Fri 13 Aug: SL: Hull Kingston Rovers v Wigan Warriors KO 19:45

[Jim Prendle]

2 minutes ago, bratman said:

Thought Vete, King, SKD, Litten were all fantastic for HKR.

Also Linnett. I don't follow Hull KR closely enough to know how well he plays for the rest of the year, but against Wigan he always plays a blinder.

[Hela Wigmen]

Just read Lam’s post match comments on social media and it’s actually astounding that he played for the club and has since coached them. “We’re trying to be a top four team” should not be words uttered from the mouth of a Wigan coach, for me, and I’m the furthest you could get from being a Wigan fan. He’s utterly clueless and out of touch. 

[Scubby]

22 minutes ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

That was Hull KR without our best 2 forwards, and 3 of our best pivots. I’m almost speechless.
 

2 years ago a Rovers side with 5 of their best players out injured would have shipped 40+ even against an admittedly badly coached and overpaid Wigan team 

 

As Drucker said, “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, or as I like to say, hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Loving this season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great post. I think Hull KR are exceeding even the most optimistic fans' expectations.

[johnh1]

As a Salford fan, and after the 2016 MPG, I have had a soft spot for HKR, cos that could well have been us. Well done you guys. That was a great win. A great atmosphere in a great ground. It’s great to see the ‘little clubs’ beat the ‘big clubs’.

[Padge]

1 minute ago, johnh1 said:

As a Salford fan, and after the 2016 MPG, I have had a soft spot for HKR, cos that could well have been us. Well done you guys. That was a great win. A great atmosphere in a great ground. It’s great to see the ‘little clubs’ beat the ‘big clubs’.

I'm all for it as long as it is by the "little clubs " improving, something that Salford did over the previous couple of seasons and Hull KR are doing this season.

What is good is that there is a bit of churning going on where the mix is getting a shake up.

 

[Niels]

I thought the referee was far better tonight than yeterday. 

He didnt give a penalty until 20 minutes which led to a fast flowing game.

Last night the referee was determined to penalise for techicalities at every opportunity which led to a stop start affair with numerous  errors and uncertainty from both sides. 

The teams tonight were allowed to play.

 

 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

31 minutes ago, johnh1 said:

As a Salford fan, and after the 2016 MPG, I have had a soft spot for HKR, cos that could well have been us. Well done you guys. That was a great win. A great atmosphere in a great ground. It’s great to see the ‘little clubs’ beat the ‘big clubs’.

As someone who sat in the same seat tonight as I did in that MPG, and has barely been able to look right from that spot to the scoreboard in the last 2 mins since, I really appreciate that. Likewise Salford in the last couple of years have given us all hope. Old Trafford is possible! 

[Padge]

17 minutes ago, Niels said:

I thought the referee was far better tonight than yeterday. 

He didnt give a penalty until 20 minutes which led to a fast flowing game.

Last night the referee was determined to penalise for techicalities at every opportunity which led to a stop start affair with numerous  errors and uncertainty from both sides. 

The teams tonight were allowed to play.

 

 

Sorry you are wrong, it wasn't down to the ref that the game flowed, the two teams weren't messing about at every tackle and stripping the ball all the time. They weren't continually indulging in petty niggling and going for late hits on kickers.

The players, and coaches, made the game flow. The reason the ref didn't get out his whistle was because he didn't have to.

Coaches ruin games not refs.

[BrisbaneRhino]

I know Tony Smith ran out of steam with Warrington but there's no doubt the guy is a superb coach.  The word that springs to mind is professionalism - he seems to have the ability to change the culture at clubs in a profound way. He seems to be enjoying himself at KR as well.

[Niels]

1 hour ago, Padge said:

Sorry you are wrong, it wasn't down to the ref that the game flowed, the two teams weren't messing about at every tackle and stripping the ball all the time. They weren't continually indulging in petty niggling and going for late hits on kickers.

The players, and coaches, made the game flow. The reason the ref didn't get out his whistle was because he didn't have to.

