Sat 12th Oct: SL Grand Final: Wigan Warriors v Hull KR KO 18:00 (Sky)

[Irish Saint]

3 minutes ago, Industria ditat said:

I actually really enjoyed it, I prefer tight games where defences make it really difficult for teams to score. The Wigan defence was top class - every time I see them they look like a very well coached outfit and Matty Peet deserves all the credit he gets. It would have been nice to see a new winner but the better team won.

I'm with you basketball scores should only happen in basketball. 

[Industria ditat]

Nobody is talking about the referee - exactly how it should be. He had a very good game.

[Damien]

18 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I get annoyed with Australian commentators in their Grand Final saying how wonderful the game is despite the errors and kicking the ball out on the full.

I get equally annoyed with a commentator today saying that the game hasn't lived up to expectations despite an almost perfect display from Wigan.

As a fan you can't wish for more from a performance in a final than Wigan delivered tonight.

[Archie Gordon]

Surely. Surely. Wigan win SPOTY team of the year.

[High Peak Rhino]

WTF are the chocolate bar necklaces!!!

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

As a fan you can't wish for more from a performance in a final than Wigan delivered tonight.

Yes, agreed. If I were a Wigan fan, that would have been almost the perfect Grand Final for me to watch.

The commentators, who are there to be neutral, are right to point out that for everyone else, it's meant something of a disappointment in terms of the final itself.

And, again, were I a Wigan fan, I absolutely would not care about that one bit.

[EagleEyePie]

 

Some incredible stats from our forwards tonight

Liam Farrell - 96 metres, 15 carries, 52 tackles
Kaide Ellis - 96 metres, 18 carries, 55 tackles
Ethan Havard -  82 metres, 13 carries, 52 tackles
Luke Thompson - 145 metres, 17 carries, 48 tackles

I mentioned him at half time but Ethan Havard made 52 tackles in much less time than the other 4 and topped the number of marker tackles (always a good measure of how involved someone is defensively). Fantastic effort.

[gingerjon]

Just now, Archie Gordon said:

Surely. Surely. Wigan win SPOTY team of the year.

Can't think of a more deserving side but I still think there's no chance of that happening.

[EagleEyePie]

3 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

Surely. Surely. Wigan win SPOTY team of the year.

Matt Peet should be nailed on for coach of the year. Bevan French overseas SPOTY? 

[Worzel]

Wigan had their best team out, players on form who’ve been there and done it before, and Rovers were only beaten by a single moment of brilliance from the best player in the league. No shame in that eh. Proper grown up rugby tonight and on another day we could have squeaked it. 

The two best teams in the league, separated only by the league’s best player. Another step in the road forwards I think. This isn’t like Salford and Cas, it won’t be a one season freak. We’ll see us come again next year. 

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Yes, agreed. If I were a Wigan fan, that would have been almost the perfect Grand Final for me to watch.

The commentators, who are there to be neutral, are right to point out that for everyone else, it's meant something of a disappointment in terms of the final itself.

And, again, were I a Wigan fan, I absolutely would not care about that one bit.

It was a good, close final. Not sure what would be disappointing about it and seen far worse finals.

[Dunbar]

5 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Yes, agreed. If I were a Wigan fan, that would have been almost the perfect Grand Final for me to watch.

The commentators, who are there to be neutral, are right to point out that for everyone else, it's meant something of a disappointment in terms of the final itself.

And, again, were I a Wigan fan, I absolutely would not care about that one bit.

The best two teams of the year playing out an absorbing and hard fought final that ended with a 7 points difference. 

I didn't think that game was a disappointment in any way at all.

[Fevrover]

5 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Can't think of a more deserving side but I still think there's no chance of that happening.

NO chance, RL is way down the BEEB's list.

[soulboy]

4 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

Surely. Surely. Wigan win SPOTY team of the year.

No chance of that happening.

There’s zero interest in the sport from  the National media.

Tonight’s game will be barely mentioned in tomorrow’s papers .

 

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

It was a good, close final. Not sure what would be disappointing about it and seen far worse finals.

Tbf mate it's not a highlight reel one I think that's the point. It was high intensity, tough evenly matched Rugby League. Happens a lot in finals, plenty of 1-0 football matches are similar!

[Archie Gordon]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

It was a good, close final. Not sure what would be disappointing about it and seen far worse finals.

It was a bit like a Mayweather fight. Enormous quality on show but not the best to watch. Especially after last year, which was like a Mayweather fight ...

But I enjoyed it and think SL has put on a great show tonight

 

[bromleybulldog]

Enjoyed that game. Wanted HKR to win but the Wigan performance was spot on, wonderful defence, well coached.incredible intensity and some moments of brilliance with ball in hand. Apart from the French try, the Marshall 'try' which looked good to me, the Wardle lost ball in the tackle by Ryan Hall- it could have been a wider margin but HKR battled away and I thought played well. It was just that the Wigan defence were brilliant. HKR can hold their heads up high. Mikey Lewis had a good game but just came up against a team who were not prepared to be beaten. One of the better Finals in my view.

[JohnM]

Wilkin to Liam Farrell, about Liam Farrell. " That's what great looks like"

[StandOffHalf]

That Nsemba has potential to be a breakthrough star.

We'll be ''seeing this smile for the next six years - and more''.

[Reliant Robin]

Enjoyed the game but not the result. Well done Wigan terrific defence and a magic moment from French. Class player. Wigan defence choked us, top team well coached by Peet. Special mention for the ref Kendall, thought he had a good game. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

Meh......

Disappointing doesn't cover it 

Good crowd though 

[northamptoncougar]

Problem is I think Wigan will actually keep getting better over the next couple of years.

They were missing their starting hooker and could keep the likes of Walters & Ecklsey out of the side.

[Fevrover]

50 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Wigan's defence has been truly mesmerising this evening, what a performance, what a win! Wigan have made me a very happy Hull fan tonight!

 

[Dave T]

25 minutes ago, Worzel said:

Wigan had their best team out, players on form who’ve been there and done it before, and Rovers were only beaten by a single moment of brilliance from the best player in the league. No shame in that eh. Proper grown up rugby tonight and on another day we could have squeaked it. 

The two best teams in the league, separated only by the league’s best player. Another step in the road forwards I think. This isn’t like Salford and Cas, it won’t be a one season freak. We’ll see us come again next year. 

I think thats fair. Probably some disappointment around not getting a try, but you also kept Wigan to one wonder try.

Plenty to be happy with and positive about fornthe future.

[Anita Bath]

26 minutes ago, Worzel said:

Wigan had their best team out, players on form who’ve been there and done it before, and Rovers were only beaten by a single moment of brilliance from the best player in the league. No shame in that eh. Proper grown up rugby tonight and on another day we could have squeaked it. 

The two best teams in the league, separated only by the league’s best player. Another step in the road forwards I think. This isn’t like Salford and Cas, it won’t be a one season freak. We’ll see us come again next year. 

Couldnt sum it up better. HKR are the only team that can live with Wigan at the moment, separated only by that French magic. As a neutral I wanted the game to go on for another hour. Top class rugby.

Well done to both teams and the officials.