Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 7:49 am  

TnT wrote:

Several factors I felt contributed to a loss: injuries, missed go forward in Ashworth, then Sao, so injuries are an issue including Hardaker. Wigan were just really good - strong, fast agile, well drilled, inventive, thinking on their feet, etc, etc. I did feel that we have potential in that we have quicker distribution a decent spine, some young talent, some valuable experienced players and a close up look at where we need to beafter 80 mins against a top outfit.
I do see now that perhaps apart from his defence Fash is lacking, not sure about Gardiner. Thought Lane was ok. We missed Cartwright big time. Need another prop and back rower but that’s not a new idea
I wasn’t happy about the tackle on Ligi. Didn’t Asiata get in trouble for similar tackles a season or two before?
This is a developmental team, we all know it. Last nights result is not the end of the world.
Bye the way I think our discipline was better too. S
So let’s stay positive and aim for lower mid table. Don’t see anyone but Wigan winning the GF

I didn't see anything in the tackle on Sao, it looked like he was injured when stepping before any tackle was affected and Dupree (I think it was) to his credit tried to alert the officials to get Sao some help.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 8:40 am  

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!!

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 9:14 am  

Great post. Reflects exactly my views on where we are and how I interpret what I saw last night

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 9:42 am  

Well last night wasn't as bad as we've witnessed over the last few seasons, we now look like a rugby team at least, but last night was simply a team in transition against the best team in super league, Wigan were outstandingly good.

Few points, why do we constantly use wingers to drive the ball in from tackle one, where the hell are the forwards - Wigan don't do it? We used to do it 20 years ago and it worked but we did it once the forwards had put a stint in, now they're stood around and we still use our wingers which I'm is having a negative effect on them, possibly resulting in why Barron got caught on his break.

Looking at positives, Sezer is looking a great addition, Briscoe played well and I'm his biggest critic due to his age now, Fash not great first half but actually did better in the second half when I think playing second row. Salabio at times looks lazy, at times looks class, Barron growing in confidence all the time, Rapana you can see his quality but was a bit ineffective imo.

Looking at negatives, Chamberlain was poor and doesn't lol a great signing, Aydin and Cust quiet but both got hammered defensively

I didn't walk away too disheartened, just disappointed that all these fans who obviously want to support fc witnessed another tonkin, christ I've been taking my sixteen year old for a few years now and hes rarely sees a dominant class fc performance, surprised he wants to come tbh

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 9:54 am  

Anyone know the completion rate and errors for Wigan? Wouldnt surprise ne if they were around 90-100% both halves, plus you could count on one hand the number of errors last night from them, not including penalties either....that how good they were.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 10:00 am  

number 6 wrote:

Anyone know the completion rate and errors for Wigan? Wouldnt surprise ne if they were around 90-100% both halves, plus you could count on one hand the number of errors last night from them, not including penalties either....that how good they were.

According to the Super League website they completed at 99% whereas we completed at 66%. They made nearly 1000 metres more than we did.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 10:29 am  

Hasbag wrote:

According to the Super League website they completed at 99% whereas we completed at 66%. They made nearly 1000 metres more than we did.

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.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 10:49 am  

I agree with most of the above reviews.

On the plus side, I thought we did show improvement in defence, especially the wrestle. Our discipline was much better (no cards!!!). Although limited opportunities, our attack does look more direct, and has more zip in the passing.

On the downside, our squad depth is too thin. With last week’s injuries, we’d all but lost this game during the week. Add Ligi to the list mid-game and we had no chance.

Wigan were very good and didn’t really need to break sweat. Jai Field looked like he could score when he wanted. Saying that, it’s only small console, but last season our team would have thrown the towel in, had players sin binned and conceded over 60-70 points.

Still not disheartened. This season is all about improvement and realistically we are targeting 8/9th spot. Beating Cats was a plus and we’ve already shown what we are capable of.

The next few games are winnable, but we need some bodies back and we need at least a couple of signings to strengthen the squad.

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 11:06 am  

Re: Wilf's post above.

Think that captures what most of us are feeling this morning, perfect summation of last night
We're in it for the long haul (we have no choice really but to do otherwise!). There were positives, negatives, talking points galore from last night, all perfectly encapsulated by Wilf, as always. There's a long road ahead of us if we are to get even remotely back to where we all wish to be and I think we all knew it's going to be a long hard bumpy road, last night simply reinforced just how much work is required to set the ship sailing once more.

Let's hope that a few of the floating voters who turned out last night see the game for what it was (a lesson by the very best in the business), can see a couple of the green shoots of recovery and don't desert us for another twelve months or until the next cheap ticket offer!
As Wilf so eloquently states above, the long suffering hardcore are well used to knocks and disappointments when it comes to our club, we will be here no matter what, let us hope a few of the uncommitted/unconvinced stick by us as well.

If last night's game had been against anyone else, it would have been a joy to watch Wigan play in that manner, but as we were the opponents it made for a painful night's 'entertainment' It's a strange feeling admiring someone as they are giving you a good kicking!! but that was how last night felt to me.
We simply need to be realistic here, chalk up last night to experience and move on to the (ongoing) job in hand, the long rebuild of Hull Fc, which is happening but only slowly right now.
Hopefully there are better times ahead and I get the feeling that virtually every poster on here recognises that it will take time to right some many wrongs the club has made in the recent past, but the road back has begun.

I just hope I get to witness the better times before I'm fully into my dotage when I may have difficulty remembering the previous night's game anyway!!! Hopefully before I reach that state of affairs!!

Re: Wigan Warriors - Home : Sat Feb 22, 2025 1:10 pm  

Lets hope Catalans wasn't a false dawn , There was some small glimmers of hope last night to suggest we wont be as bad as last season .