Thompson

[southportcdm]

Really sad to see Luke go off so early in the season. I'm afraid he does have a bit of a record with head injuries and this could be a major problem this season. Obviously he'll miss next week now but I hope he's O.K. asap.

[southportcdm]

Looks like Leeming is injured too. Are our new signings cursed? Decent win for first game under difficult weather conditions, Well done boys.

[Graham1]

Good run out at the end of the day 2 points. Harvie Hill won’t let us down looked good in pre season. Leeming will be fit and they won’t ban Smith this game has too much profile. Especially as it’s on BBC. But we are going to have to attack better than tonight.

[Charriots Offiah]

Good run out at the end of the day 2 points. Harvie Hill won’t let us down looked good in pre season. Leeming will be fit and they won’t ban Smith this game has too much profile. Especially as it’s on BBC. But we are going to have to attack better than tonight.

Our attack was fine given the weather conditions and a narrow pitch. The main thing is that we were defensively sound.

[Charriots Offiah]

Really sad to see Luke go off so early in the season. I'm afraid he does have a bit of a record with head injuries and this could be a major problem this season. Obviously he'll miss next week now but I hope he's O.K. asap.

I think he was just unlucky tonight. Had he not been wearing the new gum shield I think he would have seen out the game. He was certainly good whilst on the field.

[keptinthedarkfans]

Good run out at the end of the day 2 points. Harvie Hill won’t let us down looked good in pre season. Leeming will be fit and they won’t ban Smith this game has too much profile. Especially as it’s on BBC. But we are going to have to attack better than tonight.

Our attack was fine given the weather conditions and a narrow pitch. The main thing is that we were defensively sound.

Was going to say same. Thought attack on that ground and weather was good. But was more pleased with our defence also thought Mago was immense.

[Firestarter]

First impressions of him and ide prefer him as a loose forward due to how we play.Early days yet though and we have ample back up in the front row with eseh chan and hill

[w.thomas]

Not big enough and a liability with him getting knocked out. Anyone disagrees Al fight them behind KFC Ince anytime

[josie andrews]

Thompson out of Panthers clash amid controversy over Wigan team-mate

Wigan have lost former Canterbury prop Luke Thompson for the World Club Challenge and become involved in further intrigue with claims a video referee wanted halfback Harry Smith sent off in their final match before taking on Penrith.

Thompson, who returns to the British game this year after four seasons at Belmore, came off with concussion in a 32-4 win over Castleford and failed his HIA, meaning a mandatory stand-down from next weekend's world title bout at DW Stadium.

I thought the way he started the game, Luke, and the way he’d been in pre-season, he was looking excellent,” said Wigan coach Matty Peet.

“It’s a blow but his health has to come first.

“He’s taken a whack on the head and I think the sport and other sports are getting used to these sorts of things and it’s the right thing for the players.”

Smith was sent to the sin bin in the 23rd minute but Castleford coach Craig Lingard threw the cat amongst the pigeons when he claimed at the post-match press conference that video referee Jack Smith had recommended to referee Tom Grant the goalkicking No.7 - a key figure next weekend - be sent off.

“What’s the difference between the contact on the Wigan player and Harry Smith picking someone up and dumping him on his head?” said Lingard, after his own prop Liam Watts was sent off for a high shot.

“I don’t want Harry Smith to get sent off but it has a massive impact on the game.

“I’m led to believe from the sideline that the recommendation from the sideline was that Harry Smith was a red card.

And on the recommendation of someone else - the on-field official - it got reduced to a yellow card. Why?”

Smith is not out of the woods yet; Wigan could be further depleted if the judiciary choses to take further action against him and lock Kaide Ellis regarding tackles on a rainy and slippery Yorkshire night.

I was asked about Harry then - to be completely honest when you’re caught up in the game … I haven’t looked at it a great deal,” said Peet. “What will be, will be.”

The Panthers - settling into their Manchester City training facility over the weekend - will host a media event at their hotel on Monday, while Wigan’s Robin Park is the venue for the official pre-match media conference on Tuesday night.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/02/18/tho ... team-mate/

[josie andrews]

“I’m led to believe from the sideline that the recommendation from the sideline was that Harry Smith was a red card.

And on the recommendation of someone else - the on-field official - it got reduced to a yellow card. Why?”

Smith is not out of the woods yet; Wigan could be further depleted if the judiciary choses to take further action against him and lock Kaide Ellis regarding tackles on a rainy and slippery Yorkshire night.

I commented on this during the game.

The Video Referee as far as I am led to believe were appointed to "assist" the referee & not make decisions for him & tell the on field Referees what to do. You may as well just have a video ref!