Rugby League 2021

[12OunceEpilogue]

Super League 2021 is starting this weekend, so we'd best have a thread. This post on RL Fans has a good roundup of the Super League ins and outs:

Spoiler: Super League Transfers

CASTLEFORD TIGERS
INS: Lewis Bienek (Hull FC), Niall Evalds (Salford Red Devils), Suaia Matagi (Huddersfield Giants – Loan), Gareth O’Brien (Toronto Wolfpack), Jordan Turner (Huddersfield Giants).
OUTS: Matt Cook (Widnes Vikings), Bailey Hodgson (Newcastle Knights), Junior Moors (Released), Joe Summers (Featherstone Rovers), Calum Turner (Newcastle Thunder), Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons)

CATALANS DRAGONS
INS: Gil Dudson (Salford Red Devils), Mike McMeeken (Castleford Tigers)
OUTS: Lucas Albert (Carcassonne), Remi Casty (Released), Antonia Maria (Lézignan), David Mead (Released), Sam Moa (Lézignan), Mickael Simon (Carcassonne), Lewis Tierney (Leigh Centruins), Gavin Marguerite (Villeneuve)

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS
INS: Jack Ashworth (St Helens), Jack Cogger (Canterbury Bulldogs), James Cunningham (Toronto Wolfpack), Joe Greenwood (Wigan Warriors), Josh Jones (Hull FC), Ricky Leutele (Melbourne Storm) George Roby (Warrington Wolves), Luke Yates (Salford Red Devils)
OUTS: Reiss Butterworth (Dewsbury Rams), Paul Clough (Widnes Vikings), Tom Holmes (Featherstone Rovers), Suaia Matagi (Castleford Tigers – Loan), Aaron Murphy (Bradford Bulls), Innes Senior (Wakefield Trinity – loan), Ukuma Ta’ai (Released), Jordan Turner (Castleford Tigers), Adam Walne (Barrow Raiders), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)

HULL FC
INS: Josh Reynolds (Wests Tigers)
OUTS: Lewis Bienek (Castleford Tigers), Kieran Buchanan (Batley Bulldogs), Gareth Ellis (Retired), Liam Harris (Halifax), Albert Kelly (Released), Ratu Naulago (Bristol RU)

HULL KINGSTON ROVERS
INS: Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters), George King (Wakefield Trinity), Muizz Mustapha (Leeds Rhinos – loan), Korbin Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Brad Takairangi (Parramatta Eels), Albert Vete (Melbourne Storm), Luis Johnson (Warrington Wolves)
OUTS: Ryan Brierley (Leigh Centurions), Jamie Ellis (Leigh Centurions), Weller Hauraki (Released), Mitch Garbutt (Toulouse Olympique), Matty Gee (Leigh Centurions), Harvey Livett (Loan expired), Dan Murray (Halifax), Will Oakes (Dewsbury Rams), Nathaniel Peteru (Leigh Centurions), Adam Rooks (Bradford Bulls), Robbie Mulhern (Warrington Wolves)

LEEDS RHINOS
INS: Zane Tetevano (Penrith Panthers), Bodene Thompson (Toronto Wolfpack)
OUTS: Wellington Albert (Keighley Cougars) Dom Crosby (Retired), Adam Cuthbertson (York City Knights), Tyler Dupree (Oldham), Rhys Evans (Bradford Bulls), Muizz Mustapha (Hull Kingston Rovers – loan), Ava Seumanufagai (Released)

LEIGH CENTURIONS
Ins: James Bell (Toulouse Olympique), Ryan Brierley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jamie Ellis (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Gee (Hull Kingston Rovers), Joe Mellor (Toronto Wolfpack), Nathaniel Peteru (Hull Kingston Rovers), Lewis Tierney (Catalans Dragons), Blake Wallace (Toronto Wolfpack)
Outs: Sam Brooks (Swinton Lions), Callum Field (Featherstone Rovers) Liam Forsyth (Swinton Lions) Nick Glohe (Released), Gregg McNally (Whitehaven), Ben Reynolds (Toulouse Olympique), Martin Ridyard (Swinton Lions), Jarrod Sammut (London Broncos), Ryan Shaw (Barrow Raiders).

