For the last week or so there appears to have been an assumption that campers who were mainly in The Wombats were the strongest people in there, and who would be the ones to rely on to win stars from tasks and bring home the meals.

But as things have panned out that hasn't really been the case at all.
I can't help feeling that a bit of casual sexism creeps into people's train of thought in there. That the men in there are naturally assumed to be stronger than the women.
Tonight we even had The Wombats in agreement that the other team probably won't do as well because apart from Jake they're all girls, and that they aren't as strong characters as The Wombats.

But through the week the team of Jake, Michael, and the women other than Melanie only lost one of their challenges against The Wombats, winning all the others.

In my opinion the women's team, if I can call it that, have proven to be much stronger.

Jimmy - Useless.
Foggy - Silly old Foggy has lost three tasks in a row now.
Melanie - Butterfingers lost the key and was afraid of this task.
Tinchy - Hasn't really proven anything yet.

Jake - Solid performer in tasks who seems to be reliable and usually wins.
Kendra - Full of shit, but has won maximum stars in two or three trials, or has won plenty, even if she has also failed on a couple.
Edwina - Very strong contender.
Vicki - Won against Jimmy and another of The Wombats the other night.
Nadia - Did really well in the task tonight.
Michael - I'm not sure if he's had much of a chance yet.

At the moment the contestants in the team made up mostly of women look to be far stronger to me. But I think that even now, there is still an assumption that The Wombats are the 'elite' and the people in that team are the most likely to win food for the camp.

They're mistaking "dominant personalities" for strength.

I agree with you after tonight's show. The telling line was from Tinchy when he said just that. That the other team don't have the stronger characters but that The Wombats do, so The Wombats would probably win.
He seems to think Jimmy being a loudmouth means that it makes them strong.

But The Gulangers, or whatever they're called, seem to be winning time after time after time.

good point

Good post OP and completely agree with all your points

Maybe they thought the girls would be wusses with the creepy crawlies and stuff.
But then who was the biggest wuss of all

Wombats overall may be the most "known", but he last couple of days have proven that the Gahlas are better at the trials.

the women are stronger

any team with sissy bullard in it is always going to be weaker.

Swash said it on the ITV2 show - take the women out and the men would go to pieces - take the men out and the women would be fine!

For once - I agree with him!

This is a common mistake - in RTV shows as in life. Quiet strength of character is a lot more common than is generally supposed.

I think the notion they were was in the minds of only three people...Jimmy, Carl and Jake...and of course they did win the first trial and gain Mel...but after that it was pretty obvious they were weaker from that point on.

The Galahs won the next and gained Michael...may be quiet but no question a strong/determined contestant seen more and worse in his career than any of them in war zones.

Carl began to have doubts and do less willy waving from the moment he lost to Edwina, they then lost Jake which really only left Gobby Bullard espousing that theory (Tinchy said nothing but he privately saw it for what it was....BS)

And it was brains (not brawn) Jake used to beat Carl...who was too dim to get the lower keys out of the maze first.

And for whatever reason Bullard was left "giving it large innit"...he failed to convince even himself...and ran squealing from the tombs.