Sorry you couldn't make the game. I suspect you wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway. What's your excuse for not posting for so long, then jumping on so soon to bag us then?

This is a forum for opinions, even if they differ from yours. He doesn't need to explain himself. We can't all be the type that say "never mind Wire, well done anyway, let's have a homecoming".

Fair enough, take your word for it because I can't watch that back. Were we actually offside for his one on one steal? Best moment of the game that, watching him go and Charnley chasing him down. Not that it'd have come to anything anyway because we managed to do f*ck all with it before the ref had even got everyone to listen.

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I thought the Atkins one should have been a try. Sarginson purposely knocks the ball out with his hand, it goes backwards and then Atkins grounds it.

Not sure why he overruled the ref, that was the changing point.

My you are touchy tonight but understandable as yet again we've choked on the big stage that is OT.Right I'm off to sleep where I may have a dream one 1 day we'll win the GF before I meet my maker.Sweet dreams.

So what you're saying is I have to watch the game back to see if I can hang some blame on us being screwed over and not just being beaten fairly, hmmm, maybe I'll suffer it.

The only thing that was 100% clear from the video was that Atkins wasn't in control of the ball when it hit the ground. There wasn't any evidence either way on how it came out. Based on the evidence, the VR had to rule out the try.

As for the ball steal, Wire were offside, but not by any more than Wigan were every PTB at the end when you were pushing for an equalising try. Was an unlucky call imo.

Mostly though, from a neutral's perspective, Hicks had a good game. Only obviously wrong call he got was giving that ball steal when O'Loughlin went to ground the ball.

There has to be conclusive evidence that the try should not be awarded.

The ball went backwards whether knocked out by sarginson or dropped by Atkins, he then grounds it.

Where's dropping the ball backwards mean no try?

If people are asking for the Atkins blatant drop ball, loose control never a try in a million years to be given as a try???? They need to stop following the game.

Yes I'm surprised more posters haven't latched on to that. He dropped it before it hit Clarke's arm. so was a simple knock on.

It was Shirley blatantly cheating again in his first game back; it lead to the goons try shortly after.

Ok....

But it was technically a try, it doesn't matter how messy or loose the control is.

The ball is clearly knocked backwards out of atkins hand by Sarginson, he then gets some downward pressure on the ball.

Total rubbish! You're deluded. Scientology, Nazi party deluded.

If you want that to be a try the game is dead.

Atkins should have drew the cover and passed to his winger

The irony is, Wigan then go down the other end and score a try after Curlylocks drops it forward trying to score but Warrington get penalised for knocking it out.

Whereas Sarginson knocks it out of atkins hands, goes backwards is then grounded... and Wigan are given the ball. 2 huge decisions... If it was against saints they would be crying match fix.

It's got nowt to do with irony. The decision needs to be viewed in total isolation. It's no try no way no how.

I think you need to get some sleep.

Although I have been a wire speccyfor donkeys years I haven't been to many games for a while..
The standard of reffing over the many years knocked it out of me, all the decisions that mattered went against wire.

I went the game tonight and thought the first halve was pretty even, and thought that if things continued as the first half wire would win. Just had the edge.

But in the second half I don't think wire got a penalty in the 40mins and the ref in my view favoured in all 50/50 calls Wigan.
It was still just like it always was with the ref, just like old times.

I always said over my 40 years a fan that refs swing games, tonight reinforced my view, and thus will remain awol.

A Saints fan who watched the game in Posterngate then the Feathers tonight.

An even game that could have gone either way after the first 20 mins but there was an air of inevitability when Warrington couldn't get 2 scores ahead. I think the gremlin's started to creep in near the end and with a little bit more composure you could have snatched it at the end but Wigan just about deserved it overall and played as though they wanted it a bit more (although I hate this phrase as all 34 players really want it).

No I am not watching it back either. I saw it on the big screen. Adkins was not back to the try line when he charged out for his ball steal and so was offside.

I am not saying it was a try at all (it wasn't as he knocked on) but perhaps you need to refresh yourself with the RFL rules as to what constitutes a try. There is nothing about control of the ball at all. It's a Stevoism.

2. Grounding the ball
means (a) placing the ball on the ground with hand or hands or
(b) Exerting downward pressure on the ball with hand or arm, the ball itself being on the ground or
(c) Dropping on the ball and covering it with the part of the body above the waist and below the neck, the ball itself being on the ground.

6.3 Try how scored
. A try is scored when:-
(a) A player first grounds the ball in his opponents’ in- goal, provided that he is not in touch or touch in-goal or on or over the dead ball line.
(b) Opposing players simultaneously ground the ball in the in-goal area provided that the attacking player is not in touch or touch in-goal or on or over the dead ball line.

It's embarrassing to claim that as a try. The ball was clearly free of Atkins before it reached the ground and when attempting to ground a ball, you are never, ever going to get a call like that. The defending team is allowed to try to prevent the ball being grounded and if they force the ball out they will always get the knock on decision. It was a blurry mess of hands, you couldn't tell where the ball actually came free, just it fall to the ground untouched.

The refereeing was actually pretty good tonight. I thought both teams were remarkably disciplined given the intensity and most penalties given were blatant, even the offside for Atkins's interception.

But warrington got penalised straight after that when O'loughlin tried to ground the ball and it came free, wigan then score from that... so not always.

I think that was just an incorrect call from the referee. I thought he'd lost it already if I'm thinking about the right one, but it's easy to see why he gave what he did.

Atkinson one was a knock on you can tell by his reaction. The replays confirm it the ball looked knocked down and so many hands in there. Hard to tell who touched it . I think the carrier needs to controle the ball in those situations, defenders are going to get hands on the ball to stop it being grounded.
Lockers one looked like Clarke flicks his hand at the ball, it didn't lead to a try though they kicked 2 points off it.

No it didn't it led to a 2 point penalty goal.

Edit; whoops just read the post above mine

Why has nobody mentioned the fact that in the knock on before the Atkins no try, that Gelling picks the ball up in a clearly offside position, but Thicks gives nothing.

Fully aware that we could've had a try, but we also could've had a penalty in front of the posts and an 8-2 lead and the ball back not 30 seconds after the no try 6-6