Thu 12 Nov: SL: Warrington Wolves v Hull FC KO 7.45pm (Sky)

[Rupert Prince]

6 minutes ago, Padge said:

Warringtons ex-coach seemed disappointed.

Considering we have to play the winners of this game next week, I would sooner Warrington had sneaked it.

You will beat Leeds quite easy...

[Barca Mum]

3 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

No , the pies will beat you easily  you've just won your GF 

Wonder why pie supporters are disliked so much

[Padge]

1 minute ago, Barca Mum said:

Wonder why pie supporters are disliked so much

Was that aimed at Starbug?

 

[Davo5]

2 minutes ago, Barca Mum said:

Wonder why pie supporters are disliked so much

He’s a Leigh fan.

[Hela Wigmen]

I’m not a Hull fan but this is what annoys me about them. They turn in a performance like that but equally can turn in a performance so bad that they look like they’ve never played the game before. It’s got to be so infuriating to be an FC fan. 

Equally, it’s got to be frustrating to be a Wire fan. They’ve got over the line in the cup in the past ten or so years and can win big knockout games in the Cup but when it comes to the play-offs and Grand Finals, they can’t get it done. 

This is the Rugby League we’ve been craving for a few weeks. We were just ambling along in the last few weeks of the regular season, just about getting by and it was getting tiresome but it’s games like tonight’s that we’ve been waiting for. 

 

[Barca Mum]

2 minutes ago, Padge said:

Was that aimed at Starbug?

 

Just a general enquiry

[Padge]

Just now, Barca Mum said:

Just a general enquiry

He's a Leigh fan, the implication of your post is that he was an arrogant Wigan fan.

You do realise this don't you?

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Barca Mum said:

Just a general enquiry

You are correct , I can't stand the bstrds

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

He’s a Leigh fan.

They're all Wiganers to us

[Barca Mum]

1 minute ago, Padge said:

He's a Leigh fan, the implication of your post is that he was an arrogant Wigan fan.

You do realise this don't you?

Yep

[Rupert Prince]

On 11/11/2020 at 09:05, Rupert Prince said:

I agree with that.  Clearly Wire are dangerous opponents,  but Hull have got their act together.  Its going to be interesting to see if Hull can raise their game.

If Wigan have to play Leeds, i hope there is no monsoon weather...

The above was on Page 1.  For once I was prophetic. Hull DID raise their game. Had a bit of luck, but not that much so on balance.  Wire steadily lost their way.

Assuming Catalans turn up (mentally) then they can beat Leeds. That would be a good semi.

Wigans advantage next week is they do have some pace all over the park. And they have a pack which ought to dominate if they work for it. 

[Davo5]

4 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

They're all Wiganers to us

You can go off people !!

[Old Frightful]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Well done Hull, good luck for the rest of the playoffs. 

Many thanks Dave, scholar and gent as ever.

Well, that was rather enjoyable. Thought it was a rip roarer but with too many errors from both sides to make it a classic.

I thought I might start getting a bit nervous in the second half but rather surprisingly, I didn't. I think it was because I thought Wire lacked composure to pull the game back. I have to say, I thought a few of Hull's players can put in better shifts than that, sure, they busted a gut for each other but Naulago in particular was strangely anonymous I thought. Sure, he put in one or two great hits but also was at fault for both Ashton tries.

I wonder what Jake Mamo's role was in tonight's game. Surely this new breed of hi speed no scrums RL means that you need to spell your players best you can. To have a player on the sidelines for 75 mins or whatever it was was simply ridiculous.

Well, we'll turn up at the DW next week but I really don't fancy our chances on that occasion, I think it will be one step too far.

Having said that, if Last can instil the "80 mins effort, win, and you're at home in the GF" mentality, then who knows.

 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

14 minutes ago, Celt said:

I can't see Wire going any further this year

Considering their season is over, you may just be right...

[Wellsy4HullFC]

2/3 times that Hull have won the first game in the playoffs, that have been smashed by 70+ points in the next round.

