Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:06 am  

cadoo wrote:

I think this may be our last season to enjoy Bevan French. No insider info but out of contract end of the year, gets MOTM in the game, Man of Steel, his game has come a long way since he joined us. I would be gobsmacked if he didn't have NRL teams making a move for him. And in truth if he did leave, we can't complain. 5 years we've had out of him. Fantastic service.

Harvie Hill has gone under the radar a touch. He was excellent in that game when he came on and we needed him to be too because our pack was gassed. 20 years old to come into a game of that intensity and more than hold your own is testament to him. He deserves some big minutes on Friday against Huddersfield.

If I had I guess, I think you're right about French. He'll almost certainly have interest from over there and if he gets a half decent offer he'll go. But like others have said, I'm not sure if he'll get any offers as as a first choice #6, and his size will probably put most teams off having him as a first team full back or winger. I'm not sure what sort of offer he'd get as an NRL squad player and how that compares to him staying at Wigan, but it wouldn't shock me if we're offering him the best contract come the end of the year.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:09 am  

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... cecdcce0a5 Bevan admirers starting to hype him up now.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... cecdcce0a5 Bevan admirers starting to hype him up now.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:13 am  

There is a piece on Field in the SMH as well. It’s to be expected in fairness. I watched the pre conferences online from after the game and French was in with Peet. They both spoke openly about wanting to go to Vegas next year, so it didn’t seem a given that French won’t be here.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:45 am  

For what it's worth my overriding thoughts on the matter are that it just highlights what a stupid system it is to have a referee basically guessing a decision on field which then massively influences the video ref. It's crazy - if the on field ref doesn't know then he shouldn't be forced to guess. In this instance Moore literally couldn't see the ball and had to walk around a pile of bodies before making a judgement. How can this be seen as a logical process?

It's pointless giving my thoughts on here about if Moore should've gone try or no try and why he did what he did. But what I will say is that if you take away the ref's call and ask every referee in the country to act as video ref, view that incident and make a call purely on what they've seen, then not one of them will give a try. That's my opinion. But in putting it on the video ref that he has to find concrete evidence to overturn what is essentially a guess, the system is massively flawed and in this instance Wigan have benefited. Let's be honest, if that try was given against you, you would be absolutely raging.

I haven't seen any evidence that the Penrith one at the end was definitely a try so have no arguments about it not being given, but if Moore is giving the atttacking side huge benefit of the doubt with the first one then he should again with the Penrith one in my opinion because I can't understand how he has seen more evidence of a try in the Wardle one than the one at the end. But again, that's where the system is so wrong. The on field ref is just having a guess and massively leading the video ref in one direction.

Whilst I'm at it, there was a forward pass for Leemings try too and the mistake from Moore on the ball steal is amateurish. He missed a blatant high tackle on Field late in the game as well.

As for the game itself Wigan defended brilliantly for most of it and took their chances well. Penrith were making much more ground, especially first half and spent more time in the atttacking 3rd but your line defence was excellent. The French pass for the Miski try was exceptional and you were unlucky with what would've been an amazing try with the scrum play.

Fiinally I am genuinely happy for Matty Peet. He is one of Rugby League's good guys and in the brief dealings I have had with him away from Rugby he is a top class human being. I find it impossible to dislike him or say anything negative about him which is rare for a Wigan coach

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:51 am  

That last post has just reminded me- and something I forgot to metion.

A part of me wanted that French try to be given. One that it was a superb piece of innovation and a pre-planned move. And secondly because then Wigan would've won fair and square which would have been easier for me to accept rather than the Wardle non-try.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:57 am  

There is a photo in todays League Express which shows the ball on the try line for the Wardle try. The only reason it could have been overturned was for a double movement and I don't think it was.
There is no way that the Penrith try could have been allowed, Moore was in the perfect position and had the best view. He was right to send it to the video ref though for conformation, there would have been uproar if he'd disallowed or given it without reference, remember when the Saints no try at Wembley wasn't sent to the video ref and the fallout from that?

