After the perfect 4/4 start to the season, we have our first proper test coming next.
Wigan on their own patch are a real test for the resurgent Trinity and IF we can make it 5/5, people really will start to take notice.
With our defence looking as tight as the most stereotypical Yorkshireman, we have a great chance

Bring on the pies !

Should be a good match. Our defence just seems to get better. We are being more patient in attack and waiting for the opportunity rather than pushing it. Our penalty count seems to have gone down and, given the conditions, a relatively low number of errors yesterday. Only concern is that the attack doesn't seem to be able to prise open opposition defences very easily. That may change with drier playing surfaces and warmer weather, but we play Wigan next week, and I don't think conditions will change. Their pitch may be better but who knows. Like you say, a real test and a win would really get everyone talking.

Just a shame I'll be in Nepal with no TV, mobile signal no nothing! I'll have to wait nearly 3 weeks to find out what happened

One thing is pretty much for certain, I don’t think we will come back from 20-0 down again so need to start well

Randell back will give us some great options

Experience tells me that we lose the games when we start to expect to win them, and on form I expect us to win this, which means that I expect us to get a drubbing, a bad day at the office.

This means that I don't expect us to win, which means that we could win, although now I'm expecting us to win again, which means we'll lose.

I could be here a while.

This game is all about Wigan. We can beat them its always possible. However we have huniliated them over the last two years most natably IMHO at the JJB last year.

Wigan are NOT the great club they once were but they have to much pride and ability to let that happen again. If we are not on our game forget about winning we could get torn apart. Again not because Wigan are great or that we are poor = it's because that's how RL tends to work.

Put simply nothing less than 100% across the team will win us this one but so long as we don't get mauled I'll be happy.

Going to be interesting to see team , Hampshire has played pretty good but realistically if Randall’s in and evermore fit can’t see anything other than Hampshire being dropped . Thought kirmond Hirst and arundel all did enough to retain a place . Back from zurich Saturday can’t
Wait.
It’s funny last year it was all about how many points we could score , defence has been outstanding bill tupo made a couple amazing tackles yesterday , Danny k had his best game in six months .

We just need to get that penalty conceded down as Wigan will be a totally different test

I don't know if we need to win this one - I'll wait for BOJ042 to let me know if it's another 'must-win...'

In the real world however, Wigan will be the sternest test thus far - as Vasty says, they're miles off what they once were, but they still have quality all over the park; and some speedsters to equal ours. I'm hoping for WT to compete - and if we lose, let it be a close one.

Chester should have the boys well tuned for this one.
We rested/rotated a few players yesterday and you could hardly tell that the team had changed, it was seamless.
Pauli seems to be finding some form and fitness, which will worry any opponent.
I'm expecting Wigan to be at their grubbiest and it's going to need a ref that is tough and that doesn't get easily conned.
With O'Loughlin and Tomkins in there, the man in the middle will have his hands full.

Players moaning and waving there arms about has become far more prevalent over the past couple of seasons and this is one part of Tomkins game that hasn't been lost since he went to Aus.

I would expect Wigan to be fired up and at their most 'reckless' - we've humiliated Wane a couple of times in recent years, and he's not the type to let that slide; and I agree - O'Loughlin hasn't tackled below the neck in years, and Tomkins appears to have believed his own hype to such an extent that he now finds being tackled an affront. It needs a strong ref, or things could get ugly.

My sincere hope is that we play a clinical, sensible game plan, and keep the penalties to a minimum; and our defence is as committed and solid as it was yesterday - that seems like a decent basis on which to build a good performance.

Looking forward to this game.

I think it will be a real measure as to how far we have come, and will be the biggest test we have had so far

We won the same fixture last year, after coming from 20-0 down.

I do think Wigan will be up for this, and predict them too, to be there or there abouts come the end of the season too.

If Randell is back, it is a real competition for places.

Refereeing shouldn't be an issue - it'll be like an NRL game but better as there'll be at least 4 refs on the field although 3 of those are likely to be wearing Wigan shirts

Any news on why Johnstone never played? Wasn't he in the 19?

Very much doubt we'll be able to handle your pack, you've smashed ours to bits for the last couple of seasons and we certainly haven't strengthened it over the off season.
Could be a very long afternoon at the DW.

Chester said that they'd been training all week on a plastic pitch and his injury from last year was a bit sore, back for the Wigan game.

wigan will want to mix it early doors. I expect them to push it and see just what they can get away with. No need for Wakey to get involved in the niggle and just keep things above board. Providing our pack take control I don't see a problem.
We seem to be able to manage a game with confidence and the only problem for CC will be team selection but the squads good enough to allow for that.
Should be a hard game and its very close to call . They came back with a good solid second half display last time out and will be keen not to give the first half away.

Its that third Wigan defender hitting the lower leg of attacking player who is held by two defenders that upsets me, its a morally low offence for players to commit on a fellow professional, its a throw back to when that Aussie was in charge.

Wigan are gonna play to their strengths, with respect, its gonna be a wrestle in the bear pit atm.
Both scores put together, I don't think this game has 20 points in it, unless something daft happens.
I see a big pile of blood bins and injuries but I think if we can carry on where we left off game 4, we're in with a shout.

its not a must win no(top 8 or top 4)..... but a win would be great.

to be honest and looking at table our 4 wins although great have come against the bottom 4 teams (which is great for our top 8 aspirations) but this is the REAL test to see where we are.


I don't like our team saying our goal was 4 from 5 at start of year - does that mean they have already achieved the goal?

we win this and we only need 5 more wins for top 8!!! FIRE UP

Think I'm right in saying if Wigan win they would be on 8 points with us. Saints play wire and should get the 2 so on 10. the rest of the games don't effect our standing.

correct - although if we lose we would go from 2nd to 3rd because wigan have a better points for and against than us.
a win would put us 2 full game clear of third!!!!

Christ how terrible would that be slipping from second to third after five rounds!

BIG following required!!

need to get as many fans over there as possible to get behind the lads

Our away support is proportionally excellent, with only 3500 fans bothered to turn up to home games to have 500 plus at every away game is excellent. As a percentage of home fans I bet our away support is the best in the League

agreed belly, would just like a good following over there going for 5 out of 5.

Anyone know how many buses the club are taking?