Sat 14th Oct: Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors v Catalans Dragons KO 18:00 (Sky)

[Wellsy4HullFC]

2 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

I'm pretty sure the 1st GF was Wigan v Leeds with Jason Robinson scoring the only try?

Leeds scored a try too. Blackmore I believe.

[The Masked Poster]

7 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

Leeds scored a try too. Blackmore I believe.

One thing I do remember about that night was that it was absolutely peeing it down!!

[Gerrumonside ref]

7 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

One thing I do remember about that night was that it was absolutely peeing it down!!

I was there too with some Wigan supporting friends.

As a Saints fan I was hoping beyond hope that Leeds could win, but I was also with my RL fan hat on supporting the concept of a Grand Final.

As for last night I thought it was gripping in the first half, but Wigan came out second half and played mistake free rugby league with intense defence.

Wigan deserved their win.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[Szymala]

2 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

I'm pretty sure the 1st GF was Wigan v Leeds with Jason Robinson scoring the only try?

After Richie Blackmore had scored the opening try for Leeds.

Catalans are the first team not to score a try in a GF. Doubt they'd have scored one had they played until midnight.

Wigan grand finals tend to be this way...10-4 v Leeds in 98, 12-6 and 12-4 v Wite in 2016 and 2018. 

 

[Thunder Road]

I worked that final in 98..Rained all day.I was policing the Leeds fans in the West Stand.(Stretford end)..They were complaining about the plastic glasses that had the United logo on.I tried explaining that's what happens when you play at united....

 

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[GUBRATS]

8 hours ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

On the flip side, they have conceded less points at Old Trafford overall than any other GF appearing team, so credit the defence!

Catalans could still be playing now ( after Wigan had gone home ) and they wouldn't have scored a try

[Chrispmartha]

8 hours ago, The Alchemist said:

I really don't know what people want from the top level of RL in the UK (and France). I went to the game as a Wigan Fan and saw a tough first half with not much between the teams, second half Wigan took control and gave a master class in game managements helped by some Catalan indiscipline.

It's a grand final people, it should be a close game, it should involve two teams giving their all, and it should involve a few moments of class.

The Wigan try was tremendous skill, as was the disallowed try for offside and two forward passes! Some great defence, not many opportunities but hey ho!

Great at the ground. loads of French supporters, mixed groups from various teams and loads of Wiganers, but everyone had a smile on their faces.

All I've read tonight is from people who didnt go to the game moaning about the quality of the game and the location.

Try going to the game and experiencing the atmosphere yourselves, RL is not the perfect game, it has many flaws but at least try and enjoy it!!!!!

 

 

Ive been to Grand Finals at OT - its a dump.

I’m not sure why people are getting wound up at people saying it was a dull game, IMO it was.

[GUBRATS]

8 hours ago, The Alchemist said:

I really don't know what people want from the top level of RL in the UK (and France). I went to the game as a Wigan Fan and saw a tough first half with not much between the teams, second half Wigan took control and gave a master class in game managements helped by some Catalan indiscipline.

It's a grand final people, it should be a close game, it should involve two teams giving their all, and it should involve a few moments of class.

The Wigan try was tremendous skill, as was the disallowed try for offside and two forward passes! Some great defence, not many opportunities but hey ho!

Great at the ground. loads of French supporters, mixed groups from various teams and loads of Wiganers, but everyone had a smile on their faces.

All I've read tonight is from people who didnt go to the game moaning about the quality of the game and the location.

Try going to the game and experiencing the atmosphere yourselves, RL is not the perfect game, it has many flaws but at least try and enjoy it!!!!!