Coaches ruin games not refs.

I understand your point.

Ignoring which sides were playing, I thought the referee today was far better and importantly, he got nearly every decision correct. Yes it was easier to referee, but I think saying it was easier because of the coaches etc would be unfair on him. 

Regarding the game, I thought Shorrocks worked tremendous today for Wigan. He was involved in nearly every tackle at one period of the game. 

[DimmestStar]

Really pleased with that. Rovers have been so heavily reliant on Jordan Abdull this season so to have him missing and Mikey Lewis too I thought we would suffer at half back. And Crooks as 3rd choice FB with his penchant for the occasional error.

Brilliant start but at half time I feared the worst we had started to look flat.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall returned after going off with a foot injury and Rovers go forward suddenly returned. SKD last year and this year is chalk and cheese what a quality player he is.

When people talk of Rovers making the Grand Final I chuckle to myself and remember that we are nearly £1million spend short of Hull FC, Warrington. Leeds, Catalans. 

But this a good Rovers team and the seeds are being sown for year on year growth.

 

[Padge]

46 minutes ago, Niels said:

I understand your point.

Ignoring which sides were playing, I thought the referee today was far better and importantly, he got nearly every decision correct. Yes it was easier to referee, but I think saying it was easier because of the coaches etc would be unfair on him. 

Regarding the game, I thought Shorrocks worked tremendous today for Wigan. He was involved in nearly every tackle at one period of the game. 

If there are less decisions to make and they are less 50-50s you are bound to get more right.

[Dave T]

7 hours ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

I know Tony Smith ran out of steam with Warrington but there's no doubt the guy is a superb coach.  The word that springs to mind is professionalism - he seems to have the ability to change the culture at clubs in a profound way. He seems to be enjoying himself at KR as well.

Yup, delighted to see him doing well. I enjoyed every second of Tony Smith being Wire coach, even they rubbish seasons. 

[ELBOWSEYE]

7 hours ago, DimmestStar said:

 

When people talk of Rovers making the Grand Final I chuckle to myself and remember that we are nearly £1million spend short of Hull FC, Warrington. Leeds, Catalans. 

So how much do HKR spend if they £1m adrift of the clubs mentioned. Have got a figure or is this just a soundbite with no actual facts behind it. 

[Old Frightful]

6 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

So how much do HKR spend if they £1m adrift of the clubs mentioned. Have got a figure or is this just a soundbite with no actual facts behind it. 

I'd love to see the facts but I rather imagine it was just posted to have yet another dig at Hull FC, the other three teams mentioned were included to disguise it.

The game was great entertainment even watching as a black and white.

Tony Smith is some coach and must be a great sort of bloke as I find it difficult to dislike him even with a Hull KR badge on his shirt.

I think I need to go and have a lie down.

[Old Frightful]

10 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Rapidly becoming everyone’s second team with their enterprising rugby

Speak for yourself.

[ELBOWSEYE]

19 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

I'd love to see the facts but I rather imagine it was just posted to have yet another dig at Hull FC, the other three teams mentioned were included to disguise it.

The game was great entertainment even watching as a black and white.

Tony Smith is some coach and must be a great sort of bloke as I find it difficult to dislike him even with a Hull KR badge on his shirt.

I think I need to go and have a lie down.

No arguments, Smith doing a great job and they play entertaining rugby, but I'm sure they don't play for free. 

[Just Browny]

8 hours ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

I know Tony Smith ran out of steam with Warrington but there's no doubt the guy is a superb coach.  The word that springs to mind is professionalism - he seems to have the ability to change the culture at clubs in a profound way. He seems to be enjoying himself at KR as well.

Very much agree. I also think he looks at a group of players and works out what is the best way of playing to deliver results from that set of players, as opposed to 'let's copy what they do in the NRL'. It's simple but refreshing and leads to teams playing good rugby.

[M j M]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Yup, delighted to see him doing well. I enjoyed every second of Tony Smith being Wire coach, even they rubbish seasons. 