SALFORD RED DEVILS
INS: Danny Addy (Leigh Centurions), Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors), Matty Costello (St Helens), Morgan Escare (Free Agent), Harvey Livett (Warrington Wolves), Sam Luckley (Newcastle Thunder), Darcy Lussick (Toronto Wolfpack), Elijah Taylor (Wests Tigers), Jack Wells (Wigan Warriors)
OUTS: Ed Chamberlain (London Broncos – loan), Niall Evalds (Castleford Tigers), Mark Flanagan (Retired), Connor Jones (Featherstone Rovers), Joey Lussick (Parramatta Eels), Luis Roberts (Swinton Lions), Kris Welham (Featherstone Rovers), Luke Yates (Huddersfield Giants)

ST HELENS
INS: Sione Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights), Dan Norman (London Broncos), Agnatius Paasi (New Zealand Warriors), Joel Thompson (Manly Sea Eagles)
OUTS: Jack Ashworth (Huddersfield Giants), Matty Costello (Salford Red Devils) James Graham (Retiring), Joseph Paulo (Toulouse Olympique), Dom Peyroux (Toulouse Olympique)

WAKEFIELD TRINITY
INS: Mason Lino (Newcastle Knights), Innes Senior (Huddersfield Giants – loan)
OUTS: Ryan Atkins (York City Knights), Connor Bailey (Newcastle Thunder – loan), Danny Brough (Bradford Bulls), George King (Hull Kingston Rovers), Danny Kirmond (York City Knights), Craig Kopczak (Featherstone Rovers), Romain Navarette (Loan Expiry)

WARRINGTON WOLVES
INS: Rob Butler (London Broncos), Greg Inglis (Free agent), Robbie Mulhern (Hull Kingston Rovers)
OUTS: Anthony Gelling (Released), Ben Murdoch-Masila (New Zealand Warriors), Luis Johnson (Hull Kingston Rovers)

WIGAN WARRIORS
INS: John Bateman (Canberra Raiders), Jai Field (Parramatta Eels)
OUTS: Joe Burgess (Salford Red Devils), Joe Greenwood (Huddersfield Giants), Chris Hankinson (London Broncos – loan), Ben Flower (Leigh Centurions), Sean O’Loughlin (Retiring), Harry Rushton (Canberra Raiders), Jake Shorrocks (Newcastle Thunder), Jack Wells (Salford Red Devils), Josh Woods (Newcastle Thunder)

For Wigan I think we have two quality signings in Jai Field and the return of JB, though we've let a few good players go too. We're starting against Leigh at Headingly on Friday with a few key injuries, but I hope we have enough about us to start the season well.

As a season ticket holder I'm not sure how many matches we'll be able to get to this season, so my excitement for the coming season is somewhat tempered but hopefully I'll enjoy watching from afar and will be back at the ground soon.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

Super League 2021 is starting this weekend, so we'd best have a thread. This post on RL Fans has a good roundup of the Super League ins and outs:

Spoiler: Super League Transfers

CASTLEFORD TIGERS
INS: Lewis Bienek (Hull FC), Niall Evalds (Salford Red Devils), Suaia Matagi (Huddersfield Giants – Loan), Gareth O’Brien (Toronto Wolfpack), Jordan Turner (Huddersfield Giants).
OUTS: Matt Cook (Widnes Vikings), Bailey Hodgson (Newcastle Knights), Junior Moors (Released), Joe Summers (Featherstone Rovers), Calum Turner (Newcastle Thunder), Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons)

CATALANS DRAGONS
INS: Gil Dudson (Salford Red Devils), Mike McMeeken (Castleford Tigers)
OUTS: Lucas Albert (Carcassonne), Remi Casty (Released), Antonia Maria (Lézignan), David Mead (Released), Sam Moa (Lézignan), Mickael Simon (Carcassonne), Lewis Tierney (Leigh Centruins), Gavin Marguerite (Villeneuve)

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS
INS: Jack Ashworth (St Helens), Jack Cogger (Canterbury Bulldogs), James Cunningham (Toronto Wolfpack), Joe Greenwood (Wigan Warriors), Josh Jones (Hull FC), Ricky Leutele (Melbourne Storm) George Roby (Warrington Wolves), Luke Yates (Salford Red Devils)
OUTS: Reiss Butterworth (Dewsbury Rams), Paul Clough (Widnes Vikings), Tom Holmes (Featherstone Rovers), Suaia Matagi (Castleford Tigers – Loan), Aaron Murphy (Bradford Bulls), Innes Senior (Wakefield Trinity – loan), Ukuma Ta’ai (Released), Jordan Turner (Castleford Tigers), Adam Walne (Barrow Raiders), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)

