WiganWarriorsFans.com

Referee appointment forced Warrington Wolves to change style of play against Wigan Warriors

TONY Smith felt Warrington Wolves were forced into a forward battle with Wigan Warriors and he admitted to being nervous about changing his team’s playing style for the crunch clash.

The fact that Warrington adapted their game to play down the middle more on a day when they were missing forwards Ben Westwood, Paul Wood and David Solomona - and also featuring Adrian Morley for the first time in more than two months – speaks volumes for the performance of the pack against the champions and Challenge Cup holders.

“We didn’t play like we normally play offensively,” said Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby, who revealed that referee Richard Silverwood’s appointment to the game encouraged the change.

“We learned from that last time we had that official against that opponent.

“We had to change big-time and we did.

“It made me nervous doing it because when you don’t practice to play in a certain way, it’s a risk.

“But we had to pull our horns in and we did it pretty well.

“We had to play down the middle, pretty tight sort of stuff with some one-out hit ups, otherwise you just can’t compete. We learned that last time.

“We’d like to be a bit more expansive and throw the ball around but sometimes coaches and players alike have to make some adjustments.

“It doesn’t sit easy with me. I try to encourage entertaining and open rugby league as much as I can but sometimes for the sake of the team I’ve got to wind my thoughts in and adhere to certain styles.

“That’s the way it is and that’s my responsibility to the team.

“The players enjoy playing it a different way to what they played today but they did it for the sake of the team and we’ve all got to make those sacrifices from time to time.

“We were able to carry it out on this occasion. On a different occasion, we may not be able to.

“We got off to a good start, whereas last time Wigan got off to a good start.

“It’s a bit like the old analogy that you want to hit them on the chin before they hit you on the chin.

“That was the case this time but it could be different next time.”

http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/wol ... nst_Wigan/

What a load of rubbish from Smith :exc:

josie andrews wrote:What a load of rubbish from Smith :exc:

I dont even know what he's getting at?

Knew we were going to lose from the point we messed up at the kick off. Lima had a terrible match and was a shadow of the player that won the LT. Tommy also seemed quiet in attack, despite putting in some big hits in defence. Wire did get some lucky tries, but when you're on top the luck tends to go your way.

There seemed to be a lot of bad blood between King and a lot of our players.

Can see Hock missing the rest of the season and Sam getting a telling off.

Hope Mossop and Lockers are fit for next week as we need to beat Crusaders and I think Hull will give Wire a hard time.

A shame we've had Fielden out for the season as I feel with him we could have edged the drawm matches. Always gets me when the muppets on Skye comment about other teams injuries but never mention that Stu and Amos have missed all season due to injury and never comment that we lost Gleeson either.

Smith is playing mind games. Initially on TV he was inferring the only way to beat Wigan was to play the same, now he is trying to have us believe the referee choices force the change, and that he was the reason they lost last time. What a load of .....

Perhaps Smith realised that in the biggest games you have to play completion and territory and that his notion of Wire so called playing a different kind of RL is garbage.

Look at how when Wire tried to play back in their old way they started making mistakes. Wire wrestle, wire surrender etc. If Smith does not like it, retire and/or coach kids.

I thought the omens were bad when Lima was coughing up blood at the warm up.

Wigan_forever19​85​ wrote:

josie andrews wrote:What a load of rubbish from Smith :exc:

I dont even know what he's getting at?

I think it's a sly dig at Warrington basically playing us at our own game... But better. They consistently had 3 or 4 men in the tackle and were very efficient at slowing us down. We on the other hand mostly opted for only 2 men in the tackle, were not wrapping the ball up and were repeatedly gifting them easy offloads. there were many occasions where we struggled to even get back onside, something i've not seen from us all year.

I'm not sure exactly what to make of it to be honest. I believe MM forced the 2 men in the tackle change, which was a mistake, as Wire ran riot on that. I believe we are suffering from the boys spending 48hours on the booze after the CC win, we sure looked tired after very little work. More than anything, i think individuals choked under the pressure... When was the last time you saw Sam give a pass as poor as the one to Joel's feet yesterday? Hocky/Finch/Deacon are the only 3 i could say actually played at their usual level yesterday (and Hock gets that accolade taken off him due to stupidity later on). Add to that Hock will almost certain cop a ban, Sam's a maybe after his foot incident, Mossop's still carrying an injury.... The playoffs are going to be a couple of hard weeks at the office.

josie andrews wrote:Wolves v Wigan to keep match review panel busy

A NUMBER of incidents from the Warrington Wolves versus Wigan Warriors clash will be looked at by the Rugby Football League's match review panel in case of disciplinary action needed.

An incident that included a punch from Gareth Hock on Ben Harrison late in the game was placed on report by referee Richard Silverwood and will be reviewed.

That incident also involves alleged gouging from Hock.

The kick from Sam Tomkins as Jon Clarke scored his try will also be reviewed, as that sparked the first of several moments where tempers boiled over.

The match commissioner also mentioned after the game an incident of a Wigan player standing on Lee Briers' hand.

http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/wol ... y/?ref=rss

Standing on Briers' hand??!! They should have stood
on his bloody head!! The whinging swine he is. :sly: :sly:

the winky one wrote:

yokozuna wrote:That's more like it, some positivity! Our second final in as many weeks, and Madge and the players will want to keep on winning.

Just under an hour to go and I can feel the tension
rising,but at the same time I feel a confidence in
the players. Just a few years ago I would have been dreading these types of games
but not now.

WE CAN DO IT AND WE WILL DO IT.COME ON WIGAN!!!

:thum: :thum:

I don't plan on going into Prophecy any time soon!

Please let that be our worst game of the season over with!
We need to get ourselves back up ASAP.But I am confident
we can come back strong... Good to hear the fans still singing
the Salsa chant. :thum: :thum:


COME ON WIGAN YOU CAN DO IT!!