I thought I saw isa and Bateman having a barny

Something has clearly affected the team, which to be fair were ticking along quite nicely up to Wane’s announcement. I suspect something has gone on that we don’t know about behind the scenes.

I posted on another thread our lack of size was evident again tonight, missing 3 frontline props wouldn’t help but that’s an issue we’ve have for a number of years and one that Wane has to take the blame for,

I’m not surprised we were gassing, when you look at the stats we had to work twice as hard in the first half which is bound to take it out of us. As for running lines, I’m sure you are well aware that when you have to do twice as much defending as the opposition there is little energy left for attack, when the opposition is very effectively slowing the play the ball down there is less space to put on a move and it limits options.

Often, and tonight was certainly one of those days, when a team is a bit down on confidence and looking to turn it around all the 50/50’s go against you. I don’t just mean the refs calls, the bounce of the ball, the knock back rather than a knock on etc. Unfortunately hand I mean unfortunately even with performances like tonight) I rarely attend these days as I now live on the south coast. Maybe that permits a more pragmatic view, I was sat in from ofmthe telly thinking it’s just one of,those days.

I’m also not a fan of Wane’s style of play though I do respect his commitment to the cause. I also don’t think it will achieve anything sacking him now unless we have someone lined up to replace him immediately. At the end of the day we are still at the time of writing second in the league and have every chance of making the semi’s. We just need to ride out this bad run.

Above everything, the lack of joy in that team is evident. Even when they win they rarely look like they are enjoying themselves.

Saints had the balls to do it and brought in Holbrook, IL seems to accept it and let it run its inevitable course whilst another season ebbs away.

I'm tempted to say 'sack the coach', but on reflection I just don't see how that would help.

Wane has clearly taken a calculated gamble that in announcing his departure mid-season, he won't be told to clear his desk straight away because we haven't had a chance to source a proper replacement yet.

If I was Ian Lenagan, I would now take my own calculated gamble that Shaun Wane will not want to leave Wigan - his RL home for so many years - having supervised an embarrassing plunge from top of the table to middle as his last achievement, and will try to put this mess right while there is still plenty of time.

All that said, I can't help thinking that any chance of silverware this season has gone. They might have some more good performances in them, but you can't afford to lose to the likes of Hull KR and Wakey and expect to reach Grand Finals, let alone win them.

We need to get rid of the failed coach NOW, not before we lose another 2000 fans.

Hopefully, his faithful failing players will follow him.

He has to go now!

I fear for us over the next four games to be honest.

Hull FC away and Cas Away are tough, tough fixtures at the best of times. We think Wakey's forward's pummelled our small men tonight, look at the size of Hull's.

On the back of two further defeats I would fear our long awaiting home game versus Leeds (on a Thursday night as well) would possibly attract a more sub-standard crowd than we've seen already this season.

Following that Wire come over to ours and we could really be on our feet by then.

Well Wane didn't walk after the stuffing at Wakefield last season so he won't walk after we actually scored.
As bad as anything last season, this is going to be a very long month.
We need to do what Saints did but has IL got the bottle to do it.

I was going to post this exact sentiment - and that’s coming from a very anti Wane poster in myself.

We just wouldn’t improve, if anything we’d be worse off. I’d be shocked if IL or SW for that matter decided to end the relationship now.

We’ve been written off before and gone on to win it. I’m not saying we will do such a feat but if SW has brought anything to the table, he’s brought a sterdy never say die attitude to the club.

More than ever the club needs the fans support to rally around them. I appreciate it’s difficult when the play is as atrocious as it has been since Magic.

I feel the next game is either the turning point for the season, or the definitive final nail in the coffin. One thing is for sure; I wouldn’t want to be a Wigan player at Orrell tomorrow!

It's not SW fault that 2 of his team unsettle the club with antics.
Some things can effect a team even if it's not used as an excuse.
Wigan's 1st loss to Warrington was because they got off a round the globe journey 4 days prior.
SW never used it as an excuse.

You cannot see the woods for the trees if you are calling for SW to go.

The unsettling of the team and only 4 days to prepare for a tough away game is a recipe for a defeat....and it's just happened again at Wakefield!

What Wigan need is full week to prep for Hull, win or lose, Wigan will be right for Leeds and probably win every game before the split, although I hope I'm wrong about beating Warrington.

You don't know if anything would change unless you try it. What is clear is Wane will continue to make the same idiotic decisions as he has in the past such as religiously playing Powell at 7 and sticking Escare on for 10 minutes as if that is going to make a difference. Wane was past his sell by date last season and why does he deserve to stay to the end of the season? This is a RL club not a charitable institution.

A club in turmoil faces a five day turnaround missing 3 starting props and a starting second rower and loses away to an opponent with the biggest pack (?) in the comp that is coming off an extra week's rest in the middle of the season. And still we have people blaming Powell......

Isa was no help to Bateman what's so ever Isa wants dropping total rubbish.

Not based on last night but based on the whole season. Powell is the worst player I’ve seen wearing 7 for Wigan for a very long time.

