It was definitely something of a wake up call. Catalans played the conditions perfectly and we made some sloppy errors early on, but much like last season the pack was well and truly dominated.

In some of our early games it was noticeable that Singleton and Ellis made little impact. It was particularly apparent against Leeds but they were so woeful they couldn't make anything of their pressure. There was always a concern that a good team wouldn't be as toothless and so it's turned out to be. Singleton as our most experienced prop should be our pack leader but once again he was barely noticeable.

One of the positive things from previous games was the versatility of the team and the fact that we can move players around to cause problems so it was really frustrating that Pearce-Paul, probably our only player who was carrying strongly and consistently, was isolated out wide while an underperforming Bateman was kept at second row. Get Pearce-Paul closer to the action because the ball was never going to go wide unless someone created space.
Shorrocks, as a ball playing 13, managed to make one half break before once again being switched to hooker where he's not effective. It felt like there was never a point where the coaching staff felt like a change might be needed if we were to try to get back into the game.

I'm still yet to see why we kept Willie Isa aside from him being a really nice guy. He's a hard worker just like every other option at 13 but his wages could have been spent on bringing in a player to strengthen a different area rather than having half a dozen loose forward options of which he might be the most experienced but also the most limited. Smithies was one of the few decent performers tonight and we know that Shorrocks is a decent player. That middle unit of Singleton, Ellis and Isa just doesn't look effective enough.

It's not a disaster, but it's proof that our problems from last season haven't disappeared in the space of a few months after a few wins.

I’m all for banning them for punching but I do think there needs to be a system that allows for each case to be judged on its merits. By that I mean somebody like Ellis should not get the same as a man who runs in and punches from behind. Last night was a poor reaction by Ellis but it was to a poor challenge and there lad threw back as well.

I think we can all deal with it being 3 or 4 games but not 8. To me 8 would be a bit of a joke. It’s a poor reaction but it’s a reaction all the same, it’s not just somebody throwing punches for the sake of it and being a thug.

Whilst we are on, or around this topic, it's the double standards & hypocrisy that irritates me more than anything. There was a perfect example of both in last night's game.

Dudson lead with a forearm to Zak's throat last night and nothing was said or done by the ref. Likewise, nothing was said by the idiots on Sky who just talked about Wigan's mistakes instead.

Flip the incident around and ask yourself what would have happened If that was Zak, as the tackler, who'd hit Dudson in exactly the same spot. What's the difference? Likewise from a hypocrisy POV, the guys on Sky would have at least talked about it.

We (as a sport) are all either all in on this, or not. If contact above the neck = dangerous, then it doesn't matter which way that goes.

Good point about Zak he did cop one in the throat,I did expect a penalty at least poss a sin bin. Will see what the powers that be say.

Agreed. The long-term bans should be reserved for serious foul play, like cheap shots, stamping on players or punching players on the ground.

He looks to be up for 5 to 8 games. Looking at the disciplinary site the fact he aims at the head is bad news though, so it could be top end. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a player throw a body punch but if they have enough brains to lose their head, whilst thinking on their feet, they better go for a body shot or maybe the old dead arm punch

(or even better just do the Bateman grapple).