Fri 16th May: SL: Wigan Warriors v Leigh Leopards KO 20:00 (Sky)

[lacuna1]

7 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Not at all disappointed as a Leigh fan with the outcome of that game, after a full on intense game with a 5 day turn around against a team with 2 weeks training and rest. With Leigh not having a lot of luck with the proceedings early on and of course Wigan again having the luxuary of the 'French Factor', no ill will to Bevan but I would be very interested in seeing how Wigan go without him for an extended period.

It happened last season. He was injured for a long period alongside Field, O'Neil and Smith amongst others.

 

Spoiler alert. We kept on winning. Like any other team though, it wasn't as flashy when the best players aren't playing. Exactly the same if any other team had their best players missing. Thats why teams usually have star players. It's just that we trust our youth players to come in and do a job. We don't cry when we have injuries and start making excuses before the game. We just roll our sleeves up and crack on. 

[Harry Stottle]

3 hours ago, lacuna1 said:

It happened last season. He was injured for a long period alongside Field, O'Neil and Smith amongst others.

 

Spoiler alert. We kept on winning. Like any other team though, it wasn't as flashy when the best players aren't playing. Exactly the same if any other team had their best players missing. Thats why teams usually have star players. It's just that we trust our youth players to come in and do a job. We don't cry when we have injuries and start making excuses before the game. We just roll our sleeves up and crack on. 

It was just a statement but if you want facts from last season here they are and we will add Field into the equation the report is from 26th July 2024. Totally agree any team without their star players will suffer, but facts are facts and how good would Peet be without them?

"Any Wigan Warriors fan who has watched the world champions for even a fraction of time over the last few years would have known it.

But it’s quite simple – and the numbers prove it. When Jai Field is missing, Wigan are a poorer side. When Bevan French is missing, Wigan are a poorer side. 

When they’re both missing? They are significantly worse, as their win/loss record without one or both of the duo proves.

They were both absent again on Friday night and the Warriors were heavily beaten by Warrington Wolves. They started the night on top of Super League, and ended it in third given the manner of their 40-4 loss. And they need their two key men back quickly.

French has played over 100 games for the Warriors since joining the club in 2019 and they have won a significant portion of them: 77 per cent. Without French, as they currently are at the minute, that number drops all the way down to 57 per cent.

The numbers are not much better in terms of Field. The Warriors have almost an identical win percentage with Field on the pitch – 77 per cent of times he has played, Matt Peet’s side have won.

But when he’s been missing – as he has been for extended periods during his time in Super League – that figure drops all the way down to 62 per cent.

But it is really what happens when neither are playing that things get really interesting.Since Field arrived at Wigan to join French, the Warriors have played 22 games without both of them in the side. They have won only 10.

That is a return of around 45 per cent and is clearly a worry given how French is sidelined for the foreseeable, and Field is still not yet ready to return."

[WN83]

8 hours ago, phiggins said:

That was how I saw it. Hanley needed to trust McNamara to make first contact on Nsemba if he got the ball. If he does that and the ball still goes out the back then obstruction probably is given because it wasn’t a great line he run.

Two or three tries conceded by being preoccupied by Nsemba 

In our last 3 games, I think there's been about 7 or 8 decisions sent to the screen that have involved obstruction calls around Nsemba and even though a couple got turned down, I don't think any were his fault. Defences are so wary of him and they're trying to close him off that quickly, it's leading to collisions and to space for Field/Wardle etc. Each time Nsemba trys to get through the line but can't.

I don't think I've seen a second rower get so much focus before. I get that he's a good player but teams are causing themselves more problems by rushing in on him then there would be by showing that trust in each other you mention. 

[WN83]

18 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

It was just a statement but if you want facts from last season here they are and we will add Field into the equation the report is from 26th July 2024. Totally agree any team without their star players will suffer, but facts are facts and how good would Peet be without them?

 

Obviously not as good but I'm doubtful we'd play with 11 and those two marquee spots would burn a hole in Dansons deep pockets

In all seriousness though, clearly we miss them and who wouldn't? They're only more important to Wigan and their absence is felt more than other clubs star players because let's face it, they're better than other clubs star players (maybe Micky Lewis aside). We're pretty average for spells in the middle of every season though and that's with or without them. They do produce enough moments to grab a couple of extra wins but say we play big games, at the end of the season without them and I think we actually make a better go of it. 

 

[Leyther_Matt]

11 hours ago, daz39 said:

Not many Leigh fans there, were the trains cancelled, or even the buses?

1,200ish I believe so not bad really for a loop fixture with a semi final hangover. I was there and that’s all I can do. 

