FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

  

After a Titanic battle in the south of France, the Catalans Dragons eliminated the reigning Champions St Helens with a last-minute Sam Tomkins Try which saw the French side into their second Grand Final in three years while ending the four-year domination of the most successful side of the modern era.

The second play-off promised to be equally as dramatic as the Wigan Warriors, sought a return to Old Trafford for the first time since 2020 as they came up against a Hull KR side intent on reaching their first ever Grand Final.

This was the fifth meeting of the season between the two sides with honours shared at two wins each despite Wigan having a massive points aggregate advantage thanks to their 64-6 triumph in the most recent meeting in August and which made them strong favourites with the bookies for the win at the DW Stadium and progress to Old Trafford.

It was the perfect start for the home side when Liam Marshall went in with just over two minutes on the clock. Wigan passed the ball from right to left allowing the winger to carry two tacklers over the line with him and score after crossing the line on his back, the Robins defence mesmerised. Harry Smith adding the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

On six minutes Jai Field knocked a Smith grubber into goal with his knees and then chased the loose ball to ground behind the sticks. The referee initially appeared to rule t out for a knock-on but went the screen and Ben Thaler granted the four points. Smith hit the target again and it was a horror start for the Robins who had enjoyed no possession.

A fifth tackle penalty for lifting gave Wigan more ground and with eleven minutes on the clock Marshall jinked his way to the line through a broken KR defence to get his second of the game after taking a Liam Farrell pass. Smith made it three from three, and it was the most dreadful possible start for KR.

A suicidal offload from KR on their own forty went into Wigan hands on twenty minutes, but a poor final pass from Brad O’Neill squandered another clear Wigan try and Rovers took the ball one hundred metres with Elliot Minchella benefitting from an Abbas Miski error to take a Sam Luckley offload and dive in by the left upright. Brad Schneider added the conversion for 6-18, a lifeline for the visitors who were finally finding their feet after an awful opening twenty.

Hostilities broke out on twenty-nine after Harry Smith dropped a pass and was hit hard by Mikey Lewis. Referee Moore read the riot act but both sides kept their full complement for the remainder of the half which was punctuated by a series of errors from both sides.

Wigan were in control of the game, but there was some hope for KR, especially if they could open the second half scoring.

On forty-two Marshall grabbed his hat-trick try after taking a Bevan French cross field kick just a metre from the line to walk over unopposed and dot the ball down. Smith added the conversion from wide for 24-6.

The win became a certainty on thirty-two when Toby King took the pass from French, after a Kai Pearce-Paul tap back of a Smith cross field kick, to wrongfoot his tackler and slide in by the right corner flag. Smith hit the mark from the touchline, five from five for the opt maligned kicker.

On forty-three the Warriors were in again for 34-6 with Jai Field threading his way through the defence off a Patrick Mago pass to go in from fifteen metres out. Smith was again on target and within two minutes the Warriors were over again, this time it was Miski crossing by the right corner flag off a Field pass. Smith kicked his seventh goal of the game, another from the touchline.

Smith was wide with an attempted drop goal on seventy-three as the game fizzled towards its conclusion.

There was late consolation from Jez Litten on seventy-seven when he took a Jordan Abdull pass to run ten metres and score under the posts. Schneider added the conversion for 12-42.

It will be a Wigan Warriors versus Catalans Dragons final next Saturday teatime as the sides which finished first and second in the regular season make it into the showpiece final. Wigan were deserving of their position after a demolition of their opponents Hull KR without really having to get out of second gear. Hull KR were very disappointing, perhaps a game too far after their great win over Leigh last weekend and despite making the Challenge Cup final and play off semi-finals, they end the season with nothing but memories.

Wigan Warriors:  Field (2T), Miski (T), King (T), Wardle, Marshall (3T), French, Smith (7G), Dupree, O’Neill, Ellis, Pearce-Paul, Farrell, Smithies. Subs: Powell, Isa, Mago, Hill. 18th Man: Shorrocks. 

Hull KR: Walker, Senior, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall, Lewis, Schneider (G), Hadley, Parcell, King, Batchelor, Linnett, Minchella (T).  Subs: Abdull, Storton, Litten, Luckley. 18th Man: Kennedy.

Half-Time: 18-6.  

Full-Time: 42-12.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, 18-4, 18-6 : HT: 22-6, 24-6, 28-6, 30-6, 34-6, 36-6, 40-6, 42-6, 42-10, 42-12 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Wigan.

