Coach Ivan Cleary Set To Resign To Absorb The Pressure From Critics Over Lose To Wigan.
Let’s get the most important thing out of the way: Wigan were absolutely sensational and nothing should detract from what was a super performance on a night of high emotion at the DW Stadium.
But if you’re Penrith, you’re starting to see why you need a lot to go your way to win this game. The crowd is against you.
The conditions are foreign (it was barely four degrees at kick-off). Your opposition has already started their season.
The international rules used are tricky. And then there are one or two refereeing/video refereeing decisions which might not fall your way.
Let’s put aside Taylan May’s no try call in the last second and concentrate on Wigan centre Jake Wardle’s second-half try, the only score of the second half, which proved to be the matchwinner. It’s hard to see how the ball got to the line, and why referee Liam Moore sent it upstairs on the field as a try.
“I didn’t see the ball over the line on that one,” Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said. But as Cleary said, Wigan executed better – and for that no one should begrudge them this win.
There were a few controversial moments from the game, particularly with 50-50 refereeing calls. In the studio back in Australia, the pundits reckon the Jake Wardle try after halftime should not be have been declared a try by the referee Liam Moore, before going to the video referee for a check.
In the Nine commentary, Phil Gould was gobsmacked watching the replays.
“He came down a long way short of the line. You could build a block of units between the ball and the line,” Gould said.
“He hasn’t got anywhere near the line. He hasn’t got anywhere near the line. He’s a fibber.“