"Wigan are a terrific team, just ahead of us in Super League, but we've been going ok ourselves this season, so it should make for great entertainment.



"It's just about taking your chances on the day. Both teams are pretty good defenders of their try line and certainly make you earn whatever points you can score.



"Last year they were the best team in the competition and were certainly the most consistent team and they're not far off doing that this year."



Source BBC.



What a er this guy is.

That article looks like its the journalist wanting to have a pop at Wigan by putting words in TS's mouth.



He has obviously asked him a loaded question to try and get him to say Wigan are a boring team etc, which Smith hasn't done, he has just talked about Warrington, so the interviewer has inferred that 'his disdain for their style of play is obvious' and brought up the fact that John Kear criticised Wigan's 'style of play'. That has no relevance at all to tomorrows game.



Obviously a sporting life journalist with an agenda against Wigan and wanting to try and use Tony Smith to justify it.

RL is a minority sport here, it is the second biggest sport in Aus after rules - a massive difference to TV viewing figures

I would have thought even the dimmest would understand that a big pack actually centralises their gameplan. Expansive is when the play and the ball is spun out via ball playing to the threequarter line and the half backs.



Therefore 'expansive' opens the play up away from the pack. [iErgo[/i there is less use for the pack.



Smith is using an oxymoron if the paper is correct. Mind I wouldn't trust the newspapers.

Tony Smith just happens to be smarter than your average SL coach. Anyone with any political nouse (in the broadest sense of politics) is able to throw out an insult or a criticism yet still have the defense of saying "Hey, I didn't actually [isay[/i that." You can hardly blame the coach of a team that thrive on open attacking play for coming out with a veiled attack on styles of play which they don't thrive on. The comments also double as a pre-emptive rejection of defeat at the hands of such tactics: "Well, at least [iwe [/iplayed entertaining rugby for the good of RL." Thankfully, Maguire and the Warriors, as usual, will treat him with the absolute indifference he deserves.

not if the pack as well as being big is also mobile and willing to take part in the expansive game!

Am nodding approvingly at your assessment.....

I think Wigan play a good passing game, on occasions,so to say that they are predominantly a defensive team is a little unfair on their ability to attack.Still think Warrington will have a bit to much for Wigan. wire by 12!!!! IMO

Theres no doubting Maguires ability as a coach but to say hes better than Smith is a bit premature, hes not been over here to prove his full potential it will all be ifs,buts and maybes now unfortunately for you, from your point of view its a shame hes going back to Auz

The interesting thing on this is that smith previously said that he doesn't coach their attack - he lets them get on with it and he coaches defence.

Honestly why does anyone care what any other coach thinks about us?



The only persons opinion about us i care about is madge thats it Smith is trying to get the ref on side cause he knows we will show this Wire attack up

Because it's so satisfying hearing about opposition coaches who simply can't hold their nerve when they face us and blurt out something to the media. It's when they stop talking about us you have to be worried.