Referee: Liam Moore.



facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
pinterest sharing button
email sharing button
sharethis sharing button


Posted by RLFANS News Hound on Sat 7th Oct 2023 2:41 PM | Views : 5825 | Replies : 0 | BACK TO STORIES
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
7m
Fixtures 2025
Chris71
37
8m
Film game
karetaker
5542
17m
Game - Song Titles
Boss Hog
40687
19m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
63183
21m
Fixtures
Willzay
3
28m
Pre Season - 2025
Tarquin Fueg
178
29m
2025 Recruitment
Bullseye
183
38m
War of the Roses
karetaker
22
49m
2025 fixtures
karetaker
3
53m
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
27s
Rumours and signings v9
NickyKiss
28892
31s
Transfer Talk V5
christopher
491
33s
The Brick Stadium ownership update
Stanfax
52
40s
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
20
46s
ALL NEW 49ERS ERA LEEDS UTD THREAD
tad rhino
2585
55s
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
1m
2025 Recruitment
Bullseye
183
1m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Zig
3031
1m
Fixtures 2025
Chris71
37
1m
Shopping list for 2025
Jake the Peg
5571
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
2025 fixtures
karetaker
3
TODAY
Fixtures
Willzay
3
TODAY
Salford
karetaker
6
TODAY
WCC Off
Cruncher
5
TODAY
Leeds away first up
phe13
29
TODAY
Jake McLoughlin
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
20
TODAY
Noah Booth out on loan
Wollo-Wollo-
15
TODAY
Luke Gale testimonial match
BarnsleyGull
2
TODAY
England 5 - 0 Ireland
Sadfish
1
TODAY
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To Newcastle
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
2025 Betfred Super League Fixt..
73
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To N..
425
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
1215
England's Women Demolish The W..
1037
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
1276
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
1061
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
1328
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1870
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
2091
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
2338
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1912
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
2145
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
2609
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
2040
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
2122
RLFANS Match Centre
Matches on TV
Thu 13th Feb
SL
20:00
Wigan-Leigh
Fri 14th Feb
SL
20:00
Hull KR-Castleford
SL
20:00
Catalans-Hull FC
Sat 15th Feb
SL
15:00
Leeds - Wakefield
SL
17:30
St.Helens-Salford
Sun 16th Feb
SL
15:00
Huddersfield-Warrington
Thu 20th Feb
SL
20:00
Wakefield - Hull KR
Fri 21st Feb
SL
20:00
Warrington-Catalans
SL
20:00
Warrington-Catalans
Sat 22nd Feb
SL
15:00
Salford-Leeds
SL
20:00
Castleford-St.Helens
Sun 23rd Feb
SL
14:30
Leigh-Huddersfield
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Mens Betfred Super League XXVIII ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Wigan 29 768 338 430 48
Hull KR 29 731 344 387 44
Warrington 29 769 351 418 42
Leigh 29 580 442 138 33
Salford 28 556 561 -5 32
St.Helens 28 618 411 207 30
 
Catalans 27 475 427 48 30
Leeds 27 530 488 42 28
Huddersfield 27 468 658 -190 20
Castleford 27 425 735 -310 15
Hull FC 27 328 894 -566 6
LondonB 27 317 916 -599 6
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Betfred Championship 2024 ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Wakefield 27 1032 275 757 52
Toulouse 26 765 388 377 37
Bradford 28 723 420 303 36
York 29 695 501 194 32
Widnes 27 561 502 59 29
Featherstone 27 634 525 109 28
 
Sheffield 26 626 526 100 28
Doncaster 26 498 619 -121 25
Halifax 26 509 650 -141 22
Batley 26 422 591 -169 22
Swinton 28 484 676 -192 20
Barrow 25 442 720 -278 19
Whitehaven 25 437 826 -389 18
Dewsbury 27 348 879 -531 4
Hunslet 1 6 10 -4 0
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
7m
Fixtures 2025
Chris71
37
8m
Film game
karetaker
5542
17m
Game - Song Titles
Boss Hog
40687
19m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
63183
21m
Fixtures
Willzay
3
28m
Pre Season - 2025
Tarquin Fueg
178
29m
2025 Recruitment
Bullseye
183
38m
War of the Roses
karetaker
22
49m
2025 fixtures
karetaker
3
53m
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
27s
Rumours and signings v9
NickyKiss
28892
31s
Transfer Talk V5
christopher
491
33s
The Brick Stadium ownership update
Stanfax
52
40s
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
20
46s
ALL NEW 49ERS ERA LEEDS UTD THREAD
tad rhino
2585
55s
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
1m
2025 Recruitment
Bullseye
183
1m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Zig
3031
1m
Fixtures 2025
Chris71
37
1m
Shopping list for 2025
Jake the Peg
5571
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
2025 Betfred Super League Fixtures
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
2025 fixtures
karetaker
3
TODAY
Fixtures
Willzay
3
TODAY
Salford
karetaker
6
TODAY
WCC Off
Cruncher
5
TODAY
Leeds away first up
phe13
29
TODAY
Jake McLoughlin
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Assistant Coach - Langley
The Biffs Ba
20
TODAY
Noah Booth out on loan
Wollo-Wollo-
15
TODAY
Luke Gale testimonial match
BarnsleyGull
2
TODAY
England 5 - 0 Ireland
Sadfish
1
TODAY
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To Newcastle
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
2025 Betfred Super League Fixt..
73
Magic Weekend 2025 - Back To N..
425
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
1215
England's Women Demolish The W..
1037
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
1276
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
1061
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
1328
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1870
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
2091
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
2338
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1912
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
2145
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
2609
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
2040
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
2122


Visit the RLFANS.COM SHOP
for more merchandise!