10 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

That was comfortable enough. I think the serious injury after the Leigh crusher tackle took the edge off the rest of our performance. Astonishingly the perpetrator continued to stand over Zak for minutes as he was being put on a stretcher. Was he waiting for another go? 

All thoughts are with Eckersley. A talented young man finding his way. 

Or was he checking on a fellow professional? Hope he’s ok and everything was just a precaution. Standing ovation from all four sides when he was carried off.

Feared the worst pre match and even more so at 28-6. Certainly didn’t think it would turn in to a “what if” kind of game but we were really left to rue the soft tries in the first half from *CHANNELLING THE GHOSH OF STEVO* and letting the rugby league ball bounce, and then conceding with four men in the tackle.

That second half was bloody brilliant on all fronts. Refreshing to see us chuck it about and get the reward for it. But my word let’s get Tesi on the ball 10m-15m out instead of having Bailey Hodgson in the McNally role round the back.

[Harry Stottle]

8 minutes ago, WN83 said:

Obviously not as good but I'm doubtful we'd play with 11 and those two marquee spots would burn a hole in Dansons deep pockets

In all seriousness though, clearly we miss them and who wouldn't? They're only more important to Wigan and their absence is felt more than other clubs star players because let's face it, they're better than other clubs star players (maybe Micky Lewis aside). We're pretty average for spells in the middle of every season though and that's with or without them. They do produce enough moments to grab a couple of extra wins but say we play big games, at the end of the season without them and I think we actually make a better go of it. 

 

Thanks for the reply WN.

Basically what I was saying, but I think you are being a little cautious when you say "enough moments to grab a couple of extra wins" the win loss rate without them as reported above disagrees.

[WN83]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Thanks for the reply WN.

Basically what I was saying, but I think you are being a little cautious when you say "enough moments to grab a couple of extra wins" the win loss rate without them as reported above disagrees.

I just think the stats are tough to really get a fair read on because those two missing games has come in mid season and mid season every years seems to be sleepy season for the team, before they ramp up for the back end of the year. We beat Saints twice without French last season (with Field also missing one of those), which suggests to me the team would find a way but clearly it wouldn't be as pretty. 

Controversial opinion maybe but I think Wigan would miss Field more than French if he left. He's so fit and covers so much ground and there isn't natural replacement. I'm not sure how long Wigan can hold him if nobody leaves but Farrimond is some player and just needs a run of games now. 

[Harry Stottle]

11 minutes ago, WN83 said:

Controversial opinion maybe but I think Wigan would miss Field more than French if he left. He's so fit and covers so much ground and there isn't natural replacement. I'm not sure how long Wigan can hold him if nobody leaves but Farrimond is some player and just needs a run of games now. 

Phew, that's a big call WN both have the 'X' factor and having seen them both perform in what as now become their coaches preferred position I would say of the two if I had to lose one of them I think French could revert to Full Back better and perform that position as well as Field, but I don't see Field doing what French can do at 6, could Field give those balls last night that French did for those two tries which in all sense on the scoreboard won the game?

Edited May 17 by Harry Stottle

[Exiled Wiganer]

1 hour ago, Leyther_Matt said:

1,200ish I believe so not bad really for a loop fixture with a semi final hangover. I was there and that’s all I can do. 

Or was he checking on a fellow professional? Hope he’s ok and everything was just a precaution. Standing ovation from all four sides when he was carried off.

Feared the worst pre match and even more so at 28-6. Certainly didn’t think it would turn in to a “what if” kind of game but we were really left to rue the soft tries in the first half from *CHANNELLING THE GHOSH OF STEVO* and letting the rugby league ball bounce, and then conceding with four men in the tackle.

That second half was bloody brilliant on all fronts. Refreshing to see us chuck it about and get the reward for it. But my word let’s get Tesi on the ball 10m-15m out instead of having Bailey Hodgson in the McNally role round the back.

Watch it again. Perhaps with the sound off so you don’t have to hear the Leigh fans initially booing Eckersley. Classy. 

Edited May 17 by Exiled Wiganer

[WN83]

39 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Phew, that's a big call WN both have the 'X' factor and having seen them both perform in what as now become their coaches preferred position I would say of the two if I had to lose one of them I think French could revert to Full Back better and perform that position as well as Field, but I don't see Field doing what French can do at 6, could Field give those balls last night that French did for those two tries which in all sense on the scoreboard won the game?

French is a freak and has a couple of magic moments each week but I think his fullback days are gone (other than in an emergency). He went there against Hull in the cup and played there at Leeds the following week and looked pretty disinterested tbh. I also don't think he's fit enough to play there full time currently.

I think the majority would have French as the better player but I think it's pretty close. I actually think Field is a bit underrated at times, as good as people know he is. French probably the better player but I'd rather have Field, Farrimond and Smith at 1, 6 and 7 than I would French, Farrimond and Smith. 

