League Express Podcast #60: Who is going to stop the Wigan Warriors? with Garry Schofield

[@totalrugbyleague5093]

If there are any questions or topics you would like us to discuss on next week's episode feel free to leave them below or reply to this thread 🏉

[@rjworldsportsnews]

Can you discuss how big of a sport rugby league is in England or the UK? I get frustrated hearing so many so called Rugby League fans in our sport play their own game down? … they say we are a minor sport only and we are dying - but yet we forget that we are the 4th most popular team sport in England, we are overall a popular TV sport throughout the UK, we may not have that mainstream attention down south but in the north we are a major sport… we have more TV coverage than ever have done in the past - both on free to air tv and satellite - not to mention all the streaming platform - I also feel like we see more rugby league news on national news more than ever - we have had rugby league feature on BBC breakfast quite a lot of times last few years with guests in studio. I am tired of all the doom and gloom - attendances are a bit up and down yeah but you don’t get 60,000 plus fans for major finals (GF and CC) in this country if you don’t have a strong presence and popularity … we have a great foundation. We need to start selling ourselves there is so much potential and one thing that many other sports don’t have in UK but we do is that sense of community and working class spirit - this is something unique and to be proud of .. I can only think of boxing that has this to some level and that has a strong degree of popularity… Football has long lost it at the highest level, Cricket has and Union has imo and Union probably never had it

[@woodencreatures]

The person who should be up for disciplinary is Joe Burgess. He flopped his forearm down on Nsemba's head when he was lying on the ground

[@jamesmorton1977]

Correct!!

[@Bad_Gnasher]

Love listening to the legend Gary Schofield.

[@grant07792]

Fantastic podcast just strait talking of one of the greats Gary. Great stuff

[@MarcWhittington-ei5sy]

Need Gary on every week please 🙏

[@davidwood123]

I grew up in Wigan in the eighties and nineties, we did not get bored of going to Wembley! Also Wigan didn’t *only* buy players (we did buy a lot) but Clarke, Farrell, Betts, Robinson, Radlinksi, Edwards and a lot of others all came through the ranks.

[@rjworldsportsnews]

I’d love it if Hunslet got back up there. My fiancé’s Great Great Grandad played for Hunslet and was apart of the All Four Cups winning side of 1907-08. His name was Fred Farrar… regarding international game it really should happen during a break in season - Martin is spot on - how can there people who run the game look at themselves in the mirror - it’s not hard to work out ! Madness

[@emma00b]

just catching up just got back from seeing skinny living at the band album signing in wakefield great way to fill my mind again

[@JRPete]

28:08 Garry is spot on. IMO England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and Great Britain 🇬🇧 aren't Australia's 🇭🇲 last resort for representation on heritage unless they've been raised there.

[@wokenessiscancer2176]

Wires only beat wigan at wigan. The pies had about 6 players out including French etc .

[@denken3225]

I like the idea of July internationals. However, in order for it to interfere with what is by far Australia's biggest league TV draw in the state of origin, England/GB will need to become a legitimate threat. We'll need to smash NZ and Kangaroos consistently before they will make any changes to their seasons to accommodate this. I'm afraid that the main thing holding the international game back is England not beating Australia for many years

[@barrysergeant2438]

KR have the tools because they stuffed them at Craven Park were the forwards got on top and Rovers played the off load game,hopefully the two gaps have been filled that let Rovers down,ie goal kicking and another big go forward player in JWH.Think KR scored the most tries this year but missed the most kicks which probably cost them the LLS.

[@mikeowen1192]

They have been beat a few times french was the difference on the grand final and hull kr where caught in the headlights by the occasion great game thought,

[@galinor7]

Who is going to stop Wigan. Well, as we all know, given enough time either Saints or Leeds as always. The real question is who is going to break these three clubs strangle hold of the sport. In three or four seasons it will be, who will beat Saints, then a couple of years later Leeds are back. My question is when will this change.

[@pinkfloydmayweather861]

Saints are done there skint too

[@rhysc9706]

@@pinkfloydmayweather861 As a Wigan fan, I wouldn't dismiss St Helens ability to return to power. They still have an elite academy and large fanbase to fund it, but it'll take some years for them to rebuild. I can't see them dropping out of the top six, but I also don't see them winning any silverware.

[@RivingtonAve]

International break in May? No thanks, we don't want our top players picking up injuries mid season.

[@bobbytreetop1701]

You’re not interested in international RL ?

[@RivingtonAve]

@@bobbytreetop1701 not at the expense of our domestic competition.

[@JRPete]

The international game for in the middle of the year would work if the GBSL & ARL/NRL synced their seasons with limited fixtures and also if state of origin could phase out of the NRL and become a rep concept for a united NRL 2nd grade comp.

[@boba2783]

Wigan bought the team in the 80s & 90s, he hasn’t stopped saying this BS for decades- Gary look how many wiganers were in those “bought” teams 😂😂😂 he actually names wiganers as his examples 😂😂😂 please never invite Gary on this again you just lost a subscriber

[@josephsoap2698]

So go on then explain how many 'Wiganers'were in the teams of the 80's and 90's. As regarding buying players so did every other club ,they just weren't as successful.