He can’t do a lot differently. It’s just one of those things. No intent, no malice but direct forceful contact with the head. Under today’s rules that’s a red card. Feel free to disagree with the rules but the decision is, with reluctance correct.

Nothing between the teams. Yes Saints probably had the rub of the green but they deserved their win. Byrne’s dismissal changed the momentum undoubtedly, up to that point Wigan looked the team most likely to take home the points.

I was disappointed with our rotation today. We have played nearly 30 minutes with 12 men and we have not used Nsembe, and Mago has played sparingly.

I am confident we will turn it around.

Honestly, I could not give a t0ss.

I'm done with robot, RL ref sympathisers. It's GF FFS. I've been looking forward to it all week and some 8 stone, gangly pr1ck has ruined it.

Before the game they showed the infamous GF fight. This year, they've given a red for nothing.

Imagine the worst thing you can think of to happen to a person, x1000 and you're still way off the absolutely hatred I have for. Every single pro SL ref.

I have no problem with the Byrne sending off under the current rules but the Dupree decision I thought was poor. Prop forwards run with their bumpers up all the time and the point of contact was clearly into the chest. If we don’t want to see such incidents then we need to see a rule change.

Nsembe should have got on, that was a coaching error.

So just to be clear - no swinging arm, no leading with the shoulder, no attacking the head... but a straight red card?

The game is screwed then, isn't it. It wasn't even a penalty.

As I said, feel free to disagree with the rules but ask yourself 3 questions:

1: Was there direct contact with the head
2: Was there force in the tackle
3: Are there any significant mitigating factors (eg defender slips causing a rapid change of height)

If the answer is yes, yes and no, whatever the context or intend under today’s rules it is a red card. Any perceived intent will determine the length of the ban.

So we can expect a lengthy ban for whoever had the direct head contact with Thompson.

Don't feed the ref trolls

That was Lees and yes, I’d expect a ban. Had it been picked up by the VR Lees would have been carded IMO. I think all 3 of Byrne, Dupree and Lees will get 1-2 matches.

Only just got back and not seen the cards on tv so wont comment.

That was a hugely intense game between the two best sides in the comp by a distance. It says a lot that all the tries were scored from kicks bar the Hurrell barge over. Both sides were poor in attack but outstanding in defence.

I just wish the rest of the comp was as strong.

Must have stumbled onto redvee by accident here. I was told on good authority that everybody here is sane and reasonable!

Great game anyway, could have gone either way. Both defences were fantastic and it’ll be a surprise if some combo of us don’t win all the trophies this year. Can’t see anybody else living with either of us, although anything can happen in a one off cup game, of course!

Thought your discipline was really poor. Quite a lot of head tackles in the game. We dominated the first half, you fought back really well and right when it looked like you might get on top, momentum was swung again with a really poor tackle. Something you need to fix up, as it was a big problem for us last season and cost us a lot of points that would have seen us finish top

Why I didn't go down the bookies and put the house on KR this morning, I don't know!

Sky Sports couldn’t clip the replay quick enough and I don’t recall Thompson staying down for any length of time. I would be instructing my players to stay down long enough for the video ref to step in after today sadly.

Never a sending off too many games being decided by the referee I watched the game with fans of Wigan Saints Leigh and Wire non thought it was red if we continue down this line sport is screwed.

That I’d agree with. If Thompson stays down it gets reviewed and Lees walks, at least for 10. The Dupree one on the next tackle then doesn’t happen and we have a very different game. Percival did, but to be fair he did fail the resulting HIA. Thompson was pulled off for the HIA after the doctor reviewed the tackle.

I’m not sure which side of the fence I’m on regarding Sky. Many including myself have criticised them for focusing on controversial calls and what the referee has missed rather than bigging up the game and focusing on the positives. I like that they are doing more of that but feel it should at least have been mentioned as it was very relevant to the game. It was missed by the ref and VR so perhaps best left to the MRP.

Very intense game played by two very committed sides.

Wigan far too I'll disciplined to come out of that with a win although their outstanding defence almost pulled it off.

I thought Saints were never going to score , and probably wouldn't if we manage to keep all.our players on the pitch.

Both teams are going to be very hard to beat come the end of the season.

I felt we were too conservative in attack, there was very little shape to our attack, surprised we didn't try to expose Hurrell in defence, but credit to Saints who's line speed probably made that harder to achieve.

It's my one criticism of Peer that I think we are too conservative at times and go through the 'stay in the grind and the points will come' when a little.more offloading enterprise may open up tight defences.

And again not using Junior at all, and Mago sparingly is poor, although I guess the HIA and cards will have affected the plans.

Overall I thought a good game to watch, some frustrating bits, but not a bad kick up the to sort a few things especially our discipline out.

Better side won in the day maybe this defeat has been brewing for Wigan it will hopefully focus them a little more because Wigan have not been great since Penrith but of course won games luck as we know only goes so far.

Kendal not my favourite ref honestly got most things right be interesting to see if the panel hand out bans in due course it wouldn’t surprise me.

Oh well on we go

I really don't think Patrick Mago is much use to us in a game like that - obviously a shame that Havard and Cooper weren't available but even Harvie Hill may have been a better option.

Weirdly, I'm ok with that loss, as others have said. Matt Peet nailed it in his Wigan TV interview, stating they'll take a lot of confidence from today. We were more than comfortable when it was set for set, instead of the lop sided penalty count we saw in the first half.

No issues with the cards, our discipline was poor throughout. I'm very confident this team will deal with Saints later this season. It was just their day today, we were well in the game despite being down to 12 for over half an hour.

I get that the new rules are there to protect players, but if that's a red, you basically run into someone's shoulder, and it's the defenders fault and they're sent off, then it's just ridiculous.

The refs are poor in general, but they've got their hands tied now if they're forced into making these pathetic calls. You don't even need intent or malice, just sheer bad luck is enough to get you sent off and banned.

A full season of poor referring and laughable decisions deciding games is going to annoy a lot of fans.

The lack of creativity is a worry. We. Made one chance today. Given the new tackling rules, our pivots have got to take the line on especially when the opposing forwards are fatigued. Penalties a plenty will be forthcoming. Defence today 9/10, attack 2/10.

So according to some absolute simpleton on redvee Luke Thompson got “absolutely bitched”

Personally I thought he had a great game. He carried Wigans pack by himself but then I wouldn’t expect anyone on redvee to know anything about rugby league

Was a great game and could have gone either way. I don’t think Wigan will be too bothered about losing that as they weren’t at their best overall

Conditions played a part but our attack looked very flat to me. But it wouldn't say its a worry - it can easily be fixed. Missing four front rowers against Leigh is a little worrying though.

I predict Liam Moore to ref the game, & make sure you are happy & smiling again.