SUPER League is only two weeks old but already we have seen a bit of history in Wigan playing Hull all the way over in Wollongong, New South Wales.
Swapping an English winter for 28 degrees and high humidity certainly took its toll on the players, who looked like they had been for a swim by the end of the game.
Closer to home, Leeds played their first league match at Elland Road against Hull KR while St Helens continued their impressive start to the season.
Now the Rhinos are in Melbourne to take on the Storm in the World Club Challenge and chief executive Gary Hetherington is on the warpath, hitting out at ‘p***-poor’ coverage of the sport. But what else caught SunSport’s eye over the weekend? Here’s our shivering Set of Six.
STORM WARNING
YES, Leeds won and their gamble of taking the Hull KR game to Elland Road paid off but any repeat of the chronic ball handling, especially in their own 20, in Melbourne on Friday will be punished far more heavily. The NRL champions will not let them off the hook for their errors.
CHRIS ATKIN CAN GRADUATE WITH FLYING COLOURS
ELLAND Road facing the champions is some task for your Super League debut but Hull KR half-back Chris Atkin coped admirably and impressed. The former teacher can establish himself as a Super League star with more displays like that.
MARSHALL LAW SHOULD RULE AT WIGAN
FOR ALL the off-field progress gained by taking a game to Australia, winger Liam Marshall’s display was the biggest thing on the pitch. Two more tries and electric pace means coach Shaun Wane has a decision to make once Joe Burgess and Dom Manfredi are fit. Marshall’s performances are making that decision even tougher.
COSTLY TRIP FOR HULL
NOT JUST a 24-10 defeat but also injuries to five players marred Hull’s trip Down Under, plus prop Scott Taylor’s appendix surgery. Now boss Lee Radford faces a huge test in making sure they are not knocked further off course. He said this month will be tough, he is not being proved wrong.
SIMPLY OZ-SOME
A LOT of doom-mongers before the weekend asked, ‘What’s the point?’ Well, Wigan and Hull showed what it was, especially the fans. 12,416 in Wollongong was more than the NRL game between home side St George and eventual champions Melbourne last year. Maybe a few Down Under have now picked a side too.
WAKEFIELD CAN WIN UGLY
TRINITY’S 14-12 win over Salford on Friday will definitely not fall in the classic bracket but it showed a different side to Chris Chester’s men. It’s always said the sign of a good team is winning when not playing well. Wakefield certainly achieved that against the Red Devils, who would have won had they kicked goals.
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