As a fan of the club Smith was at before Warrington - and where he had just as big an impact - I agree with this and have keenly followed his fortunes since he left.

His time at Wire actually managed to soften my view of that entire club and whilst I was always quite fond of KR I'm really pleased he's gone there and is showing what impact a really good coach can have.

There's no such thing as a sure bet in Rugby League but if you look at the impact Tony Smith has had at the four, very different, clubs he's coached in the UK you can see he is the real deal. 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

48 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Also on KR curious to note that they got in a bunch of younger lads last year when pressure from relegation was gone and they had a year to gain experience.

Topped up with some more heavy hitters and I dont think a playoff semi final is beyond them.

This is very true. It’s a key difference for us, the ability to retain & attract without the uncertainty. Same for how the squad is building for 2022 as for once we know we’re “safe”.
 

Promotion and relegation is a luxury our sport cannot afford - new clubs should enter the completion on a much more strategic basis than “local car dealer chucks an extra £200k at the wage budget” 

[Wilderspoolmemories]

Those of us who watch on sky are used to an interview with both coaches after the match and last night I was surprised the Wigan coach didn't appear? Maybe the sky TV broadcast had to be cut short due to the reshowing of an old film?

Silence of the Lam, maybe.

[Liverpool Rover]

Another great win and a great team performance, there could have been several players who could have been MOTM. That’s two games in a row that we have won when last year we would have possibly lost them both so there is more steel about this Rovers team than in the past.

The issue with Rovers the past few years is that while we were always capable of scoring points we were also just as leaky in defence so if the defence can be tightened up we will be fine.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

6 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

Problem for KR is if we were having a franchise system large amounts of people would bin you off.

If its a 14 team league there's a space for KR because of the rivalry game but if it were 10 it would be difficult to justify. 

Its why I want to keep p and r and expand the league anyway thats another thread just looking forward to the derby. 

 

I’m very happy with a 10 team league with one side from Hull in it. I’d feel sorry for those FC fans, don’t get me wrong, but life’s about evolution eh

 

In all seriousness, with a number of clubs on very weak, unresilient  platforms, whether Wakefield, Leigh or Salford (who lets be honest all have major structural issues whilst I’ve no personal axe to grind with any), I’d have no fear at all for Hull KR’s future in a licensed model. The organisation has been demonstrably progressive since 2006, to the shame of many other clubs that had a decade’s extra TV funding prior. To look at the Hull market as only supporting one club is far too simplistic - just because the area has a single name doesn’t make it any more contiguous than the Wakefield/Cas/Featherstone or Wigan/Leigh market clusters.
 

Regardless, I don’t advocate a no-jeopardy future, just that there are better ways of organising the up and down than a single season’s on-pitch performance in a resource-poor, challenger sport like ours (versus a 92 club full-time pro sport like football for example). Bulls would be better able to plan and succeed in such a model, for example - I’d argue they have a market with much more to offer the wider sport than some others currently in Super League 

 

 

 

 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

28 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

True but Bulls only have ourselves to blame when We didnt fix the roof when the sun was shining.  

Kr have done nowt wrong for a few years but ofc I want to see another French and big city uk team in there.

I’d agree, we’ve currently only got 3 clubs from big cities in the league - us, FC and Leeds. 
 

We’ll have 2 French sides in 2022 when Toulouse replace Leigh! 
 

 

[DimmestStar]

14 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

I'd love to see the facts but I rather imagine it was just posted to have yet another dig at Hull FC, the other three teams mentioned were included to disguise it.

The game was great entertainment even watching as a black and white.

Tony Smith is some coach and must be a great sort of bloke as I find it difficult to dislike him even with a Hull KR badge on his shirt.

I think I need to go and have a lie down.

No what I said is 100% true.

Pearson has admitted that Hull are way ahead of the salary cap with various dispensations  and 3rd biggest spenders. Although he admits this is unsustainable.  Lakin has said Rovers are 3 years away from even spending up to cap.

Hull are spending beyond their means, this season is the last throw of the dice.