Sat 24th Feb: WCC: Wigan Warriors v Penrith Panthers KO 8pm (Sky/BBC/SuperLeague+)

[bobbruce]

8 hours ago, Liverpool Rover said:

I think it would be better if we followed Union with the referee going to the video referee and asking if there is any reason why a try shouldn't be awarded?

Why that’s just around about way of saying he has a try on the pitch. 

[north yorks trinity]

5 hours ago, Moe syszlak said:

Neither were tries. But one got sent up as one and the other didn't. We all know the on field decision NEVER gets turned over, so what is the point moaning about it?

Except when it does get overturned of course e.g. Bevan French's try!!

[bobbruce]

8 hours ago, andyscoot said:

Enjoy the match at the ground. Haven't watched it back but I'm under no illusions that the try/no try was dodgy. They either both go up as a try or both as a no try.

That's sport, and if it ruffles some Aussie feathers at the same time I'm all for it.

I thought Penrith would blow Wigan away with how much territory they had. Odd decision to basically never test Wigan's line with a kick on the 5th too. Felt like they had very little ideas, whereas Wigan converted what little field position they had.

After a re watch there is absolutely no way Wardle got to the line when you see the view from behind the tryline. That said I’m not convinced that French was offside on the kick for his disallowed try. As for Penriths last second no try that’s one of those that if sent up as a try it’s given. 

[bobbruce]

7 hours ago, StandOffHalf said:

I actually understand Moore awarding it on the field, but the promoting with the grounded right arm is obvious on replay.

That is a failure on the part of the video ref.

To be fair it can’t be a double movement because it doesn’t get anywhere near the try line. 

[Gomersall]

11 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

Why that’s just around about way of saying he has a try on the pitch. 

No, the on field ref would be saying he’s uncertain and then the VR can check to see if it’s a legitimate try without trying to find something to go against a ref’s call.

[Gomersall]

28 minutes ago, WN83 said:

Couldn’t really tell at the ground that the Wardle decision was a shocker but watching it back it doesn’t look great. On the flip side, the French no try is the first time in donkeys years I’ve seen an offside call given on one as marginal as that. They just don’t give offside for that in any superleague game and benefit of the doubt goes with the attacker. That felt like then giving Penrith one back. 
 

Ultimately though I just don’t care! Ha. I was underwhelmed with Penrith tbh. They came with the most conservative game plan I’ve seen at the DW in its existence and they got burned. It feels like their style of play gives the English sides a sniff because they didn’t challenge Wigan in any other way than trying to pin them in their end. They looked like a high class Ian Watson side. 

He was in front of the kicker! Offside all day every day IMO.

[bobbruce]

1 minute ago, Gomersall said:

No, the on field ref would be saying he’s uncertain and then the VR can check to see if it’s a legitimate try without trying to find something to go against a ref’s call.

If he thinks it’s a try he asks is there any reason…. If he doesn’t think it’s a try he asks try yes or no. It’s just RUs typical long winded way of doing the same thing. 

[Gomersall]

1 minute ago, bobbruce said:

If he thinks it’s a try he asks is there any reason…. If he doesn’t think it’s a try he asks try yes or no. It’s just RUs typical long winded way of doing the same thing. 

Maybe it just comes across better if the VR finds a reason not to award the try rather than directly contradicting the on field ref.

[GeordieSaint]

 

[fieldofclothofgold]

I thought it was a great game both teams put their bodies on the line . Last ditch immense tackling very exciting game . I do with the tribal comments about the ref and just because its Wigan.  

[DavidM]

9 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Hmmm, I think the English showed how gracefully they lose at Lords last year. Unbeatable.

In saying that, I hope Panthers fans are taking it real hard  

I know . The  point was they don’t do irony and have no self awareness when they’re pointing things like that out 

[GeordieSaint]

Warrington fans are always good for cheering you up if you feel a bit depressed:

 

[Roy Haggerty]

30 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

 

You know, I genuinely thought this as the decision was given not to allow the Penrith try at the end. That disallowed Hall try was the only time I’ve ever been convinced that a referee made a consciously wrong decision for reasons of bias. 
 

 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

8 hours ago, Jinking Jimmy said:

From the Sydney Morning Herald

In this fixture, you need a lot to go your way: 

In fairness playing away from home on the other side of the world in climatically opposite weather conditions against a home crowd????....... makes it very difficult to win 

Maybe Saints can give some tips to Penrith next time ?

[Sports Prophet]

33 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I know . The  point was they don’t do irony and have no self awareness when they’re pointing things like that out 

Lol nice cover story

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

10 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Wigan and World Club Challenge trending 4th and 5th on Twitter. 

I don't understand Twitter.....dies that mean it's 4th most Tweeted thing across only British Twitter?...or world Twitter??

[Dunbar]

5 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I don't understand Twitter.....dies that mean it's 4th most Tweeted thing across only British Twitter?...or world Twitter??

That was across the UK.

[gingerjon]

"Penrith" was on the global trends this morning - I was looking for something else and noticed it - so I assume that's a lot of Australians expressing their opinions overnight ...

[Dave T]

One thing I would say, irrespective of any controversy from the refs, it's great to see that the World Club Challenge is once again competitive. 

In the last 6 matches, it's 3 all, and 4 of the 6 have been within 12 points, a further game was won by Wigan (16pts) and Melbourne gave Leeds a hammering. 

We'd gone through a bit of a bad run, and it's good to see it really level at the moment. 

[graveyard johnny]

dont think the panthers will dominate the NRL much longer - simply lost too many players and with Leiu the next to go - could be a Broncos v Saints wcc next year

[sentoffagain2]

     The Penrith late no try.I don't think the referee or linesman could see if the ball touched the ground.So how could they send it up as a try?.Field did look to have his hand under the ball all the time in the tackle so not conclusive either way.Would have been undeserved for Wigan if the try had been given and then the conversion from the touchline went over.Even Wigan didn't deserve that.We would have been spared the late controversy if Harry Smith had dived on the loose ball instead of trying to gather it.In the old days possession was so vital when scrums were contested that coaches drilled into players to put their body between opponents and the ball before grasping it.

[JohnM]

The technique I recommend for watching this game (and any other,too) is to watch the actual game, the way teams play, the tactics, the skill, the speed and momentum at the PTB, the kicking game, the positional awareness of players when passing and kicking, the fitness and energy levels, the defence structure and effectiveness, the teams adaptation to the way the others play, etc.  

Last night, once it was clear that Penrith would try to exploit the uncertainty displayed by Miski (sp?) under Cleary's high clicks, it took a while for Wigan to respond. In addition, I felt Smith should have adapted his last-tackle kicks to ensure they went into touch. As it was, it allowed Penrith to build attacking momentum and called on Wigan players to expend a huge amount of energy chasing the kicks. 

The last few minutes were certainly nail-biting ones as so often in the past, at International level at least, the Aussies somehow manage a knock-out punch.

Edited February 25 by JohnM

[Snowys Backside]

11 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Hidden???

It’s not there anymore

[Phil]

A wee bit of hubris I reckon. I remember an aussie ref who I won’t name robbing England blind down under a few years ago. 

[DavidM]

I know it’s a wider debate but I think this game again showed that refs call should go if you’re not sure . Video  refs are basically bound by that and at times it’s little more than a guess 

Edited February 25 by DavidM