HULL FC
INS: Josh Reynolds (Wests Tigers)
OUTS: Lewis Bienek (Castleford Tigers), Kieran Buchanan (Batley Bulldogs), Gareth Ellis (Retired), Liam Harris (Halifax), Albert Kelly (Released), Ratu Naulago (Bristol RU)

HULL KINGSTON ROVERS
INS: Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters), George King (Wakefield Trinity), Muizz Mustapha (Leeds Rhinos – loan), Korbin Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Brad Takairangi (Parramatta Eels), Albert Vete (Melbourne Storm), Luis Johnson (Warrington Wolves)
OUTS: Ryan Brierley (Leigh Centurions), Jamie Ellis (Leigh Centurions), Weller Hauraki (Released), Mitch Garbutt (Toulouse Olympique), Matty Gee (Leigh Centurions), Harvey Livett (Loan expired), Dan Murray (Halifax), Will Oakes (Dewsbury Rams), Nathaniel Peteru (Leigh Centurions), Adam Rooks (Bradford Bulls), Robbie Mulhern (Warrington Wolves)

LEEDS RHINOS
INS: Zane Tetevano (Penrith Panthers), Bodene Thompson (Toronto Wolfpack)
OUTS: Wellington Albert (Keighley Cougars) Dom Crosby (Retired), Adam Cuthbertson (York City Knights), Tyler Dupree (Oldham), Rhys Evans (Bradford Bulls), Muizz Mustapha (Hull Kingston Rovers – loan), Ava Seumanufagai (Released)

LEIGH CENTURIONS
Ins: James Bell (Toulouse Olympique), Ryan Brierley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jamie Ellis (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Gee (Hull Kingston Rovers), Joe Mellor (Toronto Wolfpack), Nathaniel Peteru (Hull Kingston Rovers), Lewis Tierney (Catalans Dragons), Blake Wallace (Toronto Wolfpack)
Outs: Sam Brooks (Swinton Lions), Callum Field (Featherstone Rovers) Liam Forsyth (Swinton Lions) Nick Glohe (Released), Gregg McNally (Whitehaven), Ben Reynolds (Toulouse Olympique), Martin Ridyard (Swinton Lions), Jarrod Sammut (London Broncos), Ryan Shaw (Barrow Raiders).

SALFORD RED DEVILS
INS: Danny Addy (Leigh Centurions), Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors), Matty Costello (St Helens), Morgan Escare (Free Agent), Harvey Livett (Warrington Wolves), Sam Luckley (Newcastle Thunder), Darcy Lussick (Toronto Wolfpack), Elijah Taylor (Wests Tigers), Jack Wells (Wigan Warriors)
OUTS: Ed Chamberlain (London Broncos – loan), Niall Evalds (Castleford Tigers), Mark Flanagan (Retired), Connor Jones (Featherstone Rovers), Joey Lussick (Parramatta Eels), Luis Roberts (Swinton Lions), Kris Welham (Featherstone Rovers), Luke Yates (Huddersfield Giants)

ST HELENS
INS: Sione Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights), Dan Norman (London Broncos), Agnatius Paasi (New Zealand Warriors), Joel Thompson (Manly Sea Eagles)
OUTS: Jack Ashworth (Huddersfield Giants), Matty Costello (Salford Red Devils) James Graham (Retiring), Joseph Paulo (Toulouse Olympique), Dom Peyroux (Toulouse Olympique)

WAKEFIELD TRINITY
INS: Mason Lino (Newcastle Knights), Innes Senior (Huddersfield Giants – loan)
OUTS: Ryan Atkins (York City Knights), Connor Bailey (Newcastle Thunder – loan), Danny Brough (Bradford Bulls), George King (Hull Kingston Rovers), Danny Kirmond (York City Knights), Craig Kopczak (Featherstone Rovers), Romain Navarette (Loan Expiry)

WARRINGTON WOLVES
INS: Rob Butler (London Broncos), Greg Inglis (Free agent), Robbie Mulhern (Hull Kingston Rovers)
OUTS: Anthony Gelling (Released), Ben Murdoch-Masila (New Zealand Warriors), Luis Johnson (Hull Kingston Rovers)

