What a fantastic advert for our sport after a turbulent year.
Phenomenal.
saints players giving SOL the guard of honour a real nice touch too.
Two very good teams playing fast and furious rugby, a great game to watch as a neutral.
Yeah, that was brilliant. Two excellent teams desperate to win and giving it everything and the kitchen sink. Fitting end to the season.
Awesome down to the WIRE. First class performance from all involved.
Our man of steel was awesome and deserves a mention. Great game, what an ending to a fantastic game.
French must have had a big bet on, what was he doing??!
Hardakers missed kicks cost Wigan as well, though they weren’t easy, and they were very close to going over.
Hardakers missed kicks cost Wigan as well, though they weren’t easy, and they were very close to going over.
But most of those kicks were very difficult and he was close. French displayed utter lunacy, 15 seconds to play, just cut your loses and run it out.
Well personally although it was a very competetive, close game & very hard fought I thought it was dour & tedious. Very little good expansive play & just drive in after drive in. Defences were good but there were very few plays that were unpredictable making defending much easier to accomplish. Being a neutral observer may also have something to do with my opinion.
I may be wrong but I think the reason for the lack of play makers & the footballing skills of yester year is because,with a few exceptions, the attacking skill level of players these days is poor. This is no doubt due to most of the best players either now either preferring a direct route into Rugby Union or starting in the British game but then moving to the NRL in Australia where the monetary rewards are so much better. I also think all coaches today forbid certain plays that they think are a risk to losing possession.
I can't understand why Wigan have struggled all season without a real goalkicker.
Both French and Coote , for all the hype, aren't that dependable taking a high ball. We cowheeled Hanbury for the same problem!
Well personally although it was a very competetive, close game & very hard fought I thought it was dour & tedious. Very little good expansive play & just drive in after drive in. Defences were good but there were very few plays that were unpredictable making defending much easier to accomplish. Being a neutral observer may also have something to do with my opinion. I may be wrong but I think the reason for the lack of play makers & the footballing skills of yester year is because,with a few exceptions, the attacking skill level of players these days is poor. This is no doubt due to most of the best players either now either preferring a direct route into Rugby Union or starting in the British game but then moving to the NRL in Australia where the monetary rewards are so much better. I also think all coaches today forbid certain plays that they think are a risk to losing possession.
Thoughts a bit similar to myself, the GF was tense and no doubt the ending was incredible but I thought it was the usual attritional slog/cross-kick fest. I don't see a way out of this type of rugby.
I notice from the press over the weekend, it isn't just RL, RU are having the same conversations. There is an article by Matt Dawson on the BBC about how boring their game has become, similar reports after Saturday's Wales England game.
The players are very fit and resilient and defences are extremely well organised and that seems to be the focus of what the games are about. Risk averse rugby. I'll always watch it but I rarely get that excited by it these days. The last 15 seconds of the GF excepted of course.
I thought it was a great game, but I don’t need to be converted, I see where the comments are coming from, it is getting a bit like NRL was some years ago where defences dominated the game - how did they reverse that ?
cue John f
It is all about the game plan these days and kicking for position to start a set in the opponents' half and finished with a high kick to the corner or for a scramble over the line. All very predictable and little room for individual skill.
Maybe re-introducing the ten yard rule would discourage the high kick on the sixth tackle and encourage more open play.
The game between Wigan and Saints will be remembered for the last minute try and maybe it being the last game for two RL greats in Graham and O'Loughlin. Not a great game, but one that gripped you for 80 minutes, with it being so close and either side being in with a chance to win the game. I thought Wigan had the better chances and not sure going for goal from so far out was the best option, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
I am not sure that some of these so called NRL stars add a lot to our game - Widdop being a prime example - and the future may see opportunities for our young players like Bentley, to reach their full potential. As Flash mentioned elsewhere, it is no coincidence that the most successful clubs in recent times have been those that have developed and brought through their young players from the Academies.
Good point, on an aside who was the best or most influential Aussie ?
back in the day there were very few, perhaps one per club
my vote would be maninga at stains
Majestic Meninga! Jonathon Davies said that it was his balance that threw him, massive build but a sprinters balance.