WCC Warriors v Panthers - Game Day Thread

World Club Challenge 2024 - Wigan v Panthers|100%

Game Day Information

:rugby_football: Match Wigan Warriors v Penrith Panthers
:stadium: Venue DW Stadium, Wigan UK
:clock10: Time Local Saturday 24th February 2024 8:00pm (UK)
Australia Sunday 25th February 2024 7:00am (AEDT)
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via eticketing.co.uk SOLD OUT
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather :sun_behind_large_cloud: Partly Cloudy 3°C (:cloud_with_rain: Chance of Rain: <1% / :wind_face: Wind: SW 8km/h)
:tv: Broadcast :tv: 9 GEM (FTA) [LIVE]
:tv: Fox League (Channel 502) [LIVE]
:kayo: Kayo Sports [DELAYED]

:rugby_football: World Club Challenge | Full Time

30x30 Penrith Panthers 12 Tries Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards.
Goals Nathan Cleary (2/2)
20x20 Wigan Warriors 16 Tries Abbas Miski, Kruise Leeming, Jake Wardle.
Goals Harry Smith (2/3)

Postgame Media

MATCH REPORT

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

Teams

Wigan Warriors 7x7 15x15 Penrith Panthers
TEAM
Jai Field 1 Fullback 1 Dylan Edwards
Abbas Miski 2 Wing 2 Sunia Turuva
Adam Keighran 3 Centre 3 Izack Tago
Jake Wardle 4 Centre 4 Taylan May
Liam Marshall 5 Wing 5 Brian Too
Bevan French 6 Five Eighth 6 Jack Cole
Harry Smith 7 Halfback 7 Nathan Cleary
Liam Byrne 10 Forward 8 Moses Leota
Brad O’Neill 9 Hooker 9 Mitch Kenny
Patrick Mago 15 Forward 10 James Fisher-Harris
Willie Isa 11 Second Row 11 Luke Garner
Liam Farrell 12 Second Row 12 Liam Martin
Kaide Ellis 13 Lock 13 Isaah Yeo
INTERCHANGE
Mike Cooper 14 Interchange 14 Tyrone Peachey
Kruise Leeming 17 Interchange 15 Lindsay Smith
Tyler Dupree 19 Interchange 16 Liam Henry
Harvie Hill 20 Interchange 17 Matthew Eisenhuth
RESERVES
Ryan Hampshire 23 Reserve 19 Brad Schneider
Tiaki Chan 24 Reserve 20 Mavrik Geyer
Zach Eckersley 25 Reserve 21 Daine Laurie
Tom Forber 27 Reserve 23 Soni Luke
COACH
Matt Peet HC Coach HC Ivan Cleary

Match Officials

World Club Challenge
Referee Liam Moore
Sideline Official Jonathan Roberts
Richard Thompson
Video Referee Chris Kendall

Are Kaide Ellis and Adam Keighran Penrith juniors?

Kaide Ellis played NYC, NSW Cup & NRL for us after being recuited from Dubbo (St John’s Dubbo & South Dubbo junior).

Willie Isa (St Marys) came through our junior system.

Adam Keighran was a Wyong Roos junior, who played a season of NSW Cup with us.

I can’t find anywhere to confirm it, but believe that Taiki Chan was also a Panthers junior. His brother Joe played for St Clairs Comets.

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All set for kickoff here at home!!

C’mon boys!!!

Ending most sets by surrendering the ball close to Wigans line. Feels like a deliberate tactic to keep Wigan deep in their half and wear them down.

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Wigan seem to be trying to stop Penrith’s lateral movement keeping the action in the middle. It seems like they fee we are most dangerous in the wing.

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Not sure about this second Wigan try, looked like 2 forward passes to me.

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We seem to be psyched out by the mini- league in goal depth, not wanting to risk giving away 7 tackle set.
The ruck speed is very slow which is affecting the momentum. We seem a little nervous, concerned perhaps about losing a game they are expected to win.

40 mins to go! C’mon boys!!!

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I agree. Not sure if there was two but the first pass to the wing in that play was forward. I thought the same in the first try that it was marginally forward.

Not a terrible half, when you take into consideration that Wigan are a few rounds into the Super League season and we are playing our first hit out since the hand final last year.

I haven’t chuckle at the UK commentary and their absolute confusion on Penrith not kicking at the end of their sets. If I was a coach and my goal was to wear the other side down it would be to turn it over in the 10 and have them defend their line (don’t kick it in short on goal and risk a 20m restart). Then make then fight in attack to try and go 90 metres. The only advantage Wigan go was through penalties. We keep those to a minimum we win this.

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Solid first half. We have done what we do best, controlling the game with strong defence, and good tactics on the last tackle (even if this is confusing the hell out of the commentators).

Wigan have taken their chances, and that is the only reason they are this close, even if some of the passes have been questionable.

How was that third try not a double movement?

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Even the UK commentary found that try hard to swallow.

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A few questionable calls didn’t help, but we probably blew about 4 tries in the second half.

I really question the logic of not playing a warm up game. Might have given us a little more sharpness in attack.

:rugby_football: World Club Challenge | Full Time

30x30 Penrith Panthers 12 Tries Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards.
Goals Nathan Cleary (2/2)
20x20 Wigan Warriors 16 Tries Abbas Miski, Kruise Leeming, Jake Wardle.
Goals Harry Smith (2/3)

What a farcical display especially in the officiating. from play the ball penalties that were not enforced evenly, to a legal strip 15 metres from the try line, to a double movement not being overturned by the video referee.

I made my opinion about the WCC clear, this doesn’t do much to change my mind about it.

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I’ve always said it should be played at the end of the season, before winning teams lose players and momentum. Having it at the start of the following season is a farce.

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Well a high quality game and both teams gave their all, as for the referee and video ref though ……

No way that Wigan second half try should have been awarded. Never shown to get the ball on or over the line, plus he grounded it twice before the line. It was either short or a double movement - no other option.

Our final non-try was let down by the on field referee awarding no-try, with insufficient video to overturn. But benenfit of doubt would have gone to us.

The referee not knowing the strip rule is beyond belief. It was funny seeing Kenny pleading for a captains challenge though.

Our left edge with Cole, May and Turuva had defensive concerns all night. With Turuva gaining an injury, we could see Peach in the centres.

I thought Henry had a great game off the bench. Certainly looks ready for first grade.

I do hope this just primes the team to win the NRL again this year, so we get another crack at the WCC lol

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The sad reality is that if we had one, I would be sure the video referee would not have got it right either.

The Referees and Touch Judges (how many forward passes missed?) were atrocious.

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It would be like playing the Super Bowl at the start of the season months after the Conference Championships were played. It makes no sense.

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