Sat 3rd Jun: SL: Wigan Warriors v Catalans Dragons KO 15:45 (Sky)

[Padge]

That was the only way Smith was going to add two points to that try.

Edited June 3, 2023 by Padge

[bobbruce]

12 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Proper towelling. Are we watching new Super League champions? 

I’ve said from the start of the season if Catalans keep Johnstone fit they win the GF. 

[graveyard johnny]

1 minute ago, Padge said:

That was the only way Smith was going to add two pints to that try.

no Frano Botica, is he?

[Havenwarrior]

So after first game, how comes ST didnt get 10 mins?

 

HW

[graveyard johnny]

some very very ordinary players wearing wigan shirts these days

[Padge]

Just now, graveyard johnny said:

some very very ordinary players wearing wigan shirts these days

Shame none of them are on and we have to put up with this lot.

[OMEGA]

Jake Wardle is a class act, he has everything you want in a centre. He just needs to stay fit and keep playing so the final pieces of subtlety settle into his game.

[Futtocks]

As the commentary team said, Wigan have the Derby next week and Warrington in the Cup the week after, so this could be the start of a tough period if they let their heads drop after today.

[Futtocks]

Left hand down in touch before the ball was grounded.

[Archie Gordon]

Somebody needs to tell Tom Grant that the corner flag *is* relevant. He made the same error last week.

[Futtocks]

Painful-looking and messy head clash between Byrne and Whitley.

[GeordieSaint]

Less said about that from Johnstone the better lol…

[Phil]

24 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

The French National Anthem talks of watering the fields with the blood of their enemies - reckon the pitch'll be water (or should that  be blood?) logged by the end of the game!

But this is the Catalan anthem 

 

Catalonia triumphant

shall again be rich and bountiful.

Drive away these people,

Who are so conceited and so contemptful.

 

 

Strike with your sickle!

Strike with your sickle, defenders of the land!

Strike with your sickle!

 

Now is the time, reapers.

Now is the time to stand alert.

For when another June comes,

Let us sharpen well our tools.

 

 

May the enemy tremble,

upon seeing our symbol.

Just as we cut golden ears of wheat,

when the time calls we cut off chains.

 

[Just Browny]

I didn't realise Smithies had that much attacking prowess.

[Padge]

Final score kind to Wigan.

Catalan were outstanding.

[Futtocks]

Just now, GeordieSaint said:

Less said about that from Johnstone the better lol…

Making the scoreline look more respectable to Wigan than it is.

[StandOffHalf]

Mitch Pearce homme du match, for me

[Futtocks]

The tries were good, but Catalans' defence was relentless for most of that game. Wigan were being smothered with ball in hand.

[graveyard johnny]

TJ scoring that many tries - hes giving them away

[StandOffHalf]

11 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

Somebody needs to tell Tom Grant that the corner flag *is* relevant. He made the same error last week.

Is the rule that the ball touching the flag is dead in goal? That's how I'd assume it would operate.

[Archie Gordon]

1 minute ago, StandOffHalf said:

Is the rule that the ball touching the flag is dead in goal? That's how I'd assume it would operate.

Yeah. Should have been a 20m restart after first viewing. 

[corvusxiii]

15 minutes ago, Phil said:

But this is the Catalan anthem 

 

Catalonia triumphant

shall again be rich and bountiful.

Drive away these people,

Who are so conceited and so contemptful.

 

 

Strike with your sickle!

Strike with your sickle, defenders of the land!

Strike with your sickle!

 

Now is the time, reapers.

Now is the time to stand alert.

For when another June comes,

Let us sharpen well our tools.

 

 

May the enemy tremble,

upon seeing our symbol.

Just as we cut golden ears of wheat,

when the time calls we cut off chains.

 

You can see how populations can be manipulated by those who might have bad intentions. 

[EagleEyePie]

It surprised me that the commentators and pundits didn't put a bit more focus on why Catalans were able to dominate possession and field position and score so many tries. The playmakers had a good game and our right edge defence was exposed but it's all down to the two packs. I've said it many times that our pack this year is a bit weak and Catalans found it so easy to score because they didn't really have to earn their field position as they should. We were constantly on the back foot from carries and never really looked like mounting much of a challenge.

The problem is we started the season with an okay pack, had a bit of a purple patch where our two good props (Havard and Ellis) hit top form but the quality but the depth of talent isn't there for us. It shows how much we struggle without Havard and when Byrne's form dips.

Rovers don't have the strongest of packs and don't strike me as a side that really dominate teams down the middle so they weren't best placed to take advantage of our weakness last week. Catalans on the other hand have a monster pack and they put teams under relentless pressure when at their best. Our paper thin pack had no answer.

Unfortunately there's no obvious solution. We're just lacking too much quality and you can't just make it appear from nowhere. We can only rearrange the playmaking positions like halves and hooker and that's not going to matter without the anything changing down the middle.

It's frustrating because the coaching/recruitment team seemed to approach this season with a 'that'll do' mentality. Just hoping players do better than they did last season, not seeking reinforcements in positions that were obviously weak, leaving too much to chance and then allowing the Bateman situation to play out in a way that lost us a player and prevented us from recruiting afterwards.

I can see a run of at least 2 defeats coming and it's not going to be pretty but I'm not sure what Matt Peet can really do here.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

3 hours ago, Archie Gordon said:

Yeah. Should have been a 20m restart after first viewing. 

His left hand is in touch before the ball is grounded.

[JohnM]

Well done Cats, so ably led by Tomkins.  Embarrassing by Wigan...especially as we were surrounded by fans of the other 10 clubs, all shouting for Catalans. 

Wigan: lots of talent, capable on their day of beating anyone, but no leadership on the field, no one in charge, no idea of how they are meant to play.