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Leeds Rhinos have announced the signing of Ireland international James Bentley on a two year contract from St Helens
***Rugby Super League XXVI (other RL chat welcome!)***
- Thread starter JRS
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Got to thank KR and Warrington, helping to consolidate les Dracs' lead in the table 
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Pffft. This England v All Stars game looks a bit of a shambles. What were they thinking scheduling club games on the same night?
It does mean that Brad O'Neill should make his debut for Wigan at Wakefield. He is very highly rated and currently on loan at Widnes. Interested to see how he goes.
Chris Hankinson has clearly done something to upset Lam. He is playing well at London as a goalkicking centre. Meanwhile Wigan have played everybody but a centre in the centre position. If he hasn't been recalled over the past two weeks, he is never getting recalled.
It does mean that Brad O'Neill should make his debut for Wigan at Wakefield. He is very highly rated and currently on loan at Widnes. Interested to see how he goes.
Chris Hankinson has clearly done something to upset Lam. He is playing well at London as a goalkicking centre. Meanwhile Wigan have played everybody but a centre in the centre position. If he hasn't been recalled over the past two weeks, he is never getting recalled.
Sam Tomkins named England captain against All Stars. Both he and Tom Davies had to drive from the south of France to the team hotel in Manchester, since flying on a commercial flight was out due to Covid rules and the England RL authorities weren't about to pay for private air travel like Chairman Guasch has been doing for les Dracs. A 16 hour drive.
In separate cars.
With no hotel stops, just pausing to use pay-at-pump for refuelling.
Bloody well deserves the captaincy after that! I've done that drive a few times.
In separate cars.
With no hotel stops, just pausing to use pay-at-pump for refuelling.
Bloody well deserves the captaincy after that! I've done that drive a few times.
Castleford 6 - 16 les Dracs Not bad, given we're missing Tomkins and Davies to international duty and several others to injury or suspension. It's all a bit weird at the minute, waiting to see how officialdom will screw us out of this lead that we've ended up with!
Wigan lost again, that drops them to 4th. And Warrington beat Leigh, who I still think are inching up on getting a result somewhere with the way they're (intermittently) playing.
Not bad, given we're missing Tomkins and Davies to international duty and several others to injury or suspension. It's all a bit weird at the minute, waiting to see how officialdom will screw us out of this lead that we've ended up with!Wigan lost again, that drops them to 4th. And Warrington beat Leigh, who I still think are inching up on getting a result somewhere with the way they're (intermittently) playing.
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Wigan will be heading down the table at a rate of knots looking at their forthcoming fixtures. They have been hit by injuries, but most clubs have. They have actually scored less points than Leigh this season. The coach should be getting more out of this squad than he is at the moment. The chairman doesn't sack coaches, but I'd be very surprised if they have the same coach at the start of next season. It's worrying that a Wigan born player would prefer a 'new chall£nge' at Warrington
Soldato
I'm posting on this thread! So HKR must be doing alright....! Well....we were.
Such a shame the covid hit through the camp just as we were on a bit of a roll. I had a good feeling we would have beat Saints too.
Been playing decent this year and it feels a bit like a vindication of a couple of years hard work in getting youngsters through and not panic signing. For the first time in years I can say that we have actually got the recruitment right this year - I guess after a year when we knew for certain that we would be in SL and we could commit to signing good players earlier rather than feasting on the leftovers.
Takairangi has been absolutely brilliant for us this year, as has Parcell. With Linnet, SKD, Abdull and Parcell, we really are proving solid this year. SKD has been playing like a man possessed and what we would have expected for a NZ international.
For the first time in YEARS, I actually feel like I have a "bring it on" kind of attitude to games, rather than....lets hope we don't lose too badly this weekend....it feels good!
Also, how Ryan Hall didn't get picked for England...I'll never know.
Such a shame the covid hit through the camp just as we were on a bit of a roll. I had a good feeling we would have beat Saints too.
Been playing decent this year and it feels a bit like a vindication of a couple of years hard work in getting youngsters through and not panic signing. For the first time in years I can say that we have actually got the recruitment right this year - I guess after a year when we knew for certain that we would be in SL and we could commit to signing good players earlier rather than feasting on the leftovers.
Takairangi has been absolutely brilliant for us this year, as has Parcell. With Linnet, SKD, Abdull and Parcell, we really are proving solid this year. SKD has been playing like a man possessed and what we would have expected for a NZ international.
For the first time in YEARS, I actually feel like I have a "bring it on" kind of attitude to games, rather than....lets hope we don't lose too badly this weekend....it feels good!
Also, how Ryan Hall didn't get picked for England...I'll never know.
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Definitely got recruitnment sorted and a coach who knows what he's doing. Not sure about Austin being a good fit, but as you say SKD is playing really well.
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Let's see what genius plan our mastercoach comes up with tonight. Hearing that Hastings will be full back.
Not looking hugely good right now. But maybe they're playing better than the scoreline suggests.
Sam Tomkins broke the 1,000 points in Super League mark tonight as well
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The score was a fair representation of the difference bewteen the two sides. I thought Wigan got the majority of the 50-50s too.
Soldato
When Austin was (is?) still rumoured....I wasn't that keen to be honest. With Abdull playing so well, we have our 7, and our 6's are made up of young lads, either Rowan Milnes or Mikey Lewis. Both are really young and inexperienced and I feel like they have so much to offer. It would have been a massive shame to have Austin occupy a rung on the ladder above them. Objectively speaking, Austin is the better player, but it would have been a shame for the young lads.
