6-0 HT

Leigh 0 - 20 London at full time

Confess that is better than I expected. Our defence still seems good which is encouraging!

Decent score line, good to keep them nilled.
Seemed to be a fair few penalties, hope the players take on board what they were getting pinged for and tidy up in that area.

Leigh (we) never looked like scoring, but we kept it to 0-0 for 38 minutes, not bad for a part time team (+ 3 Saints players) who have never played together before.
London controlled the game 2nd half, and Rhys Williams was immense, we just couldn't tackle him. Happy with our defence (3 'plunge over' tries + 1 with a wicked bounce after the wind took it away from our full back McNally) Robert Hicks was 'on one' today. You guys got put on a team warning after conceding 3 quick penalties, and us after 4. Three players sin binned also, even though there was no fisticuffs whatsoever. Pre-season game, played in the right manner. Nice touch from the London players who came down to the North Stand after the game, and applauded our fans. Att: 2028.
Good luck in Super League.....enjoy the ride !

I would agree with 'Budgie'. Once you got your noses in front, with a fortuitous bounce, (which was well followed up by your guys) you were in complete control. Your defence was more than capable of repelling our disjointed efforts, and I too thought Rhys Williams proved virtually impossible to tackle. That said, I have always been an admirer of his. Whilst Rob Hicks could be said to have disrupted the play, he has to ref it like he would a competitive game, and players from both sides have to learn quickly, what is not allowed.

I think both teams will have benefited from blowing away a few cobwebs!

Anyway, I never thought I would say it - but I wish you well for this coming season, and will be rooting for you to prove the so-called experts wrong.

What were the majority of penalties for? Or was it a general mix?

Mainly 'offside' and 'stripping the ball' and a few 'high shots'. There was quite lot....3 in the 1st 2 minutes !

What new things have the whistle blowers been told to get excited about this year ?

Good win. Interestingly, wakey got beat by Newcaslte thunder the other week - good chance at home to beat them I think.

For the first few games then they relent and return to the norn until something else crops up. The new Beginning is code for more of the same.

Baldy Benthams called it a day. I didn't mind Phil. The grey haired scouse prop from Widnes hit him when not looking and damaged his neck by all accounts.

Buzza, I would suggest refs getting excited about making sure players abide by the laws of the game.
Not surprised Phil B has packed in, he has had 2 pretty bad injuries, real shame he is a decent bloke.

Yes, I'm sure, but they always seem to have some things for which they are particularly voracious at the start of each season. I assume they get some sort of proclamation from the über ref.

I think its incentivised by a financial bonus. Pedantic nonsense which Childs has become a master off.

Course it is WQ they get paid by the penalty.
Seriously though, would rather they were being pedantic during the friendliest, gets the players in the right mindset for first competitive game, play by the rules don’t give reason to blow.