WIGAN WARRIORS
INS: John Bateman (Canberra Raiders), Jai Field (Parramatta Eels)
OUTS: Joe Burgess (Salford Red Devils), Joe Greenwood (Huddersfield Giants), Chris Hankinson (London Broncos – loan), Ben Flower (Leigh Centurions), Sean O’Loughlin (Retiring), Harry Rushton (Canberra Raiders), Jake Shorrocks (Newcastle Thunder), Jack Wells (Salford Red Devils), Josh Woods (Newcastle Thunder)

For Wigan I think we have two quality signings in Jai Field and the return of JB, though we've let a few good players go too. We're starting against Leigh at Headingly on Friday with a few key injuries, but I hope we have enough about us to start the season well.

As a season ticket holder I'm not sure how many matches we'll be able to get to this season, so my excitement for the coming season is somewhat tempered but hopefully I'll enjoy watching from afar and will be back at the ground soon.

Well that was a fun start in a disgusting sort of way

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

A win's a win, but Wigan were caught cold by a great-looking Leigh team early on. The two tries before half-time were critical for us as we'd have left a hell of a mountain to climb going in 18-0 down. I'm happy with the spirit we showed in getting up off the canvass, and at this stage of the season the performances are likely to be scratchy so a positive night overall.

Well that was a fun start in a disgusting sort of way

I was pretty disgusted by our start and by Jai Field's bloody injury!

 

[Tottenhamguy]

I will be watching Castleford vs Warrington tomorrow, it's on Sky from 2:45pm. Greg Inglis still not ready to play and it could be April before we see an appearance from him.

 

[TheReligion]

Great start to the season.

Why do no southerners play the game by the way? Very much a Northern thing.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Great start to the season.

Why do no southerners play the game by the way? Very much a Northern thing.

u fukin wot m9?!

 

[TheReligion]

u fukin wot m9?!

Ha ha you know what I mean though. Even the pundits. Literally not a southerner to be seen. Must be the only sport in England with such a division?

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Ha ha you know what I mean though. Even the pundits. Literally not a southerner to be seen. Must be the only sport in England with such a division?

Yeah it's mostly the 'M62 corridor' liking League while the south of England, plus the rest of the UK and the north of Ireland prefer Union. It's a cultural, 'what you're born into' thing at this point but the history of how we got here is a real hoot. In the case of France it involves Nazis

 

[TheReligion]

Yeah it's mostly the 'M62 corridor' liking League while the south of England, plus the rest of the UK and the north of Ireland prefer Union. It's a cultural, 'what you're born into' thing at this point but the history of how we got here is a real hoot. In the case of France it involves Nazis

Anyway. Hull Huddersfield has been lively so far!

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I couldn't watch Wigan's second round game as I had an evening shift but I was pleased with a comfortable win over Wakefield, though again the start was a little dodgy and it was 6-6 at half time. We're chugging along ok and I'm particularly happy with Jake Bibby, who is still filling in on the wing and doing so with aplomb at the minute.

Elsewhere I'm concerned with Salford and Huddersfield's starts to the year, though I've been unable to see any of their games myself.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

A scratchy opening but a professional win for Wigan against a spirited, depleted York City Knights team in our Challenge Cup opener. I watched it on a stream on thesportsman.com, which was a bit of fun.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Meanwhile in the actual Super League we've just had a really good game against Castleford. We've got a bit of a Unitedesque issue where we start games a little groggily; this evening I felt our general play was ok in the first half but the kicking game was poor and was shown up by some great kicking from hands by the likes of McShane.

However second half we stepped u pa gear or two and Cas looked very leggy after an hour. In the end a ten point win is about right as though we could have added more points once Cas' struggled to match our pace we made some silly decisions near the line and were a little lucky not to be punished at the the other end before Sam Powell's scoot made it safe.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

Meanwhile in the actual Super League we've just had a really good game against Castleford. We've got a bit of a Unitedesque issue where we start games a little groggily; this evening I felt our general play was ok in the first half but the kicking game was poor and was shown up by some great kicking from hands by the likes of McShane.

However second half we stepped u pa gear or two and Cas looked very leggy after an hour. In the end a ten point win is about right as though we could have added more points once Cas' struggled to match our pace we made some silly decisions near the line and were a little lucky not to be punished at the the other end before Sam Powell's scoot made it safe.

Who do you think will replace Hastings next year?