Edited May 17 by WN83

[phiggins]

2 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Watch it again. Perhaps with the sound off so you don’t have to hear the Leigh fans initially booing Eckersley. Classy. 

Players always get booed when they first stay down. Particularly when it’s an innocuous looking challenge in real time. You can thank various coaches (not Peet to be fair, Burgess is the main one) accusing players of cheating every time they stay down to thank for that. 

[Click]

2 minutes ago, phiggins said:

Players always get booed when they first stay down. Particularly when it’s an innocuous looking challenge in real time. You can thank various coaches (not Peet to be fair, Burgess is the main one) accusing players of cheating every time they stay down to thank for that. 

I think the blame solely lies with the various players us fans have seen stay down in order to get penalties, rather than the coaches.

[Exiled Wiganer]

19 minutes ago, phiggins said:

Players always get booed when they first stay down. Particularly when it’s an innocuous looking challenge in real time. You can thank various coaches (not Peet to be fair, Burgess is the main one) accusing players of cheating every time they stay down to thank for that. 

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting anything more from the small band of Leythers who made the journey, I just didn’t want your perception of how marvellous and blameless they are to be dented. Had, of course, that been a Leigh player endangered by a Wigan player’s crusher tackle, and Wigan fans booing the player, you and your chums could treat us to your howls of uncontrolled anger for 20 pages of rage. 

[phiggins]

18 minutes ago, Click said:

I think the blame solely lies with the various players us fans have seen stay down in order to get penalties, rather than the coaches.

Maybe both. But there have been plenty of times a player has stayed down after being clocked on the head, and the ref and ball carrier get all the criticism and the offender gets none. And some coaches amplify that.

[phiggins]

1 minute ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting anything more from the small band of Leythers who made the journey, I just didn’t want your perception of how marvellous and blameless they are to be dented. Had, of course, that been a Leigh player endangered by a Wigan player’s crusher tackle, and Wigan fans booing the player, you and your chums could treat us to your howls of uncontrolled anger for 20 pages of rage. 

Erm. Ok. 

[Leyther_Matt]

9 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Watch it again. Perhaps with the sound off so you don’t have to hear the Leigh fans initially booing Eckersley. Classy. 

Or I’ll just rely on the fact that I was there. Amongst the thousand or so who gave Eckersley a standing ovation.

[Exiled Wiganer]

12 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Or I’ll just rely on the fact that I was there. Amongst the thousand or so who gave Eckersley a standing ovation.

Do they teach all the words in Leigh schools? You may not have booed but plenty of your chums “initially” booed. Spurred on doubtless by the perpetrator making his views known by standing over Eckerskey as if he should be getting up to play the ball. You even put a second marker in place. 

[Leyther_Matt]

1 hour ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Do they teach all the words in Leigh schools? You may not have booed but plenty of your chums “initially” booed. Spurred on doubtless by the perpetrator making his views known by standing over Eckerskey as if he should be getting up to play the ball. You even put a second marker in place. 

And guess what? They were shouted down by other Leigh fans. You know, because plenty of us are actual grown ups rather than being tarred by a same brush.

Although I have to question whether or not you’re a grown up given you’re expecting players not to set up for the following play in the immediate moments following a tackle. 

[Snowys Backside]

Well thankfully Zak seems to be on the mend and no bans followed as a result of the incident although i sure the Leigh player could have done a little better (Hence the 3 points and fine).

Maybe we can all move on now when we can finally play at Home against Wigan and hopefully for the last time, end these stupid loop fixtures which along with many other reasons, reduced the away following considerably (Because its boring !!)

[Harry Stottle]

On 19/05/2025 at 15:49, Snowys Backside said:

Well thankfully Zak seems to be on the mend and no bans followed as a result of the incident although i sure the Leigh player could have done a little better (Hence the 3 points and fine).

Maybe we can all move on now when we can finally play at Home against Wigan and hopefully for the last time, end these stupid loop fixtures which along with many other reasons, reduced the away following considerably (Because its boring !!)

Nope Snowy, loop fixtures are here to stay for the foreseeable we will require a 14 team SL to get rid of them.

If Salford do demise and are replaced by either defaulting or being surpassed on the Grading points they will be replaced by one club, not a cat in hells chance that 3 teams will come up.

And secondly incumbent SL clubs are not going to share out the ever decreasing funding- minus 800K per club over the last few seasons - until they find out what the next TV contract is worth, so that maybe there is no increase and we will be stuck with the loopies for a long time, unless the 'new regime' at the RFL can come up with something else.

Agreed the loopies are boring. 

Edited May 21 by Harry Stottle