Thur 30th Mar: SL: Leigh Leopards v Wigan Warriors KO 20:00 (Sky)

[sentoffagain2]

      Wigan  pack much too strong for the Leigh forwards.French and Field have the pace to trouble any defence and Leigh's not at its best last night.Leigh will not meet opponents of Wigans calibre in every game and they showed enough in the first half that they will not finish bottom this season

[phiggins]

Not overly concerned with the result, which if anything, flattered Leigh. We were outplayed from start to finish, it's the close games that we lose like the first two games of the season that are more frustrating because they are chances to win games that slip by. 

What was more concerning was how tired we looked. I still think we rely on and ask too much of Amone and Asiata in the pack. We tend to have Seumanufagai and Nakubuwei on the bench, then generally the two other subs that barely play 30 minutes between them. I'm certain that if it wasn't for the injury, Chamberlain would've been an unused sub last night. We need to sort out the interchange 9 and 13 role, because Asiata shouldn't be doing 70+ minutes and I don't think Ipape should be doing 60+ minutes either.

[Cheadle Leyther]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

It seems to be Fields bogey ground as far as injuries go, and incidentally probably not far of the same square yard of turf, that injury put Field out for a long time, and most likely cost Mr Lam his job, no more needs saying.

That game in 2021 was the first round at Headingley due to Covid not at LSV. It was his first match for Wigan and didn’t play again that season.

[Wigan Riversider]

7 hours ago, Davo5 said:

Yeap it’s like saying you can’t judge how good a coach Jack Gibson was because he had Kenny & Sterling in the halves at Parra.

I can see both sides to it but would suggest John Monie instead of Jack Gibson.

Monie was given a free reign to sign who he wanted from scratch at Auckland and he wasn't successful. Ancient history granted.

[Cw25]

12 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Just got back and Leigh had a reality check, although I did say in the first post on this thread a key to a Leigh victory is keeping Field and French quiet which we failed to do. It has to be a massive confidence boost to the rest of the Wigan player's having those two in the team they give the rest so much of a lift, also though Harry Smith had one if his better games.

I would like to see how good this Wigan team is without the two 'F's, Matty Peet has had the luxury of these two in his team and will not be judged on his coaching prowess till he is without them, I would say they would improve any team in the comp, no wonder Wigan broke the bank to retain French last year.

Concentrate on your own team

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, Cw25 said:

Concentrate on your own team

You never comment on the opposition

[Cw25]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

You never comment on the opposition

Course I do. But yours is a swipe because of who the opposition was. Reality check for your fanbase. Take it.

[Harry Stottle]

45 minutes ago, Cheadle Leyther said:

That game in 2021 was the first round at Headingley due to Covid not at LSV. It was his first match for Wigan and didn’t play again that season.

OK yes, but he did get injured at Leigh I seem to remember.

Irrespective, it denied Mr Lam of his services.

[Cheadle Leyther]

10 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

OK yes, but he did get injured at Leigh I seem to remember.

Irrespective, it denied Mr Lam of his services.

Not played at LSV since then.

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, Cw25 said:

Course I do. But yours is a swipe because of who the opposition was. Reality check for your fanbase. Take it.

Not at all CW I am to old and seen to much to take that attitude you should stand beside me at games and hear all the positive comments I give to the opposition whilst all those around me are in stoney silence, I don't half get some funny looks has though it shouldn't be allowed to congratulate the opposition.

My opinion is Mr Peet is very fortunate inheriting those two player's, probably the most influential in our game what these two bring is a natural asset -speed - that can't be coached, and having those two we have not been witness yet to how good a coach he really is, if you say many victories last year and this have not been of the back alone of these two exceptional players then I would suggest you are not being true to yourself.

[Harry Stottle]

5 minutes ago, Cheadle Leyther said:

Not played at LSV since then.

OK I stand corrected.

[Cw25]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Not at all CW I am to old and seen to much to take that attitude you should stand beside me at games and hear all the positive comments I give to the opposition whilst all those around me are in stoney silence, I don't half get some funny looks has though it shouldn't be allowed to congratulate the opposition.

My opinion is Mr Peet is very fortunate inheriting those two player's, probably the most influential in our game what these two bring is a natural asset -speed - that can't be coached, and having those two we have not been witness yet to how good a coach he really is, if you say many victories last year and this have not been of the back alone of these two exceptional players then I would suggest you are not being true to yourself.

I read it as a dig because of the rivalry. They are the best players in the team. But there is still plenty of quality amongst the rest of the squad. And unfortunately for you, Your team are very much below them.

[Harry Stottle]

5 minutes ago, Cw25 said:

I read it as a dig because of the rivalry. They are the best players in the team. But there is still plenty of quality amongst the rest of the squad. And unfortunately for you, Your team are very much below them.

Yes I realise that, but as a Leigh fan been to 6 of our 7 games except Catalan away, what was galling for me was how we changed what has been good for us in letting the ball do the work, I counted 5 sets that were 5 drives and a kick, perhaps the thought was play it down the middle against an underperforming Wigan pack, but that didn't work the Wigan middles were well up for the battle, at half time I thought and said "well that didn't work, let's go back to the expansive stuff" but Wigan just grew in confidence and Leigh had no answer.