Three weeks ago we were talking about how good this player was or how well that one was playing. We were saying how good the rugby had been, how aggressive we were, how we’d dominated one of the leagues better packs and ended Warringtons long unbeaten run.

You do not become a bad side overnight! The players look to be reeling from the news that their coach (for some pretty much the only coach they’ve ever had for 10+ years) is leaving and maybe they’re angry as to the reasons why (guesswork but something doesn’t feel right). I expect the players to galvanise and fight back and give the Grand Final a real tilt.

Keep the faith.

Every half will look pants behind a beaten pack. Therein lies the problem.
Your pack is busted, you were on the threshold of moving into pole position before that.
How can you justify blaming Powell?

I’m not just blaming Powell but he hasn’t created a single try that I can recall all season. This includes when our pack has dominated. When looking to strengthen, 7 is without doubt the priority

I don’t blame Powell in the slightest, personally I feel quite sorry for him. The lad is a hooker, an honest working hooker and he’s being hung out to dry at scrum half.

As I say above we need to keep our chins up because there’s everything to play for but part of any master plan must include a new partner for Williams (who looked shackled again then free as a bird and happy to influence things for the last 15/20 mins when the game was up).

I agree to an extent, but there’s an assumption in there that he can turn it around.

It’s obvious by now that Wanes resignation was as much a shock to the players as it was for the rest of us. When I heard, my first thought was that the players, especially those who are leaving, would be extra-motivated to win everything for him, that’s what normally happens at the end of an era.

Instead they’ve gone into a tailspin either because the players are upset with their coach because he’s leaving or they’re unhappy with the club because of something to do with the manner of his leaving. If it’s the first one, we might as well get shut now because he’s lost the dresssing room. In the second case, it won’t matter much whether he stays or not unless he’s whining about his treatment to the players.

In either case, it looks a lot like sulking on the part of the players, which reflects very poorly on their professionalism.

No question about it. You'll need a whole new spine. Letting Sam go seems a massive gulf to correct now, had he stayed at least they'd be a footing.
As much as I hate the style of Wigan under him....I'd be looking to get McGuire back to install those heavy effective structures.
My word two props and two new halfbacks are a critical must for 2019.

Whoever takes over...I asked the question no one dared answer last week.
Would you except a meagre 2019, or much of it, as a season of transition?

Spot on this but even at hooker I don’t think he’s good enough to be our starting 9. He’s usually sound defensively but that’s it. With the ball, he offers nothing and lacks pace. I’d keep him as a utility squad player to cover injuries but nothing more.

I was banging the drum earlier on in the season for SW to go, much like jonh I didn’t (and still don’t) like his style of play, his decisions baffle me and we looked clueless in attack - despite at the time being top scorers in the league. Quite rightly I was shot down, it gives me no pleasure to see the team playing the way they are.

I wanted SW out then, I still do now however when there’s no one better to replace him; why bother? I get what some are saying in that “You don’t know unless you try” but whats the point in that? Despite this ‘crisis’ we’re still 2nd in the league.

This will all blow over IMHO. It’s not the end of our season, to the contrary there’s still all to play for (minus the obvious). Sometimes it’s “better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t”.

Powell is a limited player that gives everything. It's not his fault he isn't what we need, it's the fault of the coach that decided we don't need a top quality scrum half to control the team. Wane decided we needed and average Joe that will do as told, be unspectacular and go through the motions.

A partner for Williams? You do realise the 7 players on completely the other size of the pitch? Hard to listen at times when people don't even seem to understand the structure of a team.
Left pivot
Right pivot.

i'm getting to the point now where I do not actually feel any anger or bad feelings towards Wane. he has a tough job on to retain his reputation if he has not yet got a new position away from Wigan.

having said that, I actually think Wane has decided to leave due to the poor handling of the club, player contracts etc above Wane. I've said for a long time that the club has been badly managed in recent years and it is only in times like this that any of you even remotely agree with me.

lets think about it, would he really want Micky to have gone? would Micky have gone if the FPN issue was dealt with by the club more promptly? would he have given Williams the marquee spot if it was entirely up to him? would the Tomkins' issue have been handled promptly (assuming Wigan DID know about the incidents real time) if Wane had his way? would Wane have wanted Sam, Sutton and possibly Bateman to leave had wigan had to money to retain them?

I honestly think Wane is getting nowhere with the club, has been like this for a while and he has decided enough is enough and for that I do not fault him. the blame lies above if you ask me and it is now clearly having an impact on the players. has there been a "public" fallout within the club that has brought this on what with the many recent events, good or bad? I think so.

id expect Wane to want to stay on and try and fix this. the only way I can see him leaving early (like you say, who is available?!) is if wigan decide to cut ties. and if that does happen that will only further prove my feelings to be valid.

"I'm the most stubborn man in the world. (Owner and chairman) Ian Lenagan and (executive director) Kris Radlinski have always been loyal to me and I pick my own players. If I want a player, they say 'great' and they go and get them for me.

The fact that he has been stopped resigning these duds and giving more cash to players like Powell IS THE REASON HE IS GOING!