Like I said, I don't like the rule. I understand why it's there but for me you can see the difference in looking to challenge for the ball and taking the man out in the air.

I don't think either challenge is a penalty BTW, I just think that given the two players collide in the air it seems strange that it isn't deemed to be one when you see basically every single piece of contact given as a penalty on Sky regardless of whether the defensive player catches the ball or not.

I just couldn’t understand the Leeds penalty on Thursday and you then get the two Miski ones not being penalised. I’m with you, none are penalties but the microscope on the TV games is far more intense than the games not on tv IMO and it just seems to be getting more and more common place for a ref on a TV game to get word in his ear that he should penalise teams.

It almost looks at times like if a player decides to lie on the floor rubbing a body part, the officials feel as though they need to find some foul play to cover theirs and the games back. There doesn’t seem to be such a thing as an accidental collision anymore.

Agree

7/7 under Lam. just sayin.....

Lam in!

and then we played Catalan away

They’ve spoken a lot about that Catalans game over the last few months. I’ve noted Peet calling it out as a day we never recovered from on a few occasions and I get the feeling it’s the game we have circled on the calendar to really target. I’m pretty confident we’ll get our best performance of the season this Saturday. They’re a good side though and that may not be enough. Much could depend on who they get back from the Wire game. That was a seriously impressive result with the lads they had out and as a minimum they get McIlorum and Dudson back.

Massive confidence booster (players staff fans) IF we get a result on Saturday

I have yet to see he game, hoping to give it a watch tonight on Wigan TV, however I have seen a number of comments in regard to Smith having a poor game.

Worrying if true although would need to be put into context against how his forwards played and if they got anywhere near laying a platform, which it doesn't sound like we managed to achieve.

I'm not sure how many chances he is going to get this year with both Tommy and Cust settling as a good combination but I do think he needs to take his chance sooner rather than later before we start thinking about our options for next year.

The first 15 minutes from Wigan were top class. Ultimately the momentum shifted after errors from Smith and Miski and we struggled to get it back after that.

It’s ridding his game of the silly errors that will make or break Harry Smith. Maybe he has a mare of a second half (not seen that yet) but in the first half he starts really well, great first kick, a hand in the try’s and looks busy and threatening. The issue being him making 2 back to back errors part way through that first half and there’s a total momentum shift in the game on the back of them.

You take those out and you have a totally different outlook on his performance and just see the 2 try assists, his 27 tackles, him linking well with other players in all the major highlights and him banging over the match winning drop goal.

I thought Bilko spoke well in commentary at 10-0 us, saying we just needed to settle down a little, consolidate and let the process take care of things for us and the points will come. Unfortunately Smith makes one error, follows it up pushing a pass down the left hand side and then we’re on the back foot for the next 45-50 mins. It’s unfortunate for Smith in some ways that it plays out like that because it totally overshadows the positives but it should just highlight to him how important it is that you don’t switch off, even when you’re cruising.

First ten mins second half-Smith makes two cracking kicks in goal, resulting in one drop out and one try but he’s also thrown a terrible pass in to touch.

Rid the errors and he’s a player but can he do it.

Careful there John, you sounded like you were almost sticking up for him there

That's it for me. I'm judging nobody on last season (or any of Lam's tenure TBH) and will see how they go this season when their chances come. There are players I'm expecting a lot from (those that performed "the best" under Lam) and some that just need to tick a box.

I genuinely think there is a cracking little player in Harry Smith, but unless his pack does its job for him we may never truly see it.