https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2025/07/23/wigan-squad-for-catalans-slr20/ Good to see Farrimond back, gives us some options, can't believe Eckersley is fit to play though after the way he left the pitch last week. I hope MP is brave enough to give  Hodkinson the fullback shirt

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2025/07/23/wigan-squad-for-catalans-slr20/ Good to see Farrimond back, gives us some options, can't believe Eckersley is fit to play though after the way he left the pitch last week. I hope MP is brave enough to give  Hodkinson the fullback shirt

I only saw second half as I’m away and it was really low quality.


First half sounded like it was a bit better but can’t comment as didn’t see it. 

Even though we won it was not a great watch, we would have struggled massively against a better team. Too many silly mistakes, lack of team cohesion and some poor defense at times, pretty much more of the same from the last few weeks. Odd spells we looked slightly more connected but often ending with a dropped ball or other mistake. I don't get our subs either some players come off the bench do ok but get subbed after a few minutes like clockwork almost like they are not trusted to ply more than 10 minutes.


Some players look absolutely shot and in need of a break but we have no one to repalce them (Nsemba will definitely struggle if we keep trying to use him as a middle battering ram).

French, Field, Miski, Walters & Thompson all missing.  You can understand why it's disjointed.  


Agree that some of the lads look shot. I've said it before tho and it's not a knock on the squad - but some of the lads just aren't ready to put real pressure on the starting players. Faz, Nesemba and Ellis are all playing big mins - it's simply because lads like Kerr, Mason, Hirst just aren't ready. 

Better performance in first half regarding energy and commitment, but Catalans twice played the wrong option in their LH attack and plays breaking down when they clearly had a 2:1 overlap with our our RH defence nowhere. Better attacking teams would have put those away without problem.
Second half we were largely back to the lacklustre showing of previous matches.
On positive notes I think O'Neil probably had his best game since his comeback and Eckersley, Farrimond, Wardle and Keighran did look dangerous ball in hand.

We were ok in the first half. Did some good defending early on and then controlled the game without being outstanding. Farrimond and Smith were working well. Dupree had a decent stint. Havard looks a shadow of himself. O'Neill seemed sharper than he has been.


Second half we started totally dominant for a few minutes and I felt, if we scored in that patch and took it to 20 or 22 nil we would have ended up with a big victory. But Catalans weathered that storm and, for the rest of the match, we were back to the shoddy performances of the last few weeks. It was very disappointing and if the game against Rovers were taking place now, I would be very worried indeed.


A week off has probably come just when we needed it, and we should have Field and Walters back with any luck. Walters has been our best prop this season but I would have to say we need to use him in the second row when he returns, to give Junior and Faz a breather, as they are both miles off their best. It doesn't help that they are both better suited to playing on the left as well. Ultimately, the team appears to have become too dependent on French, so his return will be huge when it comes. There is, or should be, enough quality in the team to cope better without him, though. 


Thompson is another we have missed. Even when he has played he has not hit the level he did last season, which I attribute to niggling injuries. Last season I felt he was comfortably the best prop in the competition. If we can get him back at that sort of level, get French back raring to go for the last chunk of the season, and get Walters back I still think we can walk off the field winners at Old Trafford. But at our current form, it's a Leigh-Rovers final.