https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/astonishing-wigan-warriors-anomaly-simply-1111644

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/astonishing-wigan-warriors-anomaly-simply-1111644

Come on Stu, with all due respect, I think you're clutching there! How does Marshall looking for penalties (literally every team in the league does this anyway) affect offsides, high tackles, 6 agains etc? 

Even if you say it might affect Marshall himself receiving them, which it shouldn't in any case if the referees are being professional, then how does that explain the other 16 taking the field getting less? It doesn't affect Hull KR when Mikey Lewis milks them. It doesn't affect Leigh when Lam throws himself at players (quite the reverse actually) and, as you say, it doesn't affect Saints when Walmsley tries to milk one at pretty much every play the ball. Why level this just at Wigan and Marshall? 

Phuzzy: https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/astonishing-wigan-warriors-anomaly-simply-1111644 Interesting. So it's not just Wigan fans who've noticed this. I trust we'll get a letter of explanation from Phil Bentham. Or, now that they've been exposed, a letter of resignation. Either would work for me.

Phuzzy: https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/astonishing-wigan-warriors-anomaly-simply-1111644 Interesting. So it's not just Wigan fans who've noticed this. I trust we'll get a letter of explanation from Phil Bentham. Or, now that they've been exposed, a letter of resignation. Either would work for me.

Cruncher: Phuzzy: https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/astonishing-wigan-warriors-anomaly-simply-1111644 Interesting. So it's not just Wigan fans who've noticed this. I trust we'll get a letter of explanation from Phil Bentham. Or, now that they've been exposed, a letter of resignation. Either would work for me. Glad it's getting some eyes on it now and we're hearing some noise. There was no way the club wasn't going to be on top of it, when we as fans can work it out but I'm pleased to hear Peet is asking the question.  It's a shame that by not being a coach who likes to bag refs in the media (Ala Burgess or Lam) you can then lose out and you can only accept so much before you have to question things. The club should ask that we avoid 'Wigan refs' where possible as well because that is also having an impact IMO.

Cruncher: Phuzzy: https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/astonishing-wigan-warriors-anomaly-simply-1111644 Interesting. So it's not just Wigan fans who've noticed this. I trust we'll get a letter of explanation from Phil Bentham. Or, now that they've been exposed, a letter of resignation. Either would work for me. Glad it's getting some eyes on it now and we're hearing some noise. There was no way the club wasn't going to be on top of it, when we as fans can work it out but I'm pleased to hear Peet is asking the question.  It's a shame that by not being a coach who likes to bag refs in the media (Ala Burgess or Lam) you can then lose out and you can only accept so much before you have to question things. The club should ask that we avoid 'Wigan refs' where possible as well because that is also having an impact IMO.

Interesting discussion, this. I can see why the penalty stats would make you feel aggrieved but perhaps it really is just an anomaly. One thought that occurred to me is that maybe your opponents have a strong focus on maintaining their discipline when they play against you, simply because they have to. You can't afford to be giving away penalties when you play the champions, so perhaps that's something that gets drilled into players before they play Wigan? But then again, Hull KR are leading the way this season and they get nearly twice as many penalties as you, so who knows?! Trying to work out what goes on with RL referees is probably the road to madness.

The most sensible opposition fan response I've seen on it and it could well be a factor. An interesting point from Matty Peet was that it isn't something they've only just noticed and that the stats over the last 5 years see us sit comfortably at the bottom of the penalties received table. This time 5 years ago we weren't anywhere near as good/dominant as we are currently though, so I doubt teams would've felt the need to be squeaky clean back then. I also found Peet's line that 'maybe it's just an anomaly' amusing. I got the feeling that was a bit tongue in cheek and he does think there are some factors behind it. 

Maybe it is something to do with the no. of Wigan refs who've joined the senior panel over the last few years and even if it's just subconsciously they don't want to be thought of as favouring Wigan.
I honestly don't think it's that big of an issue because the stats show we're the least penalised team in the league, if we were getting caned every week whilst receiving next to nothing then that would be a different matter.

Sums it up well. 

As I said earlier in the thread though it can't be considered an 'anomaly' really, considering the extreme differences between penalty counts. It's actually clear how consistently our games are refereed differently to every other.

Whether we need it or not we should be given a fair crack of the whip as no team can be at their best every week and it definitely matters when you're even slightly off form. Uneven penalty counts could have been the difference in all 3 losses so far this season as they were all within a couple of points (1, 2 & 4). Referees decisions change momentum (a point that was being made very vociferously last night) and any momentum swing in all of those games could quite easily have lead to a different outcome. 

It's not about whether we're getting caned or not. That would only make the imbalance worse. It doesn't negate the fact that there is an imbalance in the first place.