Thur 31st Mar: SL: Wigan Warriors v Hull FC KO 20:00 (Sky)

[Saint Toppy]

7 minutes ago, DimmestStar said:

Connor had a terrible game taking a host of wrong options and how he got away with the high boot into the Wigan players neck is a mystery.  

Every time an England squad gets announced and Connor misses out there's uproar on this board, last night showed exactly why he get overlooked so often.

Aside from taking the wrong option and overplaying in attack his defence was awful. Out of position for Wigan's 1st try, caught overchasing the play for their 2nd and couldn't readjust to make the tackle, and a missed 1 on 1 tackle for their 3rd.

[dkw]

30 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

One thing I took from last night’s game was how watchable the teams were, and how exciting the game was. I am really enjoying the style of play we are seeing across the competition this year. Maybe it’s just post COVID relief, or maybe it’s the 6 again rule bedding in, but the emphasis now seems to be far more on throwing it everywhere. Long may it last. 

Wigan especially have completely changed their focus from when Lam coached them, it's night and day and great to see. Players are given much more licence to play what's in front of them rather than the procedural rugby from the last few seasons. 

[dkw]

16 minutes ago, DimmestStar said:

Entertaining game in stark contrast to what these 2 served up last season. So that's a positive for both teams.

Hull scored some great tries but their defence for Wigan's second half scores was very poor. The attempt to tackle Field by Lovodua was feeble taking the shine off a little from his excellent play on attack.

Connor had a terrible game taking a host of wrong options and how he got away with the high boot into the Wigan players neck is a mystery. He might be in trouble at the disciplinary and I reckon Swift will be too.  Watching the replay back he really didn't need to collide with the referee he ran another few paces after grounding the ball.

Luke Gale was very poor there is no other way of putting it and had Sneyd been playing instead I reckon he would have shown the composure needed to get his team over the line.

Overall Hull were pretty good and looked likely winners at 12-18. Credit to Wigan for their tenacity and over the whole game I think they deserved it. People go on about Hull's forwards but I thought the Wigan pack were the better of the two sets. 

That's the thing Connor does, and frankly I much prefer when his kind of player is allowed free reign to do that than to restrict them. When it works for him Hull will invariably win, when it doesn't he stands out for the wrong reasons, but it works more often than not.

[corvusxiii]

2 hours ago, meast said:

If the players and coaches don't try and cheat and just play within the laws of the game then the referee doesn't affect the game.

Instead of calling the officials you should be calling out the people who are forcing the officials to make decisions that people moan about.

I agree without conceding one iota of my point. I wasn't meaning to criticise any refereeing (though possibly could if requested) just arguing against the notion that the Ref doesn't influence the result of a game and he cannot get it wrong. Or that a players mistake absolves the Referee from any justified criticism.

Yes the players make it difficult but if you get the loose carry/rip etc decision more times than not then what's to be done?

Much prefer the recent games now the Sin Bin Madness Mode has been switched off.

[dkw]

20 minutes ago, corvusxiii said:

I agree without conceding one iota of my point. I wasn't meaning to criticise any refereeing (though possibly could if requested) just arguing against the notion that the Ref doesn't influence the result of a game and he cannot get it wrong. Or that a players mistake absolves the Referee from any justified criticism.

Yes the players make it difficult but if you get the loose carry/rip etc decision more times than not then what's to be done?

Much prefer the recent games now the Sin Bin Madness Mode has been switched off.

I don't think the knock on was too bad to be honest, it was difficult to see in real time, though refs would usually give it...

The obstruction though was annoying, Powell instigated contact, stopped the hull dummy runner going through the line, fell over and conned a penalty.

[Davo5]

23 minutes ago, dkw said:

 runner going through the line, fell over and conned a penalty.

Did I miss us signing Walmsley ?

[bobbruce]

4 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Did I miss us signing Walmsley ?

Only in your dreams. 

[WN83]

1 hour ago, Saint Toppy said:

Every time an England squad gets announced and Connor misses out there's uproar on this board, last night showed exactly why he get overlooked so often.

Aside from taking the wrong option and overplaying in attack his defence was awful. Out of position for Wigan's 1st try, caught overchasing the play for their 2nd and couldn't readjust to make the tackle, and a missed 1 on 1 tackle for their 3rd.

I thought his worst play was with 5-6 mins left when Hull looked to be setting up for a drop goal and he ran right towards the touchline and tried a reverse flick pass to the centre coming inside. Yes the centre should catch it but where is he going? There does seem a real lack of game smarts across the league at times because we were just as bad at the other end, with firstly Smith trying a long pass to Hardaker (who dropped it) when we were trying to set up and then us setting up for Smith to take a drop goal on the right hand side but with him being left footed, he needed to run round himself to get it on his left foot. Thankfully they realised that mistake and got him just left of centre field for the winner. 

[del capo]

 Sam Powell has been much unsung on this thread so far but for me had his best game of the season and rightly named MOM.

He seems to have had his game tweaked by the coaching staff and those first advancing steps he showed from the ruck really put the Wigan attack line more quickly in to motion.

[redjonn]

The one notable for me was that prior to the game I though Wigan forwards would struggle against the much heavier HUll pack.  As it turned out I thought they held their own and in fact apart from a couple of instances out-fought and out-played Hulls big pack.  They held them defensively not losing many yards after initial impact and stopped off-loads with the exception of one or two.

Very impressive given what I expected would be a problem area but wasn't.

[Ullman]

17 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Excellent match between 2 good teams. Both look likely to be worth watching and to have good seasons. Haven’t we had a few 19-18s with FC over the last few years (is it 2-1 to us)? Hope OF was proud and gets home safe and sound. 

There were a range of emotions expressed as we made our way home. I don't recall that being one of them.

[Ullman]

20 hours ago, jacksy said:

See you at the end of the year when we win nothing again and you are moaning about the selections.

And there's me thinking if Connor's not good enough to get in the squad they might as well give us the World Cup now.

[Old Frightful]

On 31/03/2022 at 20:31, Davo5 said:

Jake The Karate Kid Connor.

 

On 31/03/2022 at 20:35, ShropshireBull said:

Looked like a kick mid air at a players head from connor. 

 

On 31/03/2022 at 20:38, Just Browny said:

Grade F for Swift

 

On 31/03/2022 at 20:55, johnh1 said:

Swift ran directly into the ref after scoring. He could have avoided him, but didn’t. Could be in trouble for that.

Connor receives a caution and Adam Swift doesn't even get a mention.

[Davo5]

18 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

 

 

 

Connor receives a caution and Adam Swift doesn't even get a mention.

Connor is a very lucky lad,especially given some of the over the top bans given out this season.

[M j M]

On 31/03/2022 at 20:55, johnh1 said:

Swift ran directly into the ref after scoring. He could have avoided him, but didn’t. Could be in trouble for that.

Mind boggling that this incident wasn't even referenced in the MRP list yet Morgan Knowles being walked into by James Child the following night is (Case Number ON/588/22).

[dkw]

Connor was a very lucky lad, but anyone trying to male something of that swift thing needs to give themselves a shake, absolutely nothing in it.