Rugby league fans make Bevan French NRL dig after Grand Final
WIGAN WARRIORSRugby league fans make Bevan French NRL dig after Grand Finalby Sam Cook October 12, 2024
Bevan French Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors cemented their status as the best club in Super League after defeating Hull KR 9-2 in the Grand Final and the fans have had their say, particularly about Bevan French.
It marks the second year in a row that Matt Peet’s side have won the competition and despite it being their seventh Super League crown all-time, it is the first time they’ve managed to defend it.
Another reason it is such a historic victory is that it means they have won all four pieces of silverware in the same calendar year, becoming the first-ever side to do it in the summer era and the first since, you guessed it, Wigan Warriors back in 1994
The 1994 team also beat Penrith Panthers and this journey to the record books started back in February when they defeated the NRL champions. Now eight months later, in similarly wet conditions, they’ve edged out Hull KR thanks to a moment of Bevan French magic.
Bevan French would become the first-ever man to win Man of the Match in the Challenge Cup Final and Grand Final in the same year, making yet more history as he scored the 99th try of his Wigan Warriors career.
It’s fair to say it’s been a successful Wigan Warriors career so far for the Australian but his dominance in Super League has left fans asking questions about his credentials as a truly ‘world-class’ player that he so often gets labelled.
Is Bevan French a ‘big fish in a small pond’?
Fans have taken to X, formerly Twitter, questioning why the Australian can be labelled ‘world-class’ when he has only ever taken centre stage in Super League.
Before his move to Super League, French played 47 games in the NRL with the majority coming on the wing. However, in England, particularly in the last two years, he has become a dominant half.
Below are a handful of the fan reactions taken from social media as users gave their verdict on the Rob Burrow Award winner for 2024.
Yorkshire Saint said: “Bevan French needs to grow up and go back to the NRL. Big fish in a small pond scared to venture out.”
Alan Thompson said: “I can’t wait for Bevan French to go back to the NRL. The man’s ridiculous.”
Martin Hammer Saint said: “Just finished watching the @SuperLeague Grand Final. Maybe Flano should bring Bevan French home. The @NRL_Dragons could do with some speed and he IS related to Nathan Blacklock. Maybe it’s time for Jai Field to come home as well! #RedV”
Brian Davies noted: “Not sure what it says, but interesting that Bevan French is a superstar in the very small world of English rugby league, but was just a minor, bit part player in the NRL. Has he got that much better, or is our threshold that much lower?”
It’s hard to say that French is a ‘big fish in a small pond’ and even harder to claim that he would not make it in the NRL now. The Australian has improved vastly since his move to England, taking huge strides in the past two seasons in his new-found position.
In fact, it was in that position that he would guide Wigan to success against Penrith Panthers, a team at the very elite of the NRL, so perhaps rather than aiming shots at the magic man, fans should just enjoy the magic whilst it lasts.
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