Exiled Wiganer
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Posts posted by Exiled Wiganer
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The weather looks like it is going to be kind to Bradford. Could be closer than I thought...
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With the exchange rate likely to be in the Aussies' favour, a bigger TV deal and more money to keep marquee players, the only hope SL would have would be if Mrs I fancies a few years in England or France. Not holding my breath on that one.
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I am more confident than seemingly anyone that Quins will win. They may lack the Cats' talent, but they are a driven, professional team who nearly beat an in form Crusaders last week. The Catalans are certainly capable of no longer caring after last week's deflating defeat, a coach on his way and numerous players winding down. I think Quins will win and win well.
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On Feka, his stat in years gone by show that he can be astonishingly effective even when only playing 30 minutes. When we had no moves in us and no other way to break teams down, his and Hock's ability to break the line from a standing start was priceless.
I am not sad to see him go, as he fantastically well paid and his style does not suit the all action high tempo 3 in a tackle approach we now take, but I think he will play every game from here on in, particularly as the weather deteriorates. He was superb against Saints in awful conditions at KR, and was exactly what we needed at the Piedome against the Wire, where in bad weather we kept our kicking game on the bench and played with 2 props. He is a top class luxiry item player who would improve most teams.
I really rate Wild and Patten. They are class players. One of the Andersons always impresses me, but that might be Louis.
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This is late in the day, but Wigan did have a significant dip in crowds when they first went from winning everything to be second or third best. Their recovery was in a period when pretty much every Wigan fan knew the party was long over, and the club was in peril. Where we can be particularly proud of ourselves is in the way so many Wiganers love the game sufficiently to play and coach it, in greater numbers these days than for many years. People know and love the game deeply and so form the ideal target for a club to grow. I cannot comment on Bradford but maybe not enough was done to get more schools and clubs playing the game during the good times?
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I just hope Wigan learn from the lesson Lee's Giants are going to give them on Sunday.
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I admire the boundless optimism of the Bulls' fans, but Saints will win this by a massive margin, because they are much better, will be smarting after Saturday's heroic defeat, and have Eastmond back, whereas Bradford are very poor and seem to particularly struggle against mobile teams. Saints will win and finish the week end above Wire.
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This will be hard. Giants are a superb side, and playing well, with very few missing. Wigan are an excellent side, are likely to be pretty relaxed, but have a lot (8?) of players on the injured list. I think it could be a classic game with Wigan just shading it on momentum and confidence.
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This isn't good, and it continues our ghettoisation, especially because the "colour" writers will of course be vichies and spout their g n t patronising nonsense (while in the same breath praising fringe Wigan player Ashton to the heavens).
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God rest her soul.
Let's hope Paul gets all the support the game can give him.
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Les Cats have been far more successful than anyone had any right to expect so early in their life as a club.
I think we have 2 things going on here - the RFL has been categoric that a club from the Championship WILL be promoted and that a club for SL WILL be demoted. They have published criteria which the promoted club will satisfy and presumably will publish criteria against which the Sl clubs will be measured.
The point about invitation can only be relevant in so far as the RFL wishes/needs to think about expansion clubs. It seems completely fair and reasonable and desirable that they consider the broader game. This MAJOR MAJOR change does not affect Widnes because they are going to be assessed according to the promotion criteria (and will clearly come out on top). If Toulouse could point to a TV deal and sponsors thatw ould mean they could pay for themselves (vvv unlikely) then the RFL is right to consider whether they are a sensible addition to the comp.
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Wire obviously. Though if the mods could create a Wendall sub site so it is easier to ignore his efforts over the next 3 long weeks we would all be happy.
Be fascinating to see whether they are robust enough against serial winners. They won't die wondering but are really up against it.
I think the chances of a Wigan-Saints GF are greatly increased by this, indeed, may end up 5th if FC can ambush them on their return from Wembley.
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I must say that Leeds effort has made me re-visit Wigan's win the week before and wonder whether they would have been much better had they had to win that. Their ablity to find a way to win depsite being mostly below par shows a champion team.
Well done to the Loiners.
I am hoping they put so much into winning the Cup they will be off the boil if they visit the Piedome.
