WCC news

[roughyedspud]

Wigan win 22-6

 

[myrrh ken]

Wigan certainly rattled the sharks with physicality and obviously are in form. Were they full strength?

Not to pull excuses, but Sharks had a few injuries - and had to use 2 wingers and 1 hooker who had never played first grade.

 

[adamkungl]

Wigan matched them physically and Sharks responded poorly. You could argue there was some home town refereeing, losing 2 tries on technicalities was tough. BUT you can't argue with a ~65% completion rate, or elbow drops and hair pulls.

Ennis, Barba are big losses, attack was very disjointed. Hopefully Holmes is the answer but if not Sharks will have a much tougher season.

The game itself was very much an old fashioned, spiteful, muddy slog compared to yesterday's attacking masterclass from Warrington. Enjoyable in its own ugly way.

Good series overall, glad SL got 2 wins on the board.

 

[Evil Homer]

Wigan certainly rattled the sharks with physicality and obviously are in form. Were they full strength?

Not to pull excuses, but Sharks had a few injuries - and had to use 2 wingers and 1 hooker who had never played first grade.

Wigan were missing their three best players, as were Warrington last night.

 

[Perth Red]

lol at Cronulla, well done the SL clubs.

 

[JasonE]

Wigan were missing their three best players, as were Warrington last night.

You could even add Dom Crosby to the missing list for Warrington, a major off season recruit

 

[PaulyTom]

Super league teams are top of the world.

 

[roughyedspud]

Lets not get carried away lol

 

[WireMan]

Why not?

Two of the better teams in the nrl both got battered by two of the better super league teams.
If it was the other way round it would be proof positive the nrl is best.

Doesn't matter when it was played, if you cannot prepare as well as the other team that is your fault.
If your forwards look scared to run hard then they are softer.
If you half backs cannot pass or kick under pressure you need a new game plan.

The nrl looked exposed. Brisbane had no plan b and no one who could think on there feet.
Warrington did not attack in a safety first manner and we were scoring a point a minute.
There is a lesson in there for nrl sides.

 

[roughyedspud]

Thats all great and i agree with you about the nrl teams looking gash..but i was saying lets not get carried away because its only the 2nd time in 8-9 years we've won it...

Its a great building block to build confidence in the english game though...and sod the NRL taking lessons from it...i hope wayne bennett took lessons from it when it comes to how to coach english players

 

[Hawkins]

Brisbane are a heritage team not an in form team.

 

[adamkungl]

Thats all great and i agree with you about the nrl teams looking gash..but i was saying lets not get carried away because its only the 2nd time in 8-9 years we've won it...

Its a great building block to build confidence in the english game though...and sod the NRL taking lessons from it...i hope wayne bennett took lessons from it when it comes to how to coach english players

If Brown and Williams continue in that kind of form hard to look past them for the starting halves positions. Gale and Smith backups..

 

[roughyedspud]

at 31-32 kevin brown is not the answer....he looked like a rabbit in the headlights in the 4nations...so did luke gale

matty smith & williams for me....a proven club partnership thats won comps

declan patton could be a bolter for the world cup if he has a excellent season,i suspect,with a name like that,that he might have some irish heritage so he might be going anyway lol

and widdop needs a stellar season to be considered for selection..if any player is only in the england team cos he plays in the NRL its him at the moment

 

[adamkungl]

at 31-32 kevin brown is not the answer....he looked like a rabbit in the headlights in the 4nations...so did luke gale

matty smith & williams for me....a proven club partnership thats won comps

declan patton could be a bolter for the world cup if he has a excellent season,i suspect,with a name like that,that he might have some irish heritage so he might be going anyway lol

and widdop needs a stellar season to be considered for selection..if any player is only in the england team cos he plays in the NRL its him at the moment

If he kicks like he did against Brisbane I don't think his age matters. But yeah I didn't think much of him in the 4N.

Widdop is truly awful. The bloke wouldn't be playing first grade at any other club.

 

[roughyedspud]

well thats it..IF...

theres no IF with matty smith..we know he can..and has done against both oz and nz

 

[Lambretta]

If he kicks like he did against Brisbane I don't think his age matters. But yeah I didn't think much of him in the 4N.

Widdop is truly awful. The bloke wouldn't be playing first grade at any other club.

Widdop isn't awful, but he's a perfect example of why you don't sign a five eighth from the Storm
Cooper Cronk does all the organising and the five eighths job is to take up to slack where needed

You can look good if you only have to get involved 20% of the time and you're there to support. Widdop does this perfectly.

What he doesn't do is lead the team. He needs a strong 7 to play alongside

 

[adamkungl]

Widdop isn't awful, but he's a perfect example of why you don't sign a five eighth from the Storm
Cooper Cronk does all the organising and the five eighths job is to take up to slack where needed

You can look good if you only have to get involved 20% of the time and you're there to support. Widdop does this perfectly.

What he doesn't do is lead the team. He needs a strong 7 to play alongside

Disagree. He's not a good five-eighth. He might play a role in a superstar side but that puts him basically at the Shane Perry level. He might be a passable fullback.
If you have to say he'd be a good five-eighth if he didn't have to organise, lead, pass, or kick, that means he's not a good five-eighth full stop.

 

[Lambretta]

Disagree. He's not a good five-eighth. He might play a role in a superstar side but that puts him basically at the Shane Perry level. He might be a passable fullback.
If you have to say he'd be a good five-eighth if he didn't have to organise, lead, pass, or kick, that means he's not a good five-eighth full stop.

I get your point - what I meant is his strength is in playing the supporter not the leader - therefore he's not awful

But yeah - he isn't the greatest either

 

[adamkungl]

I get your point - what I meant is his strength is in playing the supporter not the leader - therefore he's not awful

But yeah - he isn't the greatest either

Hmm. I think a 'supporter' half is a young half that you hope will grow into a leader. an experienced half that can't be relied on to run a team is a bit tits on a bull imo

 

[Tigers1986]

The huge positive of these results is that first of all it gives a huge shot of confidence to the English players that maybe, just maybe, they can hang with the Australians for a full 80 minutes. Secondly it gives the NRL a kick in the arse to actually take this concept seriously and send our absolute best sides over (Premiers, Runners Up, League Leaders, for example). Positives all around for the international game.

As much as Cronulla want to whinge and make excuses, they never adapted to Wigan's pressure. These Warriors are an outstanding team coached very well and will go close to reaching another Old Trafford appearance if not championship victory. Cronulla looked very flat without Ennis guiding them around the ruck and lacked pace out wide without Barba or Holmes. That said, you need to overcome these setbacks and Wigan were missing players as well.

I'm already intrigued by the 2018 series in whatever shape it takes.