Thought our discipline in the first half was superb, the situation turned round at the start of the second, our defence pulled us through during that period, imo.
We might have won the count, but that doesn't tell the story of the way the penalties were awarded. We got caned in the second half, on our own line, ours generally were mid field early in the count.
I think it would be very telling if someone were to compile a weekly graph of whereabouts the penalties in matches were actually awarded.
I recall a game at Huddersfield during Maguire's first season, which Wigan won, but in which the final score came nowhere close to indicating our superiority. Almost every try Huddersfield scored came from back-to-back penalties awarded by Silverwood, nearly always in Wigan's half of the field. I was stunned after the game to see the penalty count just about even, but then my attention was drawn to the fact that most of Wigan's penalties were also awarded when they were in their own half - i.e. they didn't in any way assist Wigan with getting a roll on, as they did with Huddersfield.
Some referees clearly think that all they need to do to cover their backs is even the penalty count up. (Hasn't Silverwood been overheard asking what the penalty count was during one game where he was officiating - even though such info nothing to do with him?) If the stats were published for whereabouts on the pitch penalties were awarded that would seriously concentrate their minds about letting 'unhealthy patterns' develop.
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