Fri 29th March : SL : St Helens v Wigan Warriors KO 3pm Sky Sports Action/Main Event

[Roy Haggerty]

God, that was difficult to watch. My heart rate hit 120 in the last 5 minutes. 
 

A very good example of how cards can change a game, though. If Byrne bends his back, I don’t think saints win. 

[StandOffHalf]

Byrne's was a clear send-off. He smashed him directly with his shoulder and didn't bend his back.

[GeordieSaint]

I am in the dog house. Made the little one cry when Hurrell scored. Shouted YYEEESSSSS GEEETTTTINN that loud. 

[Damien]

Congratulations to Saints. It's pretty annoying that conceeding penalties and general ill discipline cost us. Wigan were certainly not good enough on that front and need to do better in games like this. 

That said I took a lot from that. Despite the ill discipline I think we coped quite easily with Saints and would have won if it wasn't for the red card, which was the correct decision by the way. Saints still don't look like the force of old to me so I saw enough to be confident of in the, hopefully, bigger games to come.

Edited March 29 by Damien

[JohnM]

4 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

1. What do want him to do, not give the decisions.

2. The Wigan players shouldn't elbow people in the throat and smash people in the head with their shoulder.

3. Wigan luckly to have just one of each colour and not two reds.

1. Correct. He's in charge, he's on the spot and players need accept and respect that. Cut out the arm waving and screaming in the refs face. Cut out the holding down and slowing the PTB.

2. But now you are starting to get over excited.

3.They weren't lucky. These were the referees decisions. What do we want him to do?

[Dunbar]

Don't think I have heard a coach or manager in any sport as fair and honest as Matt Peet is in post match interviews.

[Dunbar]

1 minute ago, JohnM said:

1. Correct. He's in charge, he's on the spot and players need accept and respect that. Cut out the arm waving and screaming in the refs face. Cut out the holding down and slowing the PTB.

2. But now you are starting to get over excited.

3.They weren't lucky. These were the referees decisions. What do we want him to do?

Explain why I am getting over excited. 

[GeordieSaint]

6 minutes ago, Damien said:

I think we coped quite easily with Saints and would have won if it wasn't for the red card, which was the correct decision by the way. Saints still don't look like the force of old to me so I saw enough to be confident of in the, hopefully, bigger games to come.

We are too slow. We’ve little pace that can seriously trouble excellent defensive sides like Wigan. But if we are close and games are tight, we can be very dangerous as our defence is excellent as well, plus we can overpower teams in the grind. 

[Snowys Backside]

3 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Don't think I have heard a coach or manager in any sport as fair and honest as Matt Peet is in post match interviews.

He’s Brilliant. 
 

Very humble and very respectful. I don’t compliment Wigan very much being a Leyther (it’s in the blood I’m afraid) but he’s a diamond. I hope his coaching career excels to the pinnacle it deserves.

[N2022]

30 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

I think there are some people on here who could watch Liam Farrell shoot Alex Walmsley in the head and think that a yellow was harsh.

Where does it say that's an infringement ...?

[JohnM]

20 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

I am in the dog house. Made the little one cry when Hurrell scored. Shouted YYEEESSSSS GEEETTTTINN that loud. 

That's one consolation, then.

[JohnM]

14 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Explain why I am getting over excited. 

If you have to ask....etc...

[Exiled Wiganer]

Well done to Saints. They did enough to take advantage of the extra men advantages. Wigan have plenty to take away and learn from that. We lost the cup semi when down to 12 men and threw away a winning position here. One thing I suspect we will shelve is the idea of Fench teeing up a running chance for Smith from an attacking scrum. I am not sure which genius thought up that move. 
 

We need to be really on it against Leigh where again the crowd will go wild at the slightest touch. That’s the perfect next game for focusing the mind. 

[Dave T]

Superb game of rugby league. Lovely stuff. 

[Loiner]

3 hours ago, Roy Haggerty said:

Saints’ attack is awful. Possession and territory is fine, but look remarkably incapable of actually crossing the line. 

Lewis Dodd vastly overrated.

[Loiner]

3 hours ago, StandOffHalf said:

I don't think Dodd is really grabbing this game. Clarke looks really sharp out from the ruck though.

Because he's overrated 

[Dunbar]

14 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Lewis Dodd vastly overrated.

I don't think he is.

He is a couple of years younger than Harry Smith and lost a year to a ruptured achilles.

He may not have the variety of kicking that Smith has but he has a stronger running and support game.  I think they are both quality halves.

[GeordieSaint]

19 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I don't think he is.

He is a couple of years younger than Harry Smith and lost a year to a ruptured achilles.

He may not have the variety of kicking that Smith has but he has a stronger running and support game.  I think they are both quality halves.

He’s lost a bit of pace since his injury. He’s also taking more responsibility as the organiser of the team IMO as Lomax becomes less effective. What has been better this season is his willingness to take on the line. I want to see more of it. But ultimately, I have faith in Dodd. 

[Josef K]

I have only just got back home as i nipped into town after the game with some of my mates. I honestly don’t know how some are going to get home as they are blitzed but they were plastered before the game. I told three of them they shouldn’t be drinking so much before a match as their behaviour is embarrassing. I will have to rewatch the game but my drunk mates wanted to kill me because i said “the best team lost”. I tried to explain to them why but they wouldn’t listen. 
I do think our defence is amazing and we can tackle all day long 8 out of 10 times, but our attack can be predictable. Until Makinson scored we offered nothing near the wigan line it was very Cas-esq. 

The tackle by Dupree did look like an elbow and a red to me but i could be wrong, the Byrne looked ok  though. Over all it was a great day and a cracking atmosphere from both sets of fans, the wigan fans i spoke to after the game were very magnanimous in defeat. 

[Chrispmartha]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

Superb game of rugby league. Lovely stuff. 

I enjoyed it, it was entertaining, not sure the quality was as good as being made out though, thought both sides looked ordinary in attack and there was plenty errors and poor discipline.

[graveyard johnny]

just watching on catch up - saints deserved that - the elbow from dupree was a straight red and the french try was a knock on - taxi for peet?

[Dave T]

29 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

I enjoyed it, it was entertaining, not sure the quality was as good as being made out though, thought both sides looked ordinary in attack and there was plenty errors and poor discipline.

Yes, it was scrappier than I expected and I do think the pundits were going ott slightly, but I'm OK with them gushing over games tbh. 

[Chrispmartha]

21 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Yes, it was scrappier than I expected and I do think the pundits were going ott slightly, but I'm OK with them gushing over games tbh. 

No issues with the broadcasters bigging it up, that’s their job.

But it was not that high quality of RL game as is being made out.

[Padge]

12 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

No issues with the broadcasters bigging it up, that’s their job.

But it was not that high quality of RL game as is being made out.

Depends on your definition, some people love huge defensive effort games, others high scoring try fests.

This one fell into the first category, if you wanted tries it would therefore be below par.

I enjoy highly defensive games.

[daz39]

5 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

Bevan French scores as long as the grounding is okay..

It isn't, there is separation between the hands and the ball!

But, it went up as a try so it's given anyway!

Exactly my take on it, great piece of skill, but absolutely no control on the grounding though but it has to be a try cos the ref on the field who wasn't sure if it was a try guessed it might have been a try and the video ref who can see it isn't or shouldn't be a try cannot say that as the ref has already had a guess.....scrap the damn thing altogether!.