 

Mind you, that one other time was against Wigan. We still lost though.

We never win 2 in a row in the playoffs. We've only won one semi final in them. Don't fancy our chances at all. But you never know! I really can't imagine how unusual it would be if we were to win the comp from 6th considering there was a Top 5 system at the start of the season, then a Top 4 until about 3 weeks ago!

[Niels]

2 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

This is why we have playoffs to determine who are champion teams

But then you get teams from 5th or 6th place winning it who can't really be considered champions. 

Warrington have been competitive all year and entertaining to watch. Just because they have one poor game doesn't make them worse than the sides below them. 

 

 

 

[Niels]

2 hours ago, Barca Mum said:

Wonder why pie supporters are disliked so much

I think because some of the fans come across as a little patronising about supporters of the smaller teams. 

 

 

[Tommygilf]

10 minutes ago, Niels said:

But then you get teams from 5th or 6th place winning it who can't really be considered champions. 

Warrington have been competitive all year and entertaining to watch. Just because they have one poor game doesn't make them worse than the sides below them. 

 

 

 

You get teams good enough to qualify for the playoffs and capable of winning knockout rugby. Grit and steel.

[Loiner]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

Chris Hill with a numb Chris Hill play 

Should call him "over the hill" instead of Chris.

[Niels]

20 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

You get teams good enough to qualify for the playoffs and capable of winning knockout rugby. Grit and steel.

If one of the lesser teams from outside the top 4, who haven't been competitive all year, win then maybe. 

[BrisbaneRhino]

So what's the consensus on Widdopp?

I used to think he was a class player but in the last few years at St George I thought he looked more and more like Ben Walker used to - can kick in general play and score goals and sort of looks 'classy' but actually delivers very little in attack.  He seems to be looking more and more like a player with all style and no substance. I know he's not a one-man team and Austin hasn't set the world on fire either, but Widdopp is just so disappointing. Can't think of a better word for him.

[gingerjon]

7 hours ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

2/3 times that Hull have won the first game in the playoffs, that have been smashed by 70+ points in the next round.

 

Mind you, that one other time was against Wigan. We still lost though.

We never win 2 in a row in the playoffs. We've only won one semi final in them. Don't fancy our chances at all. But you never know! I really can't imagine how unusual it would be if we were to win the comp from 6th considering there was a Top 5 system at the start of the season, then a Top 4 until about 3 weeks ago!

You're a pub quiz question waiting to happen ...

[Dave T]

5 minutes ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

So what's the consensus on Widdopp?

I used to think he was a class player but in the last few years at St George I thought he looked more and more like Ben Walker used to - can kick in general play and score goals and sort of looks 'classy' but actually delivers very little in attack.  He seems to be looking more and more like a player with all style and no substance. I know he's not a one-man team and Austin hasn't set the world on fire either, but Widdopp is just so disappointing. Can't think of a better word for him.

Austin and Widdopp have both been decent for Wire IMHO but will naturally attract the criticism when we lose because of their marquee status. 

But Widdopp has always had that uncertainty about him and can stifle play at times. 

But if we want to look at Wire's issues we have to look deeper than the halves. Our forwards are pretty much toothless, they now play like a pack of 35 year olds, and any energy from the likes of Currie, Philbin, Akuoala and BMM seems to have been stamped out for the solid workhorses like J Clarke and Hughes. This means Daryl Clarke is less effective and as a unit we are not dangerous. 

To then play with limited interchanges gives us even less energy in these areas, and shows the kind of coaching genius we are tolerating. 

[Wildcat]

Congratulations FC - I hope you go on to win the GF. 

[Old Frightful]

24 minutes ago, Dave T said:

To then play with limited interchanges gives us even less energy in these areas, and shows the kind of coaching genius we are tolerating. 

This is what amazed me, tactical nous is needed but anybody can make exchanges at the right time to rest players who've put in big shifts.

And Mamo sat there as a spectator? It was like Wire were down to their last 17 with some of them carrying.