12 Feb: SL: Huddersfield Giants v Wigan Warriors KO 8pm

[Davo5]

After expecting a towelling I can't complain at that result, but for a video ref call - that will absolutely be a try next week for someone else - we'd have won

Ellis and Connor looked outstanding

One more senior player on the park and we'd win that I think

I thought it was the right call but wouldn't have been surprised if it went the other way,I suppose you think it was a definite Wigan knock on that led to your 2nd try.

[Ant]

Didn't go to the vr

But it balances out for the knock on and forward passes for their second

[GIANTSTRIDES]

Just a very good effort from Giants and really pleasing considering I was expecting a tonking, I thought Wigan looked the more powerful side and made ground easily enough, I have to give credit to the Giants defence though But as always Wigan are never beaten till the whistle has gone. Best game I've seen from Ellis yet, a bit better kicking into the in goal in the last 10 might have seen us home. Thought all the young kids went well and Foster, Murphy looks so much better at fullback than grix.

Wigan looked far from their best, but am still pleased with that.

[Davo5]

Didn't go to the vr

But it balances out for the knock on and forward passes for their second

Fair result then

[Ant]

Nah, we still got robbed by the vr

[Davo5]

Nah, we still got robbed by the vr

deluded.com

[Ant]

Not as much as Bentham...

[Dave T]

Thought the VR decision was ok tbh. I preferred the old way of benefit of the doubt to attack as you are just forcing tge ref to guess and then trying to prove that guess wrong.

Thought there were a couple if poor calls on bombs, but Hudds short kicking game was probably the reason they lost. They also gave a couple if soft penalties when they should have been turning the screw.

Wigan were good for the win imho as Hudds didnt do enough with the ball.

[Futtocks]

Thought the VR decision was ok tbh. I preferred the old way of benefit of the doubt to attack as you are just forcing tge ref to guess and then trying to prove that guess wrong.

Thought there were a couple if poor calls on bombs, but Hudds short kicking game was probably the reason they lost. They also gave a couple if soft penalties when they should have been turning the screw.

Wigan were good for the win imho as Hudds didnt do enough with the ball.

On first view, it looked like a try, but every replay looked more and more like "no try" was the right decision.

[longboard]

I enjoyed the game more than I expected.

 

Wigan made ground fairly easily at times but Huddersfield's defence was pretty good and Wigan's passing and timing weren't quite working at times. Hudds were getting beaten up in the props and the go forward came from Hinchcliffe, Ta'ai, Jerry and and Cudjoe, as well as Rapira, when he held on to the ball. I thought the young lads did pretty well.

 

It was good to see Ells trying stuff but just a pity he didn't take a different kicking option near the end. Connor did some good stuff but he needs to cut down on the penalties and keep his cake hole shut more often. My first reaction to his disallowed effort was that it wasn't a try; the ball seemed to move forward rather than down.

 

Congrats to Wigan.

[Niels]

Did anyone else think Huddersfield kicked too early and too often?

[Futtocks]

Did anyone else think Huddersfield kicked too early and too often?

I can see the reasoning behind it. Wigan looked short of ideas and full of errors in possession, so forcing the issue was worth trying. It didn't work out in the end, but still not a bad idea.

[bobbruce]

Thought the VR decision was ok tbh. I preferred the old way of benefit of the doubt to attack as you are just forcing tge ref to guess and then trying to prove that guess wrong.

.

I see it slightly differently Dave. You say forcing the ref to guess I see it as the ref making the decision he'd make if it wasn't a televised game.

As for the game agree there was a couple of poor decision on bombs near the end but Hudds had a few players give away soft penalties which probably did more to decide the winner. For all the good work Conner does he doesn't half give away some soft penalties a stupid times.

[Old Frightful]

I thought one or two Hudds fans might have commented on what seemed to happen at the end of Gelling's long break just before the matchwinner.

 

When he was caught, he threw the ball inside and a Hudds hand touched it, then I think it was either Sarginson or Tierney gathered it in and fell to the floor but, as they were falling, a Hudds player took posession off him. Then as they were on the deck, the ref shouted that the tackle was complete and the Hudds player gave Wigan the ball back. I assume he did this fearing a penalty but I thought it should have been the Giants' ball.

 

Anyway, it's irrelevant now but I was just surprised nobody else mentioned it.

[barnyia]

Usually when a player over celebrates a dubious try whilst looking or going towards the ref usually means the player hasn't scored or has doubts that he scored,

[Exiled Wiganer]

It did look odd but am not sure it was controversial as such as it was either our ball or a v kick able penalty for the steal.

Hope you're enjoying your croissant and espresso by the Med, OF.

[JohnM]

Given this was only the second round, I think that Hudds will not be easy to beat. Wigan however will have to step up several gears and improve their discipline if they are going to in any trophies

[Old Frightful]

It did look odd but am not sure it was controversial as such as it was either our ball or a v kick able penalty for the steal.

Hope you're enjoying your croissant and espresso by the Med, OF.

Wouldn't have been a penalty as it was one on one, IIRC.

No croissants or espressos for me today sadly, pickled eggs and real ale being the order of the day in sunny 'Ull.

[Padge]

Wouldn't have been a penalty as it was one on one, IIRC.

No croissants or espressos for me today sadly, pickled eggs and real ale being the order of the day in sunny 'Ull.

 

Could have been a penalty if th ref had called held.

[Old Frightful]

Could have been a penalty if th ref had called held.

Hudds player pinched the ball as they were falling, I think, so even the keenest whistler wouldn't have called held at that point.

 

If anyone is able to watch that particular passage of play again, I'd like their thoughts on it. Seemed to show it best on a replay shortly after the try I think.

[Saintslass]

I thought one or two Hudds fans might have commented on what seemed to happen at the end of Gelling's long break just before the matchwinner.

 

When he was caught, he threw the ball inside and a Hudds hand touched it, then I think it was either Sarginson or Tierney gathered it in and fell to the floor but, as they were falling, a Hudds player took posession off him. Then as they were on the deck, the ref shouted that the tackle was complete and the Hudds player gave Wigan the ball back. I assume he did this fearing a penalty but I thought it should have been the Giants' ball.

 

Anyway, it's irrelevant now but I was just surprised nobody else mentioned it.

I saw it.  The ball should have gone to Hudds.  But then Bentham seemed to give so much to Wigan for much of the game that it didn't really surprise me that the ball went to Wigan.

[Ant]

I noticed it on the replay and thought we'd won it

But as saints lass says, calls went to Wigan...

Oh and yeah, Connor seriously needs to cool down

[Griff9of13]

I saw it.  The ball should have gone to Hudds.  But then Bentham seemed to give so much to Wigan for much of the game that it didn't really surprise me that the ball went to Wigan.

 

Penalties conceded: Giants 10 Wigan 11

 

From: http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague/match_report/12206

[ivans82]

huddersfield threw it away with that nothing kick when leading near the end . the last thing they needed was to let wigan get a 20 metre tap out and a roll on , no one chased the kick anyway as if no one was expecting it . you either take the sixth tackle near the line , or put it in touch and run the clock down .

[Ant]

That poor decision is down to the missing senior players and needing game management

Giants lost by 5 points in a game j thought we'd lose by 40