Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:11 pm  

A gripping final.

Superb defence from both sides but, the Houghton tackle was on another level.
For a guy who had made over 50 tackles already, to come up with that effort just epitomises what RL is all about and the class shown by Tony Smith in his after match comments was utterly commendable,

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:32 pm  

Warrington had them for the taking but didn't manage the game when they got to 10-0.

Great stuff from Hull though.

A fantastic game that showcased everything good about our sport.

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:34 pm  

rollin thunder wrote:

Dull as dishwater for 60 mins, but a thrilling last 20 made up for it.

I thought the opposite great 60 mins of tough honest rugby no one giving an inch, then last 20 mins more open play as energy levels dropped. One of the great finals of the decade total respect to the winners and losers played in the right spirit.

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:37 pm  

What a final! It's a pity that both side couldn't have won as they both deserved it.
It has been said that rugby league is in decline but I saw no evidence of that today. A great advertisement for the game.

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:56 pm  

I thought it was a proper final. Quality defence from both teams, and some great kicking. I think both teams need a stand off, but it would have been tough for any half to execute against that defence.

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 8:34 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

I thought the opposite great 60 mins of tough honest rugby no one giving an inch, then last 20 mins more open play as energy levels dropped. One of the great finals of the decade total respect to the winners and losers played in the right spirit.

What he said, definitely one of the better finals for a good few years!

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sat Aug 27, 2016 9:49 pm  

Well played to both teams, a great advert for rugby league.

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sun Aug 28, 2016 7:22 am  

ThePrinter wrote:

With it likely to be close I never fancy a Tony Smith side in a big cup/playoff game as they usually lose (with the 2004 GF with Leeds the exception to the rule) and his successes coming from getting a number of scores ahead.

Called it, a close game in the final 20 and Tony Smith loses again.

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:10 am  

Don't know if this has been mentioned on previous pages but Hull were allowed to score both of their tries because Warrington chose to interfere with the kick taker rather than challenge for the ball.

For the first try Sandow (ok he isn't going to beat many in the air but he could try) didn't look at the ball once and instead tried to push Fonua off the ball as he jumped, leaving himself flat footed when Fonua caught the ball despite these efforts.

For the second Atkins had no intention of jumping for the ball, instead opting to move into the path of Fonua in the hope it would obstruct him. It didn't and he was left standing there like a spare part.

This isn't to necessarily single out Warrington for criticism as it's something that is annoyingly endemic in the game at the moment, it's just that it stood out glaringly as I was watching the highlights just now and is quite possibly the difference between those tries being scored and not.

I enjoyed the game anyway, as a neutral it was very entertaining. I've seen plenty of criticism of the first half and while there was quite a few errors from both teams I thought it was a good arm wrestle that built a lot of tension for the fans. When the points started to come it was all the more exciting because of the hard, close, non scoring period of the game. The ending was one of the best I can remember.

Well done Hull!

Re: CC Final views and predictions. : Sun Aug 28, 2016 11:26 am  

Don,t know what other people think, but I thought the BBC did a very good job promoting and presenting the game with excellent input from past and present players. Makes a welcome change from some of the Sky guff we get at times.