Jon Wilkin slams huge Super League club as “painful to watch”

Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves, Hull FC, Hull KR, Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils are locked in a battle for the play-offs.

Last weekend there were some crucial results as Leeds, Hull FC and Huddersfield found themselves on 20 points, four points of the rest.

Leeds’ defeat to Huddersfield was especially damaging and Jon Wilkin has slammed the Rhinos for being “painful to watch” on the Rugby League Verdict.

“Well Leeds got beat and is that then dumped out of the playoffs? Is that their season over? Is that it done? And I think it could be because just consistently whenever you think Leeds are going to get it done and start moving they flop out again and it’s painful to watch sometimes.

“Their defeat against Huddersfield that I thought was huge, also Warrington got a win against Hull FC but if you say Hull FC performed at 2 out of 10, well Warrington performed at 3 out of 10 to get that win.

“So some big results and that feeds nicely into our game live on Saturday which is Warrington vs Castleford.”

Also on the verdict, Jon Wells passionately slammed the coward who homophobically abused Marcus Griffiths:

“The values of the founding of this sport, out of a need for change, for equality, for enlightenment in the face of entrenched and outdated views, were challenged this week by a coward.

“Aimed from a keyboard, Marcus Griffiths, who as you said is one of our top line referees and who works in the hardest job in the game. Now I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in Rugby League for my entire adult working life, getting to see all the good that this sport does in society and communities and giving young people direction and a sense of belonging.

“Now it can’t be and won’t be undermined by small-minded idiots shouting very loudly from the shadows. Now look, you pay your money and you’re entitled to your opinion as a fan, you can shout at players, you can shout at referees, you can shout at pundits if you wish, about performance and decisions and tactics and opinions.

“We all understand that that goes with the territory, but for me it stops there. The line is clear. Personal insults and abuse based on gender, race or sexual orientation are never part of that deal.

“So can we all stop, please, and have a think and take a breath and think about how we want our sport to be viewed and if you hear that sort of nonsense call it out for what it is and part of our job generally is to ensure that this sort of rubbish is challenged and is addressed and to Marcus personally I hope you’re doing okay mate and you should never have been subjected to this sort of bile and good on you for taking the brave step to shine a light on it and be under no illusion that the entire world of rugby league stands alongside you.”