EagleEyePie

Played a few games and to be honest it's barely any different to RL Live 4 from what I've experienced so far. The gameplay doesn't seem to have improved at all. The AI doesn't seem to have any concept of attacking structure so it's just one out carry followed by random pass. There's very little weight to the collisions and going into contact it doesn't feel like there's any difference between a forward or a halfback. I'm hoping the career mode is better this time as I can get some more longevity out of it and don't mind playing the odd game and simulating others, but before I play that I'm going to have to go through the painstaking process of fixing all the errors and ratings, particularly for the lower leagues. The positions for some players are way off, as are the ratings. Though annoyingly some of the changes I've made just don't seem to save. Looks like Jack Farrimond is stuck as a winger for the time being.

I don't know if that was outstanding from Hanley or absolutely shocking defence from Broadbent. Quite possibly both

You'd think there's a good chance that would be the case assuming Smith plays more like he did last night and less like he did the week before. There's no doubt that when Smith is at his best he's the ideal scrum half for England. His style of play fits so well alongside both Williams and Lewis. There were some really good players in the 2018 England side that's for sure. When you consider Welsby, Newman, Smith, Havard, McDonnell, Smithies, Holroyd and Trout are already in the England picture, Wilson was called into the squad last year and has a good chance of being a regular in the future if he continues to develop. Then Sam Walters was probably behind only Ese'ese as the form prop in Super League with his early season form. Then you've got the 2 Senior's, Scott, Mustapha and Shorrocks heavily involved in Super League this year too. I actually think it might have been even better than the 2002 Academy side that beat the Schoolboys in Australia: Melling (Wigan); Gardner (Leeds), Barker (Leeds), Bridge (Bradford), Wray (Wakefield); Mathers (Leeds), Robinson (Wigan); Bailey (Leeds), Beswick (Wigan), Barton (Wigan), Wilkin (St Helens), Langley (Bradford), Hock (Wigan). Subs: Gallagher (Leeds), Johnson (St Helens), Saxton (Castleford), Horne (Hull).

I went into a bit of detail on one of the Wigan forums about Smith and Farrimond in the halves and how they struggle to play together compared to other players who have partnered Smith. Keighran is a much better option at 6.

Dupree has had an excellent second stint. He was really disappointing in the first half but he's come back out like a man on a mission.

It shouldn't have been

The penalties for reaching in at the ruck? It's allowed except when the defence is on the goal line

What a try that was!!

Don't the officials know we're a ###### team right now? They aren't supposed to screw us over so blatantly that's for teams like Castleford. I await the public apology from Phil Bentham

That's a terrible call. He's not disadvantaging King in the slightest!

Kick and chase on the 3rd tackle we're so lucky Bibby let us out of jail on that.

There's obvious signs that we can cause a threat when things click, but we're just so sloppy in all areas right now. It's like we need a kick up the backside. Everything is so half hearted. I think there's only Mago and Havard look like they're making an effort at the moment.

A basic error from Wade, and then caught in no mans land to gift a try. This has been a woeful start

If we can get Wade to go forward with as much enthusiasm as he goes sideways he could be a threat tonight.

A few changes to the Wigan side. Both wingers from last week miss out. Douglas returns and Wade makes his debut. Eckersley in at centre to allow Keighran to feature in the halves. Luke Thompson is out so Havard starts and Harvey Makin looks likely to make his Wigan debut off the bench. Not sure if the changes will help or hinder us but at least it adds some intrigue.