We played our best rugby last year with French on the wing, he played his best rugby on the wing. Yet apparently he's wasted there, and now we are disfunctional because we are trying to ensure he's not wasted. Peet has had the same core for 18 months and still doesn't know how to get the best out of it.

I have family in Leigh and they love to get stuck in when they beat us or certainly on occasions like this weekend but I don’t think they or many Leythers understand that many Wiganers hold zero animosity towards Leigh. Hatred is the wrong word but I’m sure most Leythers have a dislike for all things Wigan but it’s pretty much a one way rivalry. There just haven’t been enough meaningful contests over the years to get our fans going and our main rivals are Saints and to a lesser degree, Warrington but hopefully that will change.



I wish Leigh all the best for the final. I’d be really happy for Adrian Lam if they get the win.

I'll keep saying this until I'm blue in the face, but we can't lay all the blame at Peet's feet. What coach wouldn't say yeah to keeping French? What sadly needed to happen is a Director of Rugby, a person who you'd assume has overall sight of the playing budget, stepping in and saying no to a new deal for French. Not because he's not wanted, but knowing that a proper 6 and prop would be more beneficial to the overall balance of the squad.



This isn't a one off occurrence by the way. Think back to when Burgess retired and we spent his salary on Hastings and French, but had Clarke and Clubb as props. We've had countless squads over the last decade that are stacked in certain positions and paper thin in others. The balance never seems to be there.



I was one of the 1st to bag Lam and I stick by that too. That being said when you hear that he wanted to bring in a centre and Radders cucked him instead - it builds a picture of a guy well out of his depth. Looking at the England squad and some of the baffling selections Wane made and the loyalty shown to some of his mates, I doubt he's the guy to make those tough decisions too.

I agree, worked in Leigh years back. Animosity goes further than rugby. Pit strike humbles firstly and then because we have a bigger Christmas tree at the town hall than them. That said, I've a few mates from Leigh that I'm happy for, fifty years is a long time to wait for a trip to Wembley (I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime), should make for a good game with a healthy crowd for once which is good for the sport.



Leythers will travel to us in good numbers at the weekend I'd expect, their supporters will no doubt rubbing it in, let's dust ourselves off and send them home with a loss of we can. Then aim for a place at Old Trafford.

Never a red card in a million years.



Another terrible decision that ruins it for one team.

It's also worth noting that Lewis' head goes forward at the point of first contact, not backwards as it would have done with direct contact. Also no KR players run in and the ref was going to play on which further reinforces that their was no issue with the tackle. I thought Sam Tomkins tweet summed it up rather nicely:



Red card?????



Madness





I couldn't agree more.

I think you'll find plenty Wiganers have given credit to Leigh this year, and rightly so. What you're doing there at the moment is worthy of credit. I, and I suspect many others, will be cheering you on in the final. Good luck.

To be fair, when you watch the NRL the Aussies do say Jye not Jay when they say the name Jai so i can see why Noble would think that. I just call him Field now to stop the debate happening

That’s the arrogance of a lot of your fans on here…

What's arrogant about that?

I know a lot of Wiganers want us todo well , around 90% of my family are Wiganers and are great people , I’m a Leyther through and through , but my Mrs is from Worsley Mesnes originally, I know they will be wanting aLeigh win at Wembley , I love the banter and take a lot of stick from them , I really wanted a Wigan v Leigh final , hopefully a great game on Saturday .

One game for Sorrocks https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61 ... vjNc4M4npo

One game for Sorrocks https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61 ... vjNc4M4npo

Quote apollosghost="apollosghost"One game for Sorrocks https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61 ... vjNc4M4npo'" That's as close to an admission of the ref getting it wrong as they could make, IMO. They were never going to give "No case to answer" or "Sending off sufficient", as that would, effectively, have been an admission that Moore got it completely wrong. If it was genuine shoulder to the head, it should have been 2-4 games minimum. So for me, this is them admitting Moore was wrong, without giving anyone any recourse to have a go at him directly.

Quote apollosghost="apollosghost"One game for Sorrocks https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61 ... vjNc4M4npo'" That's as close to an admission of the ref getting it wrong as they could make, IMO. They were never going to give "No case to answer" or "Sending off sufficient", as that would, effectively, have been an admission that Moore got it completely wrong. If it was genuine shoulder to the head, it should have been 2-4 games minimum. So for me, this is them admitting Moore was wrong, without giving anyone any recourse to have a go at him directly.