He got the ball steal wrong, but also the head shot on the Wigan player in the last five minutes.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:03 pm  

Stu M wrote:

That last post has just reminded me- and something I forgot to metion.

A part of me wanted that French try to be given. One that it was a superb piece of innovation and a pre-planned move. And secondly because then Wigan would've won fair and square which would have been easier for me to accept rather than the Wardle non-try.

I've also seen a photo of the kick for the French try with a line drawn accross which appears to show him to be just onside. We'd have to have the VAR technology from football to be 100% sure, they don't always get it right and I don't think we'd appreciate waiting five minutes for the decision.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:05 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

For what it's worth my overriding thoughts on the matter are that it just highlights what a stupid system it is to have a referee basically guessing a decision on field which then massively influences the video ref. It's crazy - if the on field ref doesn't know then he shouldn't be forced to guess. In this instance Moore literally couldn't see the ball and had to walk around a pile of bodies before making a judgement. How can this be seen as a logical process?

It's pointless giving my thoughts on here about if Moore should've gone try or no try and why he did what he did. But what I will say is that if you take away the ref's call and ask every referee in the country to act as video ref, view that incident and make a call purely on what they've seen, then not one of them will give a try. That's my opinion. But in putting it on the video ref that he has to find concrete evidence to overturn what is essentially a guess, the system is massively flawed and in this instance Wigan have benefited. Let's be honest, if that try was given against you, you would be absolutely raging.

I haven't seen any evidence that the Penrith one at the end was definitely a try so have no arguments about it not being given, but if Moore is giving the atttacking side huge benefit of the doubt with the first one then he should again with the Penrith one in my opinion because I can't understand how he has seen more evidence of a try in the Wardle one than the one at the end. But again, that's where the system is so wrong. The on field ref is just having a guess and massively leading the video ref in one direction.

Whilst I'm at it, there was a forward pass for Leemings try too and the mistake from Moore on the ball steal is amateurish. He missed a blatant high tackle on Field late in the game as well.

As for the game itself Wigan defended brilliantly for most of it and took their chances well. Penrith were making much more ground, especially first half and spent more time in the atttacking 3rd but your line defence was excellent. The French pass for the Miski try was exceptional and you were unlucky with what would've been an amazing try with the scrum play.

Fiinally I am genuinely happy for Matty Peet. He is one of Rugby League's good guys and in the brief dealings I have had with him away from Rugby he is a top class human being. I find it impossible to dislike him or say anything negative about him which is rare for a Wigan coach

Moore can see the ball on the line so gives a try and he can't see that May has got it down, so he gives no try. I don't agree with the system but I can see why he sent them up as he did.

On what basis would you go no try on Wardle? I'm not saying I disagree but it can't be for it not getting to the line as pointed out by Rogues above, so are you saying double movement? It wasn't a typical double movement that we're used to and I honestly don't think it's as obvious a shocking call as some are making out. I again point out I'd say no try but I honestly can't really give a reason for it and then that makes me think I'm wrong and the officials are right. There was a reason they kept asking for it to be played at full speed.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:07 pm  

I don't agree there is a single image or piece of footage that shows the ball on the line for the Wardle try. Nor do I believe that anny of you would accept it should it have been given the other way.

We won't agree so no point going round in circles on it. Like I said the overriding issue for me is the system and it's something I've been saying for years. Wigan have massively benefited from a ridiculous way of coming to a decision.

Re: World Club Challenge - Wigan v Penrith : Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:09 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

I've also seen a photo of the kick for the French try with a line drawn accross which appears to show him to be just onside. We'd have to have the VAR technology from football to be 100% sure, they don't always get it right and I don't think we'd appreciate waiting five minutes for the decision.

Next to nothing has been made of that incident and I think that's wrong. They kept going on about international rules and both feet needing to be behind the ball but even so, it was extremely tight and in Superleague they don't even bother having a second glance if it's as tight as that, they just quickly give the try and move on. I watched the replay yesterday and the VR has great eyes if he could give that as conclusively offside on one view. I sense he expected the backlash from the Wardle try when looking at that.