 

 

As I said , my first SL GF 

I had a knob from Wigan behind me who spent the first 20 minutes of the game trying to wind me up by asking who Leigh were playing , eventually I turned and gave him a mouthful , his wife then reported me to the steward who warned me ( and him ) , offered me his hand about 10 minutes later , I told him to #### off and don't talk to me again , it was his second game of the season apparently

In front of me was 2 old guys from Ireland who turned up 5 minutes after the start and left 10 from the end ( one was struggling with a stick , so how he got up the stairs probably explains the late entry ) , it was their first ever game of RL , they watch and used to play Gaelic and Hurling ( which I told them I was impressed with " crazy games " ) , they were impressed with the whole thing 

Impressive turnout from France , shame their team didn't turn up for them , very good numbers from Wigan , just the numpty behind me and one other in the ' Matchstick ' who'd had lobotomies, everybody else was great , although there was a bit of trouble in the ' safe standing ' area apparently 

[Rovers13]

3 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

As I said , my first SL GF 

I had a knob from Wigan behind me who spent the first 20 minutes of the game trying to wind me up by asking who Leigh were playing , eventually I turned and gave him a mouthful , his wife then reported me to the steward who warned me ( and him ) , offered me his hand about 10 minutes later , I told him to #### off and don't talk to me again , it was his second game of the season apparently

In front of me was 2 old guys from Ireland who turned up 5 minutes after the start and left 10 from the end ( one was struggling with a stick , so how he got up the stairs probably explains the late entry ) , it was their first ever game of RL , they watch and used to play Gaelic and Hurling ( which I told them I was impressed with " crazy games " ) , they were impressed with the whole thing 

Impressive turnout from France , shame their team didn't turn up for them , very good numbers from Wigan , just the numpty behind me and one other in the ' Matchstick ' who'd had lobotomies, everybody else was great , although there was a bit of trouble in the ' safe standing ' area apparently 

lol if it was only his 2nd ever game he might of been serious about who Leigh were playing

[GeordieSaint]

The biggest difference between the two sides last night was pace. Wigan have it in abundance across their backline, whilst Catalan had very little other than the two wingers (same issue at Saints). It’s so important to create a bit of space - and allowed Wardle a bit of freedom to demonstrate his brilliant footwork. So important; so very important is pace. 

[GUBRATS]

2 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

lol if it was only his 2nd ever game he might of been serious about who Leigh were playing

I'm guessing he'd been to the semi final , he had a ' NORWEB ' shirt on , my first ' reply ' to him was pointing out he'd bought a ticket to watch a game 

[Rovers13]

2 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

The biggest difference between the two sides last night was pace. Wigan have it in abundance across their backline, whilst Catalan had very little other than the two wingers (same issue at Saints). It’s so important to create a bit of space - and allowed Wardle a bit of freedom to demonstrate his brilliant footwork. So important; so very important is pace. 

Not much in it for me tbh, both sides lacked creativity esp in first half, I think Wigan edged it because of the yellow cards Catalans defence seemed to drop off the more the game went on. 

[Rovers13]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

I'm guessing he'd been to the semi final , he had a ' NORWEB ' shirt on , my first ' reply ' to him was pointing out he'd bought a ticket to watch a game 

Saying that though if Leigh were playing why would you be at that game lol. 

[GUBRATS]

5 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

Saying that though if Leigh were playing why would you be at that game lol. 

I think ' facetious ' was his intent , he was boring the other Wigan fans around him from their comments when he went for a slash 

[Rovers13]

2 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I think ' facetious ' was his intent , he was boring the other Wigan fans around him from their comments when he went for a slash 

You always get the one at most games, all it takes is a sly comment for someone to bite and then theirs trouble, im too old now I just laugh and say thanks for coming and paying our players wages on way out when we beat you please buy a shirt to show of a memorable day lol. 

Edited October 15, 2023 by Rovers13

[Dunbar]

2 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I think ' facetious ' was his intent , he was boring the other Wigan fans around him from their comments when he went for a slash 

If you two weren't getting along, why did you go for a wee together. 

[Rovers13]

What I will say on a wider point though about the game is if you enjoyed the game or not that was our showpiece event for the year like a Super Bowl final etc, and I’m not saying game was poor but selling games like that will be tough. 

[Dave T]

I thought it was a cracking first half. The 2nd was still interesting because it was close, but Wigan did a great job of never dropping off the pace and pressure and they strangled Catalans into submission. 

The two sinbins were stupid and really hampered them, but Wigan were smart and targeted those flanks each time they were down. I thought Wigan were very good and controlled the game well. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

What I will say on a wider point though about the game is if you enjoyed the game or not that was our showpiece event for the year like a Super Bowl final etc, and I’m not saying game was poor but selling games like that will be tough. 

