CONGRATULATIONS to Wigan, the new World Club Champions.
It’s great to have kept the trophy in the Northern Hemisphere and what a cracking game it was, with Penrith Panthers pushing the Cherry and Whites right to the end, literally.
It’s just a shame – and unfortunately it’s a theme for the fledgling season so far – that we’re talking as much about officials as we are the players, who at Wigan on Saturday evening, were superb and served up some great rugby and top-quality entertainment.
I found it hard to fathom how Liam Moore came the conclusion that Jake Wardle had touched down for the score that turned out to be the match-winner.
And I also thought Taylan May’s last-gasp effort for the Panthers should have stood.
But the record books show Wigan won, and have equalled Sydney Roosters’ five titles.
I mentioned in last week’s column how Wigan love to be known as the world champions, and it’s credit to Matty Peet that they can now say it for twelve months.
Matty mentioned that they have to build on their success, and I’m sure that while they will have celebrated their victory accordingly, it will be back down to business in plenty of time for Friday’s meeting with Huddersfield.
Wigan will want to put on a show in front of their home fans, and I reckon they’ll win by 22.
Match officials in the spotlight
AS I SAID earlier, match officials are being spoken of far too often at the moment.
Going on previous form, the furore over the rash of early-season red and yellow cards, and the subsequent length of suspensions – or in Harry Smith’s case, lack of one – was all pretty predictable.
I don’t believe anyone thinks the job of the referees or disciplinary chiefs is straightforward, and it’s clear the RFL have to take action to protect players from injuries, especially to the head.
But from where I’m standing – or to be more accurate sitting, as I take in the expansion of live coverage – the governing body has made a bit of a pig’s ear of it so far, and yet again, we’re talking about sendings off, including that for Hull FC’s Fa’amanu Brown against Warrington, rather than skills and scores.
Despite all the pre-season discussion over the rule changes and how they would be interpreted by referees, videos referees and the disciplinary panel, players, coaches and fans are confused by what exactly is and isn’t allowed, and what the punishment will be.
That was shown by the discussion over James Donaldson’s high shot on Oliver Gildart during Leeds’ second-round game at Hull KR, which many thought should have led to an early bath but which Jack Smith decided was worth only ten minutes in the cooler.
And how many neutrals will have understood why Liam Watts got a four-match ban for his challenge on Tyler Dupree while Smith escaped with only a fine after his tip-tackle on Luke Hooley during the Castleford-Wigan opening-round clash?
It’s a question of consistency, both in the interpretation of rules and the punishment for those adjudged to have transgressed, and there doesn’t seem to have been too much of it, either in past seasons or this.
And another issue is communication, with a need to make clear exactly what the rules are and how the punishment is arrived at – or to alter the system so that there are more clearly defined suspensions for the various offences.
It’s a spectator sport, and spectators need to be able to understand what’s happening.
Catalans tie down McNamara
CATALANS have done the sensible thing in tying Steve McNamara down through a two-year contract extension, which means he is now committed until 2026.
Sometimes a coach can be at a club for too long, and he is Super League’s longest-serving, having been in situ since June 2017.
But Steve just seems to be the right fit for the Dragons, who have been transformed from survival seekers to serious contenders under his impressive leadership.
Culture is a much-used word in sport these days, and he certainly seems to have established an effective one at Catalans, where he has blended English and Southern Hemisphere stars with French talent.
Steve, who seems to work really well in tandem with club owner Bernard Guasch, has brought discipline, both on and off the pitch, to Perpignan.
And he has also improved Catalans’ consistency, especially away from home, getting to grips with the particular issues that because of their cross-Channel location, the Dragons have in getting to and going through final preparations for those fixtures.
Since that historic Challenge Cup win, the first by a French club, in 2018, Catalans have twice made the Grand Final, but on each occasion, have failed to do themselves justice.
Last year especially, they looked clueless in attack.
That will have frustrated Steve, and rather than resting on his laurels, the sense of having unfinished business will be a real driving force as he strives to make his side even better.
With Wigan improving under Matt Peet, St Helens desperate to re-assert themselves and Hull KR progressing under Wille Peters, to reference just three significant rivals, the Dragons have a tough task head of them.
But Steve, whose achievements will have been well noted throughout the Rugby League world and earned him plenty of admirers, has provided valuable stability through his contract extension.
And his side has made a solid start to the season with those wins over Warrington and London Broncos.
They are at Leeds on Saturday, and I fully expect them to make it three from three by a 14-point margin.
JWH will be an asset for the Robins
HULL KR’s signing of New Zealand prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for next season is another sign that they are serious about sticking around among the top clubs in Super League.
He’s a tough and top-quality operator who I have always liked, whether playing for Sydney Roosters or the Kiwis, and while he’ll be 36 by the time he pulls on a Rovers shirt, I think he still has something in the tank.
The interesting questions are how will Peters utilise him – predominantly from the bench as an impact player perhaps? – and given his forceful and quite old-school style, how quickly will he adapt to our tackling rules as opposed to those Down Under?
Those early matches, in particular, could be interesting.
As for the early matches of this season, it’s two out of two for Rovers after overcoming Leeds on a pudding of a pitch at Craven Park, and being generous, I’ll say that was a big factor in the contest being mainly low on quality.
Given that Sky are now covering all the Super League matches, I hope there’s an improvement in the product being served up.
I guess Rovers will see it as another win being chalked up, not do too much analysis, and move on to their meeting with Salford on Saturday.
I think this will be a really interesting match, and I think Salford could just edge it – by seven.
In the other matches, I’m going St Helens by 14 against Leigh, when given his history in the fixture, John Asiata will be under the spotlight, and elsewhere on Friday, Warrington by the same margin at home to Castleford.
And on Sunday, I recking Hull will see off London Broncos by 20.