Your comment Leigh are much below Wigan is true, there were 3 player's in the Leigh team who in my opinion should not be anywhere near a SL team being Holmes, Davis and Chamberlain, absentees like Jack Hughes will not improve anything either, our squad is simply to shallow, we need to find some adequate additions when the transfer window is lifted.

[Zilla Budgie]

2 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

It seems to be Fields bogey ground as far as injuries go, and incidentally probably not far of the same square yard of turf, that injury put Field out for a long time, and most likely cost Mr Lam his job, no more needs saying.

Didn't that happen (v Leigh) in 2021 in the opening round at when all 6 games were at Headingley ?

[Cw25]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Yes I realise that, but as a Leigh fan been to 6 of our 7 games except Catalan away, what was galling for me was how we changed what has been good for us in letting the ball do the work, I counted 5 sets that were 5 drives and a kick, perhaps the thought was play it down the middle against an underperforming Wigan pack, but that didn't work the Wigan middles were well up for the battle, at half time I thought and said "well that didn't work, let's go back to the expansive stuff" but Wigan just grew in confidence and Leigh had no answer.

Your comment Leigh are much below Wigan is true, there were 3 player's in the Leigh team who in my opinion should not be anywhere near a SL team being Holmes, Davis and Chamberlain, absentees like Jack Hughes will not improve anything either, our squad is simply to shallow, we need to find some adequate additions when the transfer window is lifted.

Your target this season has to be stay in Super League. Still no more than that. Otherwise like last night, You will be brought back down to earth. In the end there will be 2 teams below you, Wakey and Cas. So that is success. And I am actually being nice to you. Though you will think not.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

23 hours ago, LeytherRob said:

 

Cracking promo put together by Sky for tonight

I love it too 

Did anyone point out that the cat above is a cheetah not a leapord though ?(99%sure anyway) 

 

 

 

[phiggins]

43 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Yes I realise that, but as a Leigh fan been to 6 of our 7 games except Catalan away, what was galling for me was how we changed what has been good for us in letting the ball do the work, I counted 5 sets that were 5 drives and a kick, perhaps the thought was play it down the middle against an underperforming Wigan pack, but that didn't work the Wigan middles were well up for the battle, at half time I thought and said "well that didn't work, let's go back to the expansive stuff" but Wigan just grew in confidence and Leigh had no answer.

Your comment Leigh are much below Wigan is true, there were 3 player's in the Leigh team who in my opinion should not be anywhere near a SL team being Holmes, Davis and Chamberlain, absentees like Jack Hughes will not improve anything either, our squad is simply to shallow, we need to find some adequate additions when the transfer window is lifted.

I don't think the 5 drives and a kick was the intended plan. But we had no go forward, poor passes from the floor and were against a defence with good line speed. We just didn't give ourselves a chance to pass the ball. They kept kicking to our right, and Briscoe, Hardaker and Chamberlain couldn't get us on the front foot early in sets. It was the sort of game where Blake Ferguson would've been important.

Agree about the squad depth. We need a starting hooker (Ipape is more suited to coming off the bench imo), and one or two middles bringing in. Especially now Nakubuwei is injured. By my reckoning, Nathan Wilde is the only other prop in the squad, that wasn't in the 17 last night, and I suspect that Lam has no intention of him playing many, if any games. Same applies to Gannon, Jones, Nisbett and possibly Brand. That's five players in a squad of 27 that are never going to play, add to that the players you named that are not currently making as much of an impact as hoped, you end up with the same 15 players having to play the bulk of the minutes in every game.

Trouble is, with no overseas spots left, who can they bring in? Doubtful the Shorrocks loan will be renewed, with him now getting into Wigan's 17.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, Zilla Budgie said:

Didn't that happen (v Leigh) in 2021 in the opening round at when all 6 games were at Headingley ?

Yes I was corrected.

[Damien]

4 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

      Wigan  pack much too strong for the Leigh forwards.French and Field have the pace to trouble any defence and Leigh's not at its best last night.Leigh will not meet opponents of Wigans calibre in every game and they showed enough in the first half that they will not finish bottom this season

I was pleasantly surprised because on paper the pack and bench didn't look great. The test is doing it against better team with bigger and more powerful forwards than  Leigh offered.

[Exiled Wiganer]

On 29/03/2023 at 12:29, Harry Stottle said:

The key to Leigh winning is to keep French and Field quiet, the rest of the team and the coaching seems somewhat wanting (except Marshall) and these two are the primary reasons for Wigans success last season and evidently carried on this year.

Leigh by one score.

Nice one. You are truly a guru.

[Zilla Budgie]

1 hour ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Nice one. You are truly a guru.

Good Friday is a proper test, unlike a game against newly promoted Leigh. Don't get too excited it's only round 7.

[Harry Stottle]

9 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Nice one. You are truly a guru.

Well thank you, I only got the result wrong.

Nice to be congratulated by someone sitting so far away