We don't need to be so pessimistic. Our finals are largely excellent. We have had many classics over the last decade, as a sport we do very well in this area. 

Last night may not have been a classic, but it was an absorbing game of RL in my opinion. 

[Rovers13]

1 minute ago, Dave T said:

We don't need to be so pessimistic. Our finals are largely excellent. We have had many classics over the last decade, as a sport we do very well in this area. 

Last night may not have been a classic, but it was an absorbing game of RL in my opinion. 

It wasn’t a dig by any means, it was more of a this is our biggest game on the biggest stage kind of thing. 

[GUBRATS]

25 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

It wasn’t a dig by any means, it was more of a this is our biggest game on the biggest stage kind of thing. 

Mine also , given my 1st of wanting anybody but Wigan , and 2nd wanting a new name on the trophy for the good of the sport I had 2 reasons to be disappointed , but it was still a poor game 

In fact looking back over Wigans last ten or so games since they lost , only the Leopards have been close to beating them , thanks Mrs Moore and Griffiths  

[Padge]

10 hours ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

I guess it works both ways.

Although this would be the 2nd time you've not conceded a try in 80 minutes at a GF though...

The point one is a negative view of the game and the other is a positive view.

[daz39]

11 hours ago, StandOffHalf said:

Our local area here in Ireland suffered an electricity outage, so I missed the entire second half - and the first half of the Ireland v NZ union game.

Disappointed to find out that Wigan won. I thought it was a drab and tight first half, with the French outfit showing a touch more adventurousness. I fancied them to nip it in the end, but Wigan's controlling game around the middle must have been enough.

Congrats to Sam on a super career. I was really hoping he'd cap it in style today.

Having the massive Betfred signs on and around the pitch looks so cheap and tawdry.

At the ground there was no pitch markings, i commented on this to my mate and the blokes in front and we all cam to the conclusion they must just put the graphics on for the tv viewers then.

[Exiled Wiganer]

My thoughts on the game: 

- one of the good things about Wigan’s win is that we have done nothing that any of the top 9 teams can’t do (those teams being Wigan, Cats, Saints, Leeds, Warrington, Hull KR, Leigh, Hull FC and Huddersfield, purely on the basis of their ability to invest in their teams, with apologies to other clubs who may have too many constraints to do so). We have developed our own players, and Peet has improved them and all of the overseas contingent (none of whom was a top class NRL player before joining us). This success was earned not bought, but there is no reason to think Wigan will be dominant in the years to come; 

- linked to the previous point, Wiganers have embraced the team and the club in a way that I cannot recall since MaGuire’s days, or arguably even further back in the mid 80s when we were improving year by year. Much of this feel good factor comes from Peet, but there is also a much more professional (and ambitious) regime in place. Now we own the ground, and control what the footballers do, and have vast resources, we are able to market better, communicate better, attract better sponsors, make match day experiences better. There must have been 40,000 Wigan fans there last night, which is great for us and very good for the game. Nearly 60k against the Cats was a triumph that I am guessing saved the RFL’s bacon and will delight many club treasurers; 

- our lot were heavily invested in the outcome, of course, and the outcome was good, but I thought it felt like an epic game from inside the stadium. These were clearly 2 very evenly matched teams, with potential for danger at all times. Nothing between them, until the dam broke, through the clinical reading of a potential weak point and going through it over and over again. Particular credit to Peet. Going into half time, we were all saying that this was when he would have to show what he was made of. Whatever he said, worked perfectly; and 

- going into this year, for various personal reasons, I was very gloomy about the prospects for the game and Wigan, as there was pretty much universal consensus that Saints would win their 5th in a row. Through a combination of Wigan and Cats lifting their game, and Saints seeming to dip, that hasn’t happened. Though of course they did bring glory to NH rugby by winning away in Penrith, which is an achievement for the ages. Post-Roby, for the first time since KC laced up his boots, I wonder who the iconic player there will be, and whether they will become one of a very strong pack of clubs. Which would be good for the game. 

[Bradman Better]

15 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Wigan V Penrith WCC show down

Penrith will win easily. This Wigan side is not nearly as good as St Helens. Plus Wigan will be without their huge back rower Pearce-Paul.