Didn’t get to watch the game but good to see French come back with 2 trys in his first game.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Who do you think will replace Hastings next year?

Didn’t get to watch the game but good to see French come back with 2 trys in his first game.

I think we might play some combination of Hardaker, French, Field and Harry Smith at 1, 6 and 7. We have more backrowers than I've had hot dinners so unless it's a top top quality signing I don't see Wigan going straight into the market for a replacement.

Aye he looked good, maybe a little bit suspect in defence in the first half but moments of quality. I'm happy how it's going without getting carried away, there have been poor phases of play in every game so far so plenty to work on even though it's a 100 percent start.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

I think we might play some combination of Hardaker, French, Field and Harry Smith at 1, 6 and 7. We have more backrowers than I've had hot dinners so unless it's a top top quality signing I don't see Wigan going straight into the market for a replacement.

Aye he looked good, maybe a little bit suspect in defence in the first half but moments of quality. I'm happy how it's going without getting carried away, there have been poor phases of play in every game so far so plenty to work on even though it's a 100 percent start.

If we don’t bring anyone in I’d be happy enough with that, but I haven’t seen anything of Field yet so no idea if he’s good enough or not, then get Williams back the year after.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

If we don’t bring anyone in I’d be happy enough with that, but I haven’t seen anything of Field yet so no idea if he’s good enough or not, then get Williams back the year after.

Agreed on all counts. Field deserves a chance to get fit and show what he can do as a starting half but it's a fair point we can't hang our hat on him as we haven't seen anything of him in a Wigan shirt.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

How insanely good is this Panthers team in the NRL . They have won like 24 out of their last 25 games

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

We got a good beating off Hull today, a ten point gap flatters us if I'm honest. Terrible errors; including unforced knock-ons and two kicks out on the full, a one-dimensional kicking game and a beaten pack amounted to a pretty torrid watch. I'm gutted to lose a chance at a trophy so meekly and it's clear we have work to do in both attack and defence, as well as being short of a quality prop.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Wigan are still 100% in the league but the rugby isn't the best. We made a real meal of a Salford side missing some big players, needing a last gasp drop goal from Hastings to get the job done. It looks a bit square pegs in round holes and the attack looks very one-dimensional. The jury's out on Lam given the only must-win game of the season was lost through a very poor display from our point of view. Seven from seven, and I understand less to moan about than most sides, but for me things need to improve or we'll be found out at the business end of the season and the good early points total will count for nothing.

 

[EdWeatherall]

Looks like Williams is on his way back
Wigan would seem most likely

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Looks like Williams is on his way back
Wigan would seem most likely

I'd like that for sure but we could do with a quality prop or two. We're getting annihilated down the middle by a rampant Catalans and we have no answers whatsoever.

We've travelled in unusual circumstances, there are a couple of injuries but make no mistake this has been coming. The 100% start has flattered us massively and the leaky defence and at times clueless attack is coming home to roost today.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I missed the England game to watch one that was if anything even worse. Wigan's first game back with fans was a diabolical 18-8 defeat to Hull KR.

Wigan have a few out, a couple were coming back from long injuries blah blah fecking blah... it was honestly one of the worst performances I've ever seen; they looked like strangers, no intensity, poor misdirected passes to static players, no plans, no patterns, dropping the ball constantly. Hull KR had a man binned for the last ten minutes of the first half and in that time they scored to lead at the break. Out of the frying pan into the fire.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

We are a terrible team at the moment. We can cry about injuries all day long but tactically we're all over the place. Lam is out of his depth and we're going to give more games away in the coming weeks if this continues.

On the plus side Kai Pierce-Paul looked good, I'm proud of the lad.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Wigan won a very boring game yesterday. The defensive side of things is getting back to a reasonable level but I've now accepted that Injuries + Covid + Lam = diabolical play with ball in hand; we're constantly asking for moments of magic from the likes of Hastings and Zak (see the second try yesterday).

The game itself is in a rut with a bits and pieces Super League season meandering towards the play offs. Fair play to the likes of Catalans, Sintellin and Warrington for managing to stick in there in tough times, but I think the quality of rugby across the board at the moment is as bad as I've seen. Also well done to Catalans for getting a new name on the LLS, I do think they've been the best team this year followed closely by Saints and as I said I make Warrington a handy outside bet, but everyone else has been patchy if not downright terrible this year.