20 Feb: WCS: Warrington Wolves v St George Illawarra Dragons KO 8pm (TV)

[John Drake]

Discuss the World Club Series game Warrington Wolves v St George Illawarra Dragons here.

[Dave T]

Really excited about this one, will be making my first Wire home game for almost 2 years, and my first game since the Challenge Cup Semi last year.

 

I really hope the 3 SL clubs put in a good showing, hopefully a clean sweep!

[fieldofclothofgold]

come on Wire its you year and I mean that

[Farmduck]

Wire have a good chance of winning this. St George only came 11th last year and they've had a fair bit of player turnover. You just never know with Benji - he could be rubbish or win the game single-handed.

[back to the future]

wire should win this easy

very poor St George team

[Exiled Wiganer]

I am hoping and expecting Wire to unleash hell on St George and give them the sort of high octane pounding they specialise in. And a fullish house to make it a breath taking event.

As today's e mail from their marketing department said - Come on you Wolfs!

[Gates1]

Gone for

Wire

Brisbane

Saints

Treble

So come on Wire!

[Dave T]

As somebody who only watches a little of the NRL - are St George that bad? 

 

They have players like Duggan, Widdop, Nightingale and Marshall in their squad and were champions just 4 years ago - why are they so poor?

[thirteenthman]

Looking forward to this as well - my first live match of the season, so hopefully it'll be an entertaining game. 

 

As for the Dragons, well they did only finish 2 points out of the top 8 last year, so they're perhaps not as bad as some people make out. They're a work in progress really with a relatively new half back pairing, given that Widdop only arrived there at the start of last season and Benji came in half way through. The big problem they had was in the forwards - far too lightweight up front. Not sure if they've addressed this in the off season. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't a win to the Wires. 

[Popeye Doyle]

Looking forwards to these three games. Discipline and self-belief are key to Warrington winning, you have enough quality players to compete, especially in the forwards. If their best players are fit to play then its a Warrington win for me.

[Just Browny]

As somebody who only watches a little of the NRL - are St George that bad?

They have players like Duggan, Widdop, Nightingale and Marshall in their squad and were champions just 4 years ago - why are they so poor?

One of the paradoxes of the NRLnis that they're all supermen, except those who come over for WCC/internationals who are guff, and their game is far superior to ours in every way, except when they sign for Super League clubs, in which case they're gash.

[Harrigan]

St George totally dominated Souths a couple of weeks back only to concede 2 late tries and the game end up a 12 all draw. Admittedly, Souths didn't have the Burgii or Inglis but they the dragons looked good. Benji and Widdop worked very well together. I think Wire will lose by a couple of scores.

Also, average In the NRL is totally different to average in SL. Yes yhey finished 11th but it was only a few wins behind the Bulldogs who made the grand final.

[Farmduck]

As somebody who only watches a little of the NRL - are St George that bad? 

 

They have players like Duggan, Widdop, Nightingale and Marshall in their squad and were champions just 4 years ago - why are they so poor?

 

Probably not "bad" but they don't have much beef up front. If Wire play it down the middle they should win. The simplest way to lose against St George is to give them too many broken play opportunities. Dugan and Nightingale are very strong kick returners and Benji responds very quickly to broken play.

 

Wire: stick to the middle third, kick for the line and not to Dugan, Nightingale or Nabuli.

[Saint Toppy]

Gone for

Wire

Brisbane

Saints

 

I'd go with that.

 

St.George are poor and there's nothing in their team that should strike fear into the Warrington defence. Their forwards in particular are as about as average as they come. Of the 3 games this is the one that SL should comfortably win.

Brisbane are a massive club and while they've underperformed in recent years they still have a good squad with some class players and are capable of beating anyone on their day.

The Bunnies are obviously the best there is in the NRL with arguably the best player in the world in either code, but I have a sneaking suspicion Saints might just nick this one. Saints have more than enough to match and even dominate their forwards so a lot will depend on how well they can defend out wide in the backs

 

Wire to win by 16

Brisbane to win by 6

Saints to win by 2

[CiderWire]

Travelling up to Gods country for this so they'd better win!

Hoping all three SL teams win but I've a feeling there will be victories for Wire, Broncos and Bunnies.

[back to the future]

Has this sold out yet?

[Just Browny]

Has this sold out yet?

No, and it wont. I got an email from the club (sorry Dave) with an interview with TS and news that there are 100 tickets left in the South Stand. That means there'll be plenty left in the West and I suspect North and I'd guess at a 10500 crowd.

Before people get too sniffy, this is an all-pay, no away crowd game and, most importantly, Warrington have rightly sold this as a premium event with higher prices than for normal games (quite a number of seats are £45). The club has decided to put some value on a ticket and will make money.

[Teessidewire]

No, and it wont. I got an email from the club (sorry Dave) with an interview with TS and news that there are 100 tickets left in the South Stand. That means there'll be plenty left in the West and I suspect North and I'd guess at a 10500 crowd.

Before people get too sniffy, this is an all-pay, no away crowd game and, most importantly, Warrington have rightly sold this as a premium event with higher prices than for normal games (quite a number of seats are £45). The club has decided to put some value on a ticket and will make money.

From what I'm told we've sold a 1000 more than your esrtimate Browny, and there's still tomorrow and all day Friday. I reckon there will be a bit of a last minute rush.

[back to the future]

Of whats left whats the prices

£45 sounds a bit steep

[Dave T]

20 quid standing behind the sticks

22.50 standing along the touchline

30 sitting behind the sticks

35 along the sides up to 20m line

45 central area of sides

Looks sensible pricing to me.

Only slight concern is empty seats in front of the camera, but that pricing is imho what a premium rl club game should be priced at.

[Dave T]

They are selling tickets at Leeds and Widnes for this game, maybe at otger clubs too.

[RSN]

20 quid standing behind the sticks

22.50 standing along the touchline

30 sitting behind the sticks

35 along the sides up to 20m line

45 central area of sides

Looks sensible pricing to me.

Only slight concern is empty seats in front of the camera, but that pricing is imho what a premium rl club game should be priced at.

Premium game? Its only a pre season friendly.

Then again the people saying that drink fosters and trying to avoid being eaten by wildlife.

[Black Country Wire]

Of whats left whats the prices

£45 sounds a bit steep

 

It's a glorified friendly - it is a bit steep.

 

No league points at stake, no trophy, no progression to a next round, I'm struggling to see the point of it TBH other than as a practice game against a side we wouldn't normally be playing.

 

I hope people enjoy the occasion and it's a good spectacle but I just can't muster up a great deal of interest and I'm just hoping we don't get any injuries ahead of the meaningful games to come.

 

[cookey]

The pricing is fine,the crowd will be fine,the game will be fine.

 

After the event,the people who have tried to put the game down,will move onto their next critique and forget their criticisms of this game.I see they are already stating that a NRL season opener at Wembley is a no goer/no hoper/stupid etc,etc.Obviously based on absolutely no knowledge/facts/information etc.The same people demand more innovation,international rugby,high profile etc from RL.

 

To throw in an idea,why don't a couple of the NRL sides,play a game in Hong Kong/Dubai,on their way back to Australia from the World Series games - a large part of the travelling costs would already have been covered.

[Swansea Jack]

It's a glorified friendly - it is a bit steep.

 

No league points at stake, no trophy, no progression to a next round, I'm struggling to see the point of it TBH other than as a practice game against a side we wouldn't normally be playing.

 

I hope people enjoy the occasion and it's a good spectacle but I just can't muster up a great deal of interest and I'm just hoping we don't get any injuries ahead of the meaningful games to come.

 

You are being negative. I am looking forward to the games.