giwildgo

He's had the same problem with consistency since he started at Wigan. A very good player on his day, unfortunately those days a few and far between. Anyway, good news in terms of Mellor. Glad to see him flourishing in SL, even if it wasn't meant to be at Wigan.

Phil Bentham is a Leyther, hardly a 'home ref' for Wigan. We actually had a spell a few years back where Wigan had an anomalous losing run with him in the middle compared to other refs.

Taylor didn't get a suspension because it wasn't worthy of suspension. If you view the incident carefully, O'Brien is actually knocked out by incidental contact with his own player's hip rather than the shoulder charge. The issue is the poor call in suspending Taia, not some paranoid and misguided anti Wigan drivel. Plenty of shoulder charges by most SL teams have had nothing more than a penalty this year.

Having viewed the video, the injustice is that Taia got a suspension not that the others didn't and should have. As far as I can see, none of the challenges involved clear contact with the head which is a critical distinction between a late tackle / shoulder charge being just a penalty or a dismissal under the current rules. Can't help thinking that Catalans may be getting a raw deal following the shocker on Fages, and the fact that Brown was bleating because it was O'Brien getting ko'd yet again. No one wants to see players get injured, but none of those challenges were comparable to the high and late ones such as McIlorum or Chase last year. In general since the shoulder charge was 'banned', people are getting confused about what decision should follow when it happens. A shoulder charge is no different to a high tackle, in so far as it is by no means an automatic dismissal or foul play worthy of suspension.

I can understand the suggestion of keeping the caps close together, but once again it is playing to the lowest common denominator. Clubs need something to aspire to. The Option 3 structure makes promotion easier, but it shouldn't be handed on a plate by dragging the playing field down. Growth, ambition and commercial success should be rewarded, rather than jeopardised to benefit struggling clubs. The game is better when there is more money in it, not less. Survival of the fittest and all that - get efficient and generate revenue or fall by the wayside to the level where the club can compete. Inflation has already diluted wages at the top level to a degree that should not be unachievable for at least twelve clubs. The fact that clubs in SL still fail to meet the cap after all these years is a sorry summary of the current state of the game.

Noble gets plenty credit for turning the club around from where it was when he arrived, but Wigan's performance this season compared to 2009 when they only signed Deacon in the off season also highlights his limitations.

Yeah we struggled to find a place for the Challenge Cup in 2002 without her services We needed seven years respite from glory after we'd completed filled the first trophy room, so that we can build a trophy cabinet big enough for the next haul Saints players seemed a bit slow last night - weighed down by three years of losers medals I feel - make it four now

Yesterday was a good day.

Sofa anyway, only way I can catch some sleep because of giwildgo jnr.

I don't like all this Wigan being favourites lark - setting us up for a fall. Too close to call in my book, heart says Wigan , head says Saints

I have nothing but sympathy for Terry and condolences for his family and friends, you could tell the genuine regret about some of the decisions he had made recently and also the sadness regarding his sister on the recent Sky interview. From a sensitivity point of view I was just questioning whether a match against Saints would be appropriate, given the history and also it is a unique situation for obvious reasons aside - if that is inappropriate I apologise as it was not intended to be so. Personally I hope Wigan wear black armbands for the game, because he was a great servant to our club.

Seconded - a sad way to start a week of celebration for the Wigan club. Difficult to find the right words at this time for a bloke that polarised opinion in the game, but for all his failings he was deeply passionate about RL and was a great servant to a number of clubs and that is how I will try to remember him. Unfortunately, there is going to be some difficult decisions for the RFL and the Grand Finalists over whether the traditional marks of respect are appropriate for Saturday's game given his recent circumstances and his longer history with the opposition. A sad day - condolences to his family and those that cared about him. RIP Terry.

My bad - sounded right in my head - I meant that the maximum per person is likely to be a minimum of 2 tickets, but it depends on the number remaining after ST holders, shareholders and lottery agents have had first dibs.

No idea how many on general sale, would presume it would be a minimum of 2 per person provided they are still available on Tuesday.

I got my ticket at 11:50 after queuing for 2 and a half hours - the queue was still longer as I left than when I arrived. Would be surprised if Wigan have many tickets left for general sale.