Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 5:06 pm  

Never been a fan of the playoffs, but I don't think there was a single side with nothing to play for with 4 left to play.

Take the playoffs away and that becomes 5/12 sides. That is the argument for them.

Take away the playoffs though and Mission Impossible 1991 doesn't happen. We probably play the kids every week. The NYD win at Wire means nothing, and the 8-8 draw with Saints played out like a final would have had absolutely nothing riding on it.

The playoffs reward mediocrity and allow the top placed teams to pick and choose what they do. We don't play two reserve sides this season and send fans paying good money to watch crap games such as tonight.

I'm not sure how prize money works, but being rewarded by the place like football may help in making games matter more.

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 5:32 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

The obvious answer is to get rid of the playoffs. What have Wigan got? Two extra games after today, one of which is at home and will have a reduced crowd.

If we'd have been going for the (proper) title, then we'd have not turned out some dire performances like Wakey away. Saints would have been an even bigger game. We wouldn't be seeing weakened squads being turned out. Likewise we wouldn't be talking up Salford, despite them being $h!te for 3/4 of the season.

Yeah the playoffs give you drama, but it kills a lot of what should be good with the regular season too.

I wouldn't have thought we should even consider this a few years ago but there may be something to this now. As fans of a club competing at the top I like the idea of every league fixture feeling like do or die again. You'll never experience that with a playoff system.

The problem is unlike the premier league where there are champions league places - there are no secondary achievements for clubs to aim for without playoffs. But that only matters if getting into the playoffs actually means something. If there is more strength in depth and the clubs finishing 5th/6th are capable of having a crack then it can mean something. If clubs finish 6th only to get pummelled in a playoff game it's meaningless.

The other issue is the prospect of losing the Grand Final which in fairness has turned into a major event for the sport and the sport does not have too many events which truly puts the spotlight on it.

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 5:37 pm  

FearTheVee wrote:

OK, so one game on a Sunday vs Hull KR and every other on a Friday unless moved for TV.

Anyway, as I say it's not a big deal in the scheme of things but to say that playing in your normal/preferred slot in front of a bigger crowd isn't an advantage is a bit silly.

If Channel 4 had not got the tv rights Saints would have played on the Thursday and Wigan Friday.

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 10:46 pm  

All of the banter and St Helens excuses aside......

At the start of the season there were plenty of our own fans that questioned the appointment of Peet claiming he only got the job because he has a Wigan accent and claimed we wouldn't make the top 6. They'll deny it now, but they said kt.. A good mate of mine got it right when he said if he had an Aussie accent and the CV that he has we would be hailing him as the Messiah.

Even those of us that backed him could never have imagined the season we have had and would have snapped your hands off for a cup win and 2nd.

I've been confident on here recently (and still am) but the fact is we may not win the Grand Final.....HOWEVER we weren't supposed to do anything this year according to the media and as I said even our own fans.

This team will only get better under Peet and if I'm IFL I'm signing him to a very lucrative, very long term deal.

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:11 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

All of the banter and St Helens excuses aside......

At the start of the season there were plenty of our own fans that questioned the appointment of Peet claiming he only got the job because he has a Wigan accent and claimed we wouldn't make the top 6. They'll deny it now, but they said kt.. A good mate of mine got it right when he said if he had an Aussie accent and the CV that he has we would be hailing him as the Messiah.

Even those of us that backed him could never have imagined the season we have had and would have snapped your hands off for a cup win and 2nd.

I've been confident on here recently (and still am) but the fact is we may not win the Grand Final.....HOWEVER we weren't supposed to do anything this year according to the media and as I said even our own fans.

This team will only get better under Peet and if I'm IFL I'm signing him to a very lucrative, very long term deal.

This, in spades.The turnaround has been massive, and surely beyond all expectations. And, better still, we are the entertainers of SL!

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:22 pm  

There’s just a buzz around the place again. You could feel it around the fan village beforehand. The season has been hugely enjoyable. I keep seeing the try of the weekend competitions on the RFL social media channels and it feels like it’s been a Wigan player whose won the vote 90%+ of the time. It’s been entertaining but above all else, there’s just been a real sense of pride and togetherness in supporting the club.

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:39 pm  

Yes, absolutely.

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Sat Sep 03, 2022 7:55 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

There’s just a buzz around the place again. You could feel it around the fan village beforehand. The season has been hugely enjoyable. I keep seeing the try of the weekend competitions on the RFL social media channels and it feels like it’s been a Wigan player whose won the vote 90%+ of the time. It’s been entertaining but above all else, there’s just been a real sense of pride and togetherness in supporting the club.

I was on the last minute this week so missed the fan village walk out.

Looked superb on social media though, a great way of getting fans in the Robin Park and not sitting in the ground early buying pints.

Should do it again for the playoff game and maybe a few big games next year

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Sat Sep 03, 2022 8:13 am  

The kids loved it

Re: Play-off dates confirmed : Sat Sep 03, 2022 9:36 am  

NSW wrote:

I was on the last minute this week so missed the fan village walk out.

Looked superb on social media though, a great way of getting fans in the Robin Park and not sitting in the ground early buying pints.

Should do it again for the playoff game and maybe a few big games next year

It was a great idea that by whoever thought it up. We’re a group of 40 year old blokes, so we went to the fan village but it was absolutely packed, so just had a pint out by the running track but it looked superb.

The atmosphere out the back was something I felt a bit jealous of that I’m not a 10 year old kid anymore. To be able to have a kick around on the first team training pitch pre game is something I’d have loved. They had the PDRL team training, touch rugby teams training, community clubs down there and the families of the academy lads who’d signed up where knocking around. To have open access to the facility like that makes people feel part of the club. There’s things they can improve on at the fan village but it’s such a fantastic concept.