Exiled Wiganer

The cup defeat will ensure we are 100% focussed. Keighran at 6 works better than young Farrimond (for now). More of the second half last from last week and we should have enough:

I understand it’s hard to judge depth with one eye closed. I am arguing this: - Salford have massively dragged the game down this year - they were the authors of their own misfortune - we had a chance to stop this happening: we reached this point because the game devised an assessment process, that process was applied; the results of that process were reviewed by the decision making body and they were given a licence. That process failed to stop Salford being given a licence. It looks, from comments in the last few pages, that they may be in SL again next year under the same process. A zombie club destroying the credibility of the game - without seeing who wrote what, what advice was given, how decisions were made and how the game is going to deal with this for 26, we are all in the dark. I would not, absent that information, entirely exonerate IMG from not having contributed to the position we currently find ourselves in. It is possible for failure to have many fathers.

You wrote that the only people who blame IMG are… and I take issue with that. Aside from that, as I have made clear I hope, I share your confidence that not only are they very good at what they are good at, their proposal is not only the best but only way the game will ever move the game forward.

Err, maybe. I know very well what IMG can achieve, having seen it first hand. They are absolutely world leaders in securing broadcasting deals, and their overall strategy for driving long term sustainable growth is 100% correct and indeed the ONLY way froward for the game. I have made a reasoned argument around the process, highlighting that we don’t know enough to understand what lead us to the Salford debacle. And see no reason to conclude that they are 100% without fault. We live in such a polarised world now, that people like you see no shades of grey: you’re either an acolyte or ignorant. I would argue that something has gone very wrong with the design and the application of the selection process, and that we all deserve to understand far more about what went on, before concluding IMG are entirely blameless. It is possible both to be a supporter of using them to do what they do well, and be uneasy about everyone’s contributions to this fiasco: which may, by the looks of it be repeated in 26. That isn’t “thinking badly”, it’s justifiable concern.

It’s a cracking sentence. My point being that IMG’s failure to protect its client from themselves will make their own job very much more difficult. Unless you have seen all of the papers I mention, you are as in the dark as I am, as to how hard they fought for this issue, how the recommendations were presented to the clubs and what took place at the debate around the scoring system. By all means conclude that the fault lies 100% with the clubs. You may be right. Or not. If you want help drafting elegant emails, by the way, then I am at your disposal.

Or, with the good ones, to persuade their clients not to do stupid things. I would love to see the minutes of that meeting, the grading report which was prepared and the minutes of the clubs’ deliberations. Indeed, given the weekly traducing of the game they have inflicted upon the competition IMG will be tasked with selling to the world, as those papers and discussions have directly lead to where we are today with Salford. Like many others, I will be fascinated to see what the game does to do next time round.

One thing that makes Lam a coach worth employing is his overseas player address book. It seems to be full of numbers of players who will thrive in SL. That centre makes them very watchable indeed. And to think supporters of a small, unfashionable club like Leigh get that treat. It’s the against the odds uplifting tale the nation needs after the Salt Path lot went all Greggggg Wallace. For HKR, there was always a risk they would run out of steam. Collectively, they look to be tailing off. Which is no surprise after what they have asked of that group of players already this year.

Phew! Those advisers are worth every penny!

It would indeed be foolish for the rules to have been designed in such a way as to allow a zombie club to carry on, especially as everything they got points for was paid for by money they did not have. To be clear, though, if that arises it is entirely the clubs’ fault and nothing to do with IMG.

As indeed does Trump, by his Putin.

Keighran was really good at 6 last year, and will be fine again. Being at home after an eternity away will make a massive positive difference for us. The season starts tomorrow.

So, it turns out that if Dodd is given a chance, Dodd will thrive down under.

And some Rovers fans would kick our heads in if given the opportunity. It was a shocking decision. But we would have hit the ball back at some point and only needed one break to win the game. If Cas could have stopped Field they would have at least ended up level at full time.

Ok first glance I didn’t see any names that looked out of place in there, which shows that we have a good depth of talent at the moment. Sam Walters’ injury came at a bad time. Great to see Ashton and Welsh named, as they are inked into our strongest 13.

NRL = GODS!!!

Am looking forward to this. Our performances tend to dip this time of year - which may be a consequence of training patterns - but we are still string side. It’ll be great to see Havard and Thompson back together. Wigan can certainly win this, but it would not surprise me to see Trinity take us. They often beat us at their place, have an excellent coach and a strong side. Should be a cracker.

Though of course you will then be a Halifax team, rather than a Huddersfield one. It’s good to know Sheffield didn’t die in vain.

Might it possibly be the case that being the place to be in that part of the world is not a massive hurdle to clear?

Which might be because 2 of the clubs are looking to or have downsized their grounds. They look better, and likely give a more enjoyable experience for the people who are there but… smaller grounds reflect a club’s relative failure rather than being brilliant news.

We used to aspire for clubs to be getting 5 figure crowds. For years we had average crowds of 10k or thereabouts. We now have clubs looking to down size so that their maximum capacity is lower than that. I do not see that as a sign of progress for the game, or the competition. I can see that it suits those clubs unable to grow their support, and that, say, the 7k today looked good on the BBC in a way that the same figure would have looked rubbish at Wigan. I can also see that you stand far more chance of growing crowds if newbies come along and find the atmosphere to be buzzing, rather than feeling empty.

Is this now the direction of travel - the Wakefield model - where we aim to shrink grounds until they are eventually small enough for SL teams? I can see why the Giants want to do this, but we have gone from a Framing the Future in which we aspired to have a top division with at least 10k capacities to being delighted that we can find grounds small enough for them under Framing the Future 2…

I agree with much of that, but, while the Giants’ pack was dominant, I thought Wigan’s halves and backs generally were better throughout. The atmosphere did come across well sound wise, but I hope you will have a ground which has 4 sides because unsurprisingly the empty end made it look like we were playing in a park. I am amazed the Giants have only 1 win. They must be by some distance the best side to be in that position in the SL’s history. The wins are certain to come.

? He has a lovely smile, which he does a lot. I have never seen him cry at a defeat. I can see why people relentlessly Wigan, especially Leigh people, but this seems a bizarre road to go down.

I thought he was replying to a question about what he did to improve his players, and he was modestly deflecting the point towards its being a collective endeavour. But I may have been listening through cherry and white ears.

Are you sure Salford will be in the championship? I thought the scoring system gave them a good chance of still being a zombie SL club next year?