Big story is that we are now suggested to have signed Coote on a 2 year deal. That came so far out of the blue I don't think anybody saw it coming! Nothing confirmed yet, but presumably that means the Adam Quinlan to Leigh rumours are true. Shame for Quinny as he has been good for us when fit, but a good coach has to make tough choices.
Huddersfield vs Catalans extended highlights:
Giants' second try was straight-up BS, that hand off was so far forward it was in a different postcode to the ground
And then Thaler went all card happy as well, which fortunately still didn't stop les Dracs scoring or let Huddersfield get over.
Certainly surprised the hell out of me when I read it.
Giants' second try was straight-up BS, that hand off was so far forward it was in a different postcode to the ground
And then Thaler went all card happy as well, which fortunately still didn't stop les Dracs scoring or let Huddersfield get over.Certainly surprised the hell out of me when I read it.
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Coote to Hull KR is a great signing. If that paves the way for Dufty to go from St George to St Helens, that's great news for them but not so good for the rest of us. He will have a massive impact over here. Wigan can't move for a full back as Bevan French has exercised is 1 year option for 2022
Wigan were lucky to get nil at half time yesterday. The terrible weather and Wigan getting stuck in a bit after half time saved a real drubbing (as did a combination of their poophouse tacics and a James Child like performance from James Child, who let them get away with it). I'm thinking Isa will be having a few games off.
Lam is on borrowed time here. They have injuries, but everybody does. He was brought in to offer a more attacking style. How he has got the best half back in SL playing at full back is beyond most Wigan fans. When Gildart got driven back 10m for a drop out, both Wigan props had their hands on their hips blowing out of their backsides. Shaun Wane would have physically dragged them both off the pitch! Good job they got the 7 wins at the start of the season (their best ever start to SL). You know things are getting bad when you are looking forward to 10 minute Tony Clubb coming back next weekend.
Wigan were lucky to get nil at half time yesterday. The terrible weather and Wigan getting stuck in a bit after half time saved a real drubbing (as did a combination of their poophouse tacics and a James Child like performance from James Child, who let them get away with it). I'm thinking Isa will be having a few games off.
Lam is on borrowed time here. They have injuries, but everybody does. He was brought in to offer a more attacking style. How he has got the best half back in SL playing at full back is beyond most Wigan fans. When Gildart got driven back 10m for a drop out, both Wigan props had their hands on their hips blowing out of their backsides. Shaun Wane would have physically dragged them both off the pitch! Good job they got the 7 wins at the start of the season (their best ever start to SL). You know things are getting bad when you are looking forward to 10 minute Tony Clubb coming back next weekend.
Adrian Lam confident Wigan will turn corner "very soon".
Well, there's no law against optimism I guess...
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Oh yes, and that Folau bloke who used to play for us? The one who ran back to Australia saying he had a personal family situation to deal with, then didn't communicate with us for six months, then tried to sign with a side to play in Aus even though he still had a contract in France? Who we then released because of his stated intention to remain in Aus to deal with the aforementioned personal family situation?
Signed with a Japanese rugby union side.
The guy was offered redemption by Catalans. I hope he's pleased with himself.
Well, there's no law against optimism I guess...
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Oh yes, and that Folau bloke who used to play for us? The one who ran back to Australia saying he had a personal family situation to deal with, then didn't communicate with us for six months, then tried to sign with a side to play in Aus even though he still had a contract in France? Who we then released because of his stated intention to remain in Aus to deal with the aforementioned personal family situation?
Signed with a Japanese rugby union side.
The guy was offered redemption by Catalans. I hope he's pleased with himself.
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Leeds 18-26 Catalans. Nil'd Leeds in the second half, and an 8th win on the bounce which is a new club record AFAIK.
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14 games played this season so far including Challenge Cup fixtures, and 11 have been played in England. Just to put Catalans' success so far this year into some perspective.
Highlights:
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14 games played this season so far including Challenge Cup fixtures, and 11 have been played in England. Just to put Catalans' success so far this year into some perspective.
Highlights:
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Jackson Hastings suspended for one game for 'lifting' an injured player. I don't know if anybody saw this, but wow. I get that you shouldn't lift a player if you think they are taking the mick with an injury and if there is consistency with this, then fair enough. The game lasted for ages (although it was such a rubbish game, it may have just felt like that) with numerous visits from the Huddersfield physios/doctors. Coincidentally, most of these were on the 1st tackle after a transition and provided a welcome rest for defenders and allowed them to reset.
Just saying.
There has to be a balance. The referee can't make a judgement on how bady injured a player is, but it just seems that some coaches are looking for another loophole to gain an advantage. If a player is injured at a drop out and the game is stopped, they have to spend the next set off the field. This has saved loads of time at drop outs. The only issue with doing it in general play is that it would enourage injured players to play on. Tricky one and the clubs/coaches will have to play their part to come to a solution.
Just saying.
There has to be a balance. The referee can't make a judgement on how bady injured a player is, but it just seems that some coaches are looking for another loophole to gain an advantage. If a player is injured at a drop out and the game is stopped, they have to spend the next set off the field. This has saved loads of time at drop outs. The only issue with doing it in general play is that it would enourage injured players to play on. Tricky one and the clubs/coaches will have to play their part to come to a solution.