Red card call ignored, Wire injury issues, legend bows out and more Hull FC v Warrington Wolves talking points

Warrington Wolves came through a gritty game against Hull FC and secured an all-important two points in what could be a costly match.

Wire won 16-14 as they held off a late comeback attempt to secure the win in a result that means they remain just two points behind Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors, one of whom will lose next week when they face off (barring a rare draw) and that means the Wolves still have an outside shot at a top two finish.

As for Hull FC, they ended their campaign with a final home game and yet another disappointing performance that was once again marred by ill discipline.

That discipline was on show when Joe Batchelor was sin binned after just 22 seconds, though the first try did not come until the 35th minute when Leon Hayes crossed over shortly before Matty Ashton scored a second.

Josh Thewlis helped make it 16-2 and Hull FC gave themselves hope when Ethan O’Neill scored in the 65th minute with Tom Briscoe crossing over just minutes later but it wasn’t quite enough and a case of not enough points once again.

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Hull FC and Warrington Wolves talking points

Wire injury concerns

Warrington lost young centre Arron Lindop very early on but they picked up two injuries in two tackles just before the hour mark, with their arduous season now catching up to them.

Lindop’s HIA failure came as a result of foul play by Joe Batchelor, which did activate Wire’s 19th man, and they would come to need Jordy Crowther as they lost two pack men just before the hour mark.

Joe Philbin limped off following Ligi Sao’s hip drop-style tackle that was placed on report and just a tackle later, Luke Thomas was helped off with an apparent hamstring injury as Sam Burgess watched his pack crumble in front of him.

Having lost Toff Sipley for the season, there’s now a real concern about Warrington’s pack depth going into the play-offs, or even more urgently going into next week’s game against Wakefield.

FC collapse under the high kick

For almost 35 minutes, Hull FC were level with Warrington Wolves, who were being frustrated by the Black and Whites’ defence and they looked out of ideas without Ewan Irwin’s kicking game.

George Williams’ short kicking hadn’t let to much to that point but he’d send a high kick up that Hull FC spilled into the lap of Leon Hayes, who gratefully scooped and scored. Three minutes later the same happened as Toby King pocketed Harvey Barron’s dropped kick and set up Matty Ashton for a walkover, with the Black and Whites undone by two high kicks that their right edge simply couldn’t deal with.

That led to a 12-2 deficit at the half and after an early sin bin in the second half, that lead stretched and it became one that Andy Last’s side never recovered from.

Kendall ignores red card call

Hull FC copped their second sin bin when Ligi Sao was shown yellow early in the second half, however, it could have been very different if the advice of the video referee had been adhered to.

Chris Kendall was the man with the whilst but video referee James Vella had advised a red card for Sao, per the Sky Sports commentators who are privy to the chat between Vella and Kendall.

Despite being advised to show a red card for Sao’s swinging arm that displayed force, a lack of control, and made contact to the head of Matty Ashton, on-field referee Chris Kendall ignored the advice of the man who watched the replays and only gave a yellow card.

It’s certainly a talking point and we’ll likely only really know what should have happened when the Match Review Panel give their verdict on Monday, with Sao certain for a charge but whether it’s one that reflects a sin bin or a red card is to be seen.

Legend bows out at home

The word legend is banded about plenty and for some, using it to describe Tom Briscoe may be out of place, but we don’t think so and Tom Briscoe proved why today, creating Ethan O’Neill’s try and scoring one of his own.

Briscoe will end his Super League career with at least 400 appearances, assuming he plays in either round 26 or round 27, and he sits firmly in the competition’s top 10 try-scorers as well. After coming through at his boyhood club, he signed for and became part of a Leeds Rhinos side that won plenty with his 2015 Challenge Cup Final performance one that will forever live in the history books as he scored five tries.

After a brief stint at Leigh, he’d return to his boyhood club and help mature the club’s stars of the future in Lewis Martin and Harvey Barron. All of those achievements fail to mention his 11 tries in 15 games at the international stage, so it’s fair to say the term legend is apt and the Hull FC faithful paid a brilliant tribute ahead of his final home game.