More Thaler than Moore, to be fair.

Firstly congratulations to both Hull KR and Leigh, I hope they both make it a final to remember. It’s good for the game to see some new faces in the final and wish both team well.



There’s a lot of OTT reactions in this thread. Put Cooper and Havard in that team and it’s likely a very different outcome. I agree that props win pots and we were missing our best 2.



I think French is growing into the #6 role and has shown some very good touches. Assuming we continue and with a full pre season there I think he will be vastly improved next year.



Yesterday, in those conditions playing the second half with a player short was always going to be difficult. I don’t begrudge Hull KR the win but am left frustrated with a number of refereeing decisions at crucial times.



The sending off was a joke. Despite numerous replays there was no clear evidence he even made contact with the head, if he did it was secondary contact. The video was clear that initial contact was at shoulder level, Lewis’ head went forwards and then back. Direct contact with the head would have sent his head backwards initially. This is evidenced by the disciplinary report.



Yes, it’s disappointing to lose a semi final but there are still positives to be taken, if nothing else in terms of effort and commitment. I thought Ellis was very good, regularly got post contact metres. O’Neil is getting better as is Smithies who’s work rate was second to none again. The conditions didn’t allow either team to play expansive rugby. I think we were a little conservative at times. Where I would criticise Peet is not utilising Hill. With a man down the team we’re gassed, fresh legs could have made a difference.

As a Hull FC supporter i have to say i think French is far more dangerous when playing a roving wing position

Reading all the posts gives me almost as much pleasure as the result did yesterday. Almost.



I’m sure Cooper and Havard would have improved your team but so would the missing five first choice KR players. Half of our spine was missing as well as two of our main forwards and an international wing.



Strange that most bitching at refs invariably comes from the fans of losing teams. Yes, you had some decisions go against you but at crucial points in the game so did we.

You didnt have a player sent off though,worst case 10mins best a penalty.

Quote Jason65="Jason65"You didnt have a player sent off though,worst case 10mins best a penalty.'" Silverwood’s view: https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/richard- ... ion-78992/

Quote Jason65="Jason65"You didnt have a player sent off though,worst case 10mins best a penalty.'" Silverwood’s view: https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/richard- ... ion-78992/

Quote Zig="Zig"Silverwood’s view: https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/richard- ... ion-78992/'" Other ex referees have a different view

Quote Zig="Zig"Silverwood’s view: https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/richard- ... ion-78992/'" Other ex referees have a different view

Havard (if he can put a run of games together lately) and Cooper would have helped to a degree but I am not sure they would have made that much difference - we had no shortage of effort but it was creativity that was lacking, even with a full team on the pitch we didn't look like breaking Hull KR down and those two players would not have helped that. Smith is floundering at times because he is a young player trying to do everything, every 5th tackle play goes through him and it makes it easy for teams to read and in this game French was mostly non-existant - maybe next season he could get there but he is not helping the team structure as often he runs around in circles and stifles any momentum. The weather was the same for both teams (and KR had a few players missing too) and you can't always play on dry tracks- we just do not seem to be able to adapt well enough.

They do mate that is what rugby is all about. There is certainly no question that it was a debatable and game changing decision. HKR may still have won, who knows.



Personally, I thought it was a poor decision. It is a tackle we witness on a regular basis. If you take the aggression out of rugby league we have no game and there were certainly mitigating circumstances. The problem we have is that people who have never played the game are making crucial decisions and getting them wrong. Shorrocks got sent off and got a one game ban and yet Matautia got sin binned and received a two game ban, how do you explain that? I think it is time we had an ex-player helping the video referee.

We need a genuine stand off, we should not be experimenting.

We need a Trent Barrett. Sadly, thats most unlikely these days

I'm sick of picking the positives from defeat in crucial games, sick of heading in the right direction without ever getting there. We were again clueless with ball in hand, even befoe Shorrocks went off. Let's not be kidded into believing HKR are a great side, they aren't, yet they've beaten us 3 times - which makes us even less of a great side.



Peet has been in charge now for 18 months, his team, his core, his spine. Forget Rads, Peet has the talent in that team to be performing far better than we are with far better results.