WN83

England don’t win with anybody in charge. I thought he did a lot of good things in the job. In club coaching, he took himself out of his comfort zone and moved over to the NRL and I think that helped. He’s done a magnificent job with Catalans. One thing I would point out though, is the part guys like McIlorum and in particular Sam Tomkins have played. I think their influence on the team, alongside the work McNamara has done, has brought a steel and competitive edge to Catalans that they didn’t have before.

Unreal night. First point is to credit Saints. It shows what a champion team they are that it takes an effort like that to beat them. Secondly, what a career James Roby has had. He deserved to go out a winner but fairytales don’t always happen and lastly, Sam Tomkins was a legend in Wigan already put pulling out the 2012 celebration tops it off! Hopefully we can make the final and kill another fairytale. Jeez, rugby league is some sport!

Saw the fans welcome for the Catalans players earlier. Intense!! Hopefully it works in a positive fashion.

Saints are the better team and know how to win these games. They’ve not always shown their best this season but I think they will tonight and it will be enough to get them home. Saints by 6

Wigans form has been dreadful recently! I watched 2 podcast this week and both spoke about how HKR have the form/momentum advantage. It’s confusing me, I can’t lie. As for this game-it’ll be tight I think but I’m confident. I’m usually pretty pessimistic going in to any big game but I’m feeling ok for this one. Famous last words but I think we’ll get the job done by about 10 points. HKR have been amazing this season and won’t make it easy but I’ve sensed a real steel and determination in Wigan recently.

There's absolutely no issue with a lack of travelling Catalans support week to week. I'm sure loads of them will have come to a game here on occasion. I've been to Perpignan (and once to Barcelona) about 5 or 6 times in the 17 years they've been in Superleague, so my average per year ain't great either. I'd go to every Grand Final Wigan appeared in though if they decided to play them over in France.

In the weekly rounds, they obviously have to travel here multiple times, so I get why a big following wouldn't be coming over for those games but you would hope for a few more to come for play off semis and then a few thousand for finals shouldn't be beyond the realms. I get money and time to organise things is an issue but say any of the three British clubs left in the race, made it to a French based GF, I'd be surprised if 3,000+ didn't travel. If it was a club like HKR, appearing in a first ever GF, I think you could probably raise that to 5,000+. Maybe it's just a cultural thing in terms of travelling overseas for games. English sports fans would likely travel to the moon if a decent game was on. You only need to look at The Barmy Army, Boxing events in Vegas, England in the football or Rugby Union and so on. It could just be that we're all that desperate to get out of England, we'll turn up anywhere

It’s been an issue for us for a long time now and it’s so frustrating. I don’t think things look quite as bad for Saturday as some fans are making out because plenty of people won’t have tickets yet (our group who goes to every game haven’t sorted them yet) but we won’t have as many in the home stands as a bog standard league game and that’s so wrong.

As good as that is for the club, it feels as though calling a big press conference, a couple of days in advance, at a time when the Leeds fans are mostly concerned with matters on the field, is them not really reading the room. I know if Wigan had just had a poor season and they called a big press conference, I wouldn’t be hugely excited that the stadium had found a fresh sponsor and would feel underwhelmed.

We go every year regardless of who is playing and will do again. Much the same as discussing the cup final before the semi's, I hope we make it but if it's HKR VS Catalans, that will be a game to look forward to and a great occasion. Finals minus your own team are more relaxing at least

Just weird. If you aren’t going to learn a lesson by conceding 6 points off a short drop out, when will you? There seems to be a willingness from some clubs nowadays to show ‘we’re different’ just for the sake of it.

It was actually far worse I thought and still no pen.

All going wrong for Penrith. Yeo off now.

Unbelievable stuff

Can live with a penalty, on the basis that they’re scared to death about future repercussions on head knocks but a yellow? Not a chance IMO. I saw somebody mention it being similar to Shorrocks in the cup semi somewhere but it was nothing like that bad for me.

Absolutely. He’s got a bit of everything to his game and will only get better. Looking forward to watching him more in that England shirt.

What a result for Brisbane if they go in at HT just 2 points behind.

I didn’t limit it to high tackles did I?

If you asked Penrith what they’d want Brisbane to do, it would be to go short. Even if Brisbane get the ball, Penrith will just fire in to them and pin them down at that end.

The pace and intensity of the game looks too much for Brisbane at the minute. You have to love the leniency in the officiating regards penalties. A Superleague game would’ve had about 5 extra penalties so far (even in a GF).

No reason to get involved? What, other than making a tackle in a knock out play off game? Go and play that at full speed and the ‘no reason to get involved’ comment looks bonkers. Two players make contact initially, Bell falls off his ankles and it’s a split second before Walmsley goes up top to finish the tackle off. The momentum of Crowther isn’t stopped and he simply raps him up. Accidents happen and unfortunately he goes in to Walmsleys chest/shoulder. The game will be tick and pass if we carry on looking at dozens of slow motion replays to find fault. Just watching the NRL GF and they’d laugh themselves silly at that being a pen and yellow card. In saying all that, get him banned! (Even if it would be a joke).

Saw the first half but missed the second. I was surprised in all honesty, in that first period, with how passive Saints defence was. I didn’t feel like it got anything like as intense as the Leigh game at the TW 2/3 weeks ago. It did feel a bit like they were comfortable in the game though and decided to hold a bit back for next week at Catalans. I’ve read varying opinions on the Walmsley tackle, so I’ve just dug it out in the C4 replay and had a look at it and I’d love to say ‘get him banned’ but talk about a none event! What is Walmsley meant to do? He can’t help being 6ft 5 and the Wire man runs in to his shoulder. I hope they ban him but they definitely shouldn’t.

Really enjoyable game. A step too far in a fabulous season for Leigh and HKR look like they can give the play offs a real shake. I said it before and after the cup final and it’s just been highlighted again this past two weeks, how refreshing it is to see two clubs with huge ambition, giving things a real go. I think both will continue to build and as good as this season has been, next year looks very exciting as well.

Wire need to stick in for as long as they can. Saints will start quick and put them in the washing machine early on, with defenders flying from all angles at them and the likes of Makinson and Percival will start trying to pick holes from dummy half, on the back of the forwards carries. I could see Warrington wilting tbh and going 2 or 3 try’s down in the first 15-20 mins but I hope not. If Wire can be in front or within 4-6 points, going in to the last 20 mins, they’ll have a shot because outside of that frantic first 20-25 mins, Saints don’t look like posting loads of points. Sadly I see a Saints win by 20 points or so, on the back of a quick start.

Without doubt and what he’s done for Leigh this season has been great and it’s brought him the sort of exposure he seems to crave. That’s a reward people can live with him getting because the more the merrier when it comes to people with money investing in the sport and showing ambition. It’s just a shame he’s taken a bit of gloss off all the positive things he’s done this season.