require much of a pay rise to make it happen (heck, he’d probably do it for a pay cut). Factor in a full time wage for Lam, going to a part time wage for Wane and there’s probably going to be a saving there. They can’t do much worse, so to save money in to the bargain will appeal.

It may well have been the agreement with England that he doesn't take on a full time club coaching job whilst he's England coach, or maybe he doesn't feel he would have time to do both. I get what you're saying in terms of the WC but I wouldn't say its guaranteed not to happen next year, plenty more twists and turns before that decision is made. Besides that, there is still merit in other internationals. If he won a four nations/ashes/whatever involving Australia it would be an incredible achievement we would be talking about forever. Noble's GB beat Australia in their own backyard, didn't even win the tournament and we still cherish that game. It's my favourite game ever in fact.

I’m just so deflated with internationals mate, so I’m probably not in the right frame of mind to speak rationally on the merits of Wane keeling the job. I’d give my left nut to see us best the Aussies in a tournament/series but they’ve basically attacked international rugby these last few years. That game you mention was immense and some of my favourite memories watching rugby league have been the internationals. The Mike Greg try in 88, Henderson Gills boogy, the 92 World Cuo final, the Jonathan Davies try at Wembley in 94, the 95 World Cup, Faz playing them off the park at Old Trafford in 97, Paul Sculthorpe’s masterclass at Huddersfield in 2001, Keith Senior scoring at the DW to clinch a win, Morley getting sent off, the Fielden knock out followed by a great win, the World Cup semi defeat when Shaun Johnson scored last minute, the Tonga semi final win in what must be one of the best sporting atmosphere’s of all time and so on. There’s nothing like internationals but you can’t force a country to play that has no interest in doing so and when they boss the other viable teams you can face and they don’t want them to play, you’re left with a dead concept.

just one thing missed off

the heartache and dejection after getting our hopes built up, only to have it cruelly battered in the 3rd and final test match





but completely agree with what you have said. My first ever rugby match was GB v OZ 20th November 1982 at Central Park and have been hooked on the international game ever since, and am longing for us to beat them in a test series / world cup but probably like so many others, may never see that

Going back to next season, I'm actually a little bit excited about the team we've pulled together.

I think we'll have plenty of go forward, both in pack and backs too. We might have to trade off a little bit of pace or finesse for it but it's what we need.

I'm also hoping that Ellis & Mago will help us get more from Singleton, Havard and Byrne (one player I'm definitely not giving up on).

Lastly, we won't have to deal with Lam. It can't be understated how much that will help things.

More information about Ellis.

[urlhttps://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/kaide-ellis-wigan-warriors-nrl-21375848[/url

i genuinely think most fans were excited about this season with a backline including French, Field, Hastings, Gildart, Hardaker, Manfredi etc, but we always thought we needed a prop to allow us to build a platform. Obviously the big loss for next year is Hastings, and he's been let down by not having a pack to play behind, out of position and just generally trying to do too much himself to make things happen

one thing i think we all know from watching for many years is that without the pack you wont win the prizes as they allow the backs to play, so looking forward as you say to having 2 new props (hopefully we could land a 3rd if there are any available) as i would like to see 4 seasoned props plus the young lads rotated

I always thought that we'd bring someone in mid season. I'm genuinely shocked that we didn't bring a prop in.

I'd love to know the reason for why we didn't.

Suppose the obvious question would be who was available? Especially with the pandemic effecting things down under too.

Part finance and part lack of available options I guess. I remember a podcast with Matt Shaw discussing how many clubs fancied signing a prop mid season and the list included us, Hull, Wakey and Catalans at least. I’m not sure anybody got one in the end.

I think there’s always [isomebody [/iavailable. It may just have been that the right type of prop wasn’t and if that’s the case, so be it. I’d rather we didn’t sign a prop than sign one that’s completely wrong. Even if that meant continuing with a pack as weak and young as ours.