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Quins and Crusaders can count themselves really lucky that they serve a wider purpose to the game. Crusaders could be a focal point for the excellent development work being done elsewhere and could in time help support a Welsh national side. If Wales win the Euro cup thing this year, then they could go into the 4 Nations with a fair few genuine Welsh players next year. Who knows where RL in Wales could be in 5 years time.
Quins serve 2 useful purposes. They could act as a focal point and catalyst for some essential junior development away from the heartlands and they give us a southern presence, however tenuous.
The only basis on which clubs should be "invited" in is if they can acquire their own TV deal or show that they can pay for themselves. We have enough on our hands supporting Wales and the Quins.
I have written this 1000 times, but the instant we have more than 14 clubs with decent facilities this ridiculous anti-sporting franchise system must go. I can see it serving a purpose to get clubs to get their act together, but once that has been achieved we must go back to p and r or risk losing once great clubs who could be great again!!!
Finally, I will raise a glass of bubbles when Widnes retain their deserved place at the top table next year. The criteria look perfectly designed for them.
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Without being tedious I did have a quick look at locked threads and remain puzzled - the Wigan bottlers thread went for 5 pages longer than the Wire equivalent, Mick's thread about the gap between threads like this and the reality got 1 post, and (I may have imagined this) but I was sure I saw a thread about buying Ablett a drink lasting a day. If you re-read Mick if it is trolling it is of the gentlest kind.
If we are to be bombarded with Wire predictions of greatness then is it not simply the flip side to point out that they may not have matched words and deeds?
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Saints will have my support on Saturday, and I think they will be grinning afterwards. Leeds need to be on top in the forwards to win this, and with Ablett rightly doing a 3 stretch and injuries elsewhere they won't even have parity. Saints are not the side they were and cannot perform every week like they used to, but have shown enough for mine to win this comfortably. An all Cheshire final looks a likely outcome.
I thought that the semis last year were both excellent games and hope that this year's will equally be a treat.
It would be good to have a classic final, as it has been a long time since we had one (any since Radlinski's foot final?).
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I am so confused by so many things here...
1 - why is this a fair thread but a subsequent questioning whether they are a great team when they clearly aren't will be locked instantly (while a let's buy a head hunter a pint one goes on and on...)?
2 - he has already played in so many bigger games
3 - Wigan stood astride the game like a colossus for a brief period in the early 90s essentially through being the best run club in the history of the game. Their success was fuelled by 1 thing - the Wigan public's enthusiasm. In the pre cap era having the best crowds allowed you to spend more and sign better players and win things. There was nothing stopping any other club doing the same. Indeed, you could argue that success in an era where the top clubs are all capped is more down to financial juggling than being a fantastically well run and supported club. As long as you can reach the cap you don't need to see any 20k crowds. If, like some clubs but not Wire, for a period you can run rings around HMRC then you can have a full team of internationals while everyone else makes do. Success in the old world was purely and simply a function of a fantastically well run and supported club, with a team of greats
4 - this is another example of Wire talking about doing things before they have done them. It is an interesting approach, and one that could lead to further locked threads in due course, should the next peak actually be lower than the last one
5 - you can't knock the Treble (does the Cup count double?) Winners for self confidence and they do provide more entertainment than most clubs
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Maybe, with spending next year in Widnes they may just be treading water for now.
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Not a scary signing, but could work out well I suppose. With KC* and Gidley leaving, Graham eyeing the NRL and Eastmond the dark side, I expected Saints to produce a Matai class master signing.
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Always look forward to getting mine. They should include a pull out and keep page locker in case any anti Warrington articles slip in.
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3 seems fair to me. The only point I would like to know the answer to is whether the video ref is entitled to tell the ref that the tackle deserved a sending off. I simply can't see how Ganson could have seen it properly from where he was and not sent him off, and I have never known Ganson be shy about reaching for a red card.
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Given how badly caned the Catalans are most weeks, getting the count in their favour must have been a refeshing change. You don't lose so many games on the run without having far more serious issues than the referee. Given the crowd was 6k and loose change at least there weren't many spectators to drive away.
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Crusaders for mine. No idea about the crowd - don't know enough about Neathians and their love of league.
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Great work from the Crusaders. 8th is theirs for the taking. They can then beat Leeds away again and lose gallantly to Wigan...
Salford City Reds in 2011
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted
Is Ratchford leaving? He would fit Wigan's policy of repatriation of Wiganers, and I have always thought he had talent.