*** Official Rugby League SLXXIV Thread ***

[TonyM19]

French looks really quick. Been playing reserve grade in Australia. On the Paramatta boards they were saying that he just wasn't big enough to be a winger in the NRL.

Will take a massive improvement from Wire to turn Sts over this weekend - hope they do! A fully fit Blake Austin will help, but a 75% fit Blake Austin won't.

Anybody going?

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

Not decided yet, might end up going down or prob just watch it on TV.

Even with a fully fit Austin I don't rate our chances tbh.

 

[Kemik]

Anyone going on Saturday? I'll be in block 230 with the rest of the Widnes fans

 

[TonyM19]

No Blake Austin for Wire. This will take a monumental effort from Wire to turn Sts over. Stranger things have happened

The 1895 cup is on the Red Button on BBC I believe. I fancy Widnes for this one.

Weather forecast looks good, should be a great day

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

Not gone down this time. Didn't know the 1895 cup was on red button though!

I would wait to see the final line up before seeing who's playing or not. Can't make my mind up who is going to play haha.

 

[JRS]

St Helens really should be many points ahead already. Especially with the try that wasn't given. There's some serious last-gasp defending being done by Warrington.

***edit***

So, that rather flipped things around didn't it? Two converted tries for Warrington, St Helens making mistakes. They've just had a set of six at the end of this half practically at the try line and somehow Warrington defended it. Not sure anyone saw STH 0 - 12 WAR at the end of the 1st half pre-match.

 

[JRS]

St Helens finally showing up to the final. But Coote utterly muffed the conversion. 4 - 12.

***edit***

Coote is having a nightmare afternoon. Just spilled the ball forward when St Helens were making a decent break. And following that another (16th!) error from St Helens gifts Warrington a set of six deep in attacking territory. Which they duly grab a try from. That's almost certainly put this contest beyond St Helens.

 

[JRS]

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

It wasn't a try anyway it was a knock on

Lineham's disallowed try though was discraceful.

On the field decision needs scrapping, go with the union "is there any reason I should not give a try"

 

[JRS]

Meanwhile in the 1895 Cup, Sheffield take a well-deserved victory having monstered Widnes in the second half. 36 - 18, from I think 12 - 18 at the halfway mark?

A shame it was so late in the day and so far from home, both teams deserved a larger crowd.

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

Meanwhile in the 1895 Cup, Sheffield take a well-deserved victory having monstered Widnes in the second half. 36 - 18, from I think 12 - 18 at the halfway mark?

A shame it was so late in the day and so far from home, both teams deserved a larger crowd.

Should have been played before the Challenge Cup final or at another venue as you say closer to home.

 

[TonyM19]

Well done Wire. Couple of dodgy ref decisions, but same for both sides. Wire were totally disciplined and stuck to the game plan perfectly their pack were billiant (Philbin had a stormer). The Goodwin tackle on Makinson was outstanding - 'tackle the blade of grass he's aiming at'

Totally agree about the 1895 cup being a curtain raiser - i think it needs to be at Wembley though.

Two good games.

 

[JRS]

Sat in a bar in Villelongue watching Dragons vs. KR. And I'm sorry, but the refereeing has been ******* appalling. KR are playing with 14 men. It's an absolute disgrace.

Oh, and the KR no.10? Masoe I think? That **** needs sorting out. The master of the cheap high shot.

 

[TonyM19]

Catalan must have had 6 sets on the bounce on Wigan's line in the first 20 minutes last week. Wigan lost a player to the bin at the end of this (subsequently got a 1 match ban). They then went up the other end and scored an 8 point try. Never looked like losing fron that point - soem woeful defence for osme of Wigan's tries. Catalan battered Wigan at the Nou Camp. That was the absolute low point of Wigan's season, but it looks like the high point for Catalan. 3 major things happened for Wigan
1. They got Matty Peet back from a spell at Sale with a brief to sort the defence. The chnag ewas instantaneous
2. Liam Farrell returned from injury - a regular 100m+ per game
3. Powell started scooting from dummy half
They're in with a chance of 2nd when I honestly thought they'd be in the relegation scrap. Anything from here is a bonus tbh

Would Shaun Wane be a good fit for Catalan?

Good luck to everybody in this week's relegation deciders.

 

[physichull]

Oh my, another season of mediocrity over again. I felt so unbelievably low when we failed to beat London. The rest of the week following was just agonising. Fingers crossed for a better season next year, just to not face relegation would be a bonus, to be honest.

Good display from Rovers against the form team Salford. But again the same old weaknesses, not being able to close games out and conceding last minute tries to lose the game. We need some steel in our side that has been sadly missing since the days of Galea and Newton.

 

[TonyM19]

London exceeded all expectations throughout the season tbf. Looks like HKR are getting some decent recruitment in for next year. You can see Toronto spending a few bob to get a decent team together if they come up. It will be tight again at the bottom next season. I still haven't recovered from Wigan's relegation battle in 2006 and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Wonder how long it will take Jackson Hastings to turn from all round good bloke, top player, etc to public enemy number 1 once he puts a Wigan shirt on

 

[physichull]

London exceeded all expectations throughout the season tbf. Looks like HKR are getting some decent recruitment in for next year. You can see Toronto spending a few bob to get a decent team together if they come up. It will be tight again at the bottom next season. I still haven't recovered from Wigan's relegation battle in 2006 and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Wonder how long it will take Jackson Hastings to turn from all round good bloke, top player, etc to public enemy number 1 once he puts a Wigan shirt on

I love Sam Tomkins now because of that very reason! What a great player he is!

I can see Toronto spending massively and definitely going for both marquee spots too. Not convinced on our recruitment yet. Most of them are good prospects and young/inexperienced. Parcell would be a decent replacement for Lunt (even if he does cop a 3 match ban for god knows what!). Still not sure we will keep Ryan Lannon either, something definitely not right with his loan back to Salford, something smells a bit with that one but I'm not sure what.

 

[TonyM19]

What's happened with Joel Tomkins? All seems a bit sudden and dramatic. Any inside stories?

Looks like Jackson Hastings is odds on for Man of Steel. Best enjoy his universal popularity while he can before he becomes 'insert rodent name' Boy next season

 

[physichull]

What's happened with Joel Tomkins? All seems a bit sudden and dramatic. Any inside stories?

Looks like Jackson Hastings is odds on for Man of Steel. Best enjoy his universal popularity while he can before he becomes 'insert rodent name' Boy next season

No idea and no rumour mills circulating either.

To be honest, he put in a shift but he is really not the player he used to be and he wasn't particularly captain material either. I'm not too disappointed he's gone, and at least the club can right their moral compass a little bit now. The club will certainly now have a fair bit of cap spare with Mags, Tomkins and Drinkwater off the books.

Looking forward to tonights game.

 

[TonyM19]

Wigan v Salford was a tough game - a bit scrappy, but very tense. Salford keep on turning up for these big games and gave Wigan all sorts of problems. Jackson Hastings was the best player on the pitch by a mile and I don't think they would be as effective without him.

Wigan have lost Powell for the season and I wouldn't be surprised if Clubb didn't miss next week for his late tackle on Hastings when he scored. Wigan can cope without Clubb, but will struggle without a specilaist, experienced hooker against Sts.

Good to see the ref penalise Gildart for patting the Salford player on the head when he knocked on. I hate that and I hope its somethng that's going to happen consistently from now on

O'Loughlin used to completely turn games around whe he came on. Not happening as much now. He's looking for another season. Don't know how well that will work out, especially if he tours with GB and doesn't get a proper rest.