Wigan Warriors: Three things we learned from the defeat to Hull KR

Wigan Warriors were defeated 27-18 by Hull KR in their opening Super League game of the season.
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Shaun Kenny-Dowall went over a hat-trick for the Robins, on an afternoon where Matty Peet’s side were firmly second best.

Here are three things we learned from the game:

A disappointing day

Wigan Warriors were defeated by Hull KRWigan Warriors were defeated by Hull KR
Wigan Warriors were defeated by Hull KR

Saturday’s game was far from the way the Warriors would’ve wanted to start the new season.

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They were nowhere near their best, and ultimately the display was underwhelming.

In the final pre-season outing against Salford Red Devils, they looked sharp and on it, but could not replicate that at Craven Park.

Perhaps the atmosphere got the better of them, but they were second best in all of the key areas.

It gives Peet’s side plenty to think about this week, and no doubt they will quickly put things right.

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We are only one game into the season, and Hull KR are no easy opponent, so fans shouldn’t be too negative about this result.

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Wigan Warriors: Matty Peet pinpoints where the game was lost in the defeat to Hu...

Lack of discipline proves costly

An area of improvement for the Warriors next week has to be their discipline.

On a few occasions they needlessly gave away penalties that were avoidable.

Against any team in Super League, you can’t afford to keep putting more pressure onto yourself.

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An example of this was Brad Singleton, who conceded a penalty while in possession of the ball.

Of course, there was also the sin-binning of Morgan Smithies for a late shoulder charge on Mikey Lewis.

He will no doubt learn from this, but it was a tough lesson for an erratic moment.

Unfamiliar sloppiness

The defeat on Saturday was very unlike what had been instilled at Wigan last season.

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They looked rusty in periods and just slightly off the pace that Hull KR were setting.

After letting the home side take the lead in the fourth minute, they did bounce back, but couldn’t take control for long enough.

Of course, at one stage they could’ve been 18-6 up, if Harry Smith had been able to convert the first three tries.

Ultimately that’s not the thing that lost them the game.

Hull KR just seemed that bit sharper and more energetic.

The instance where Ethan Havard committed an error when trying to play the ball just sort of summed up a certain element of Wigan’s game up.