Despite what is publicly said to the contrary it does look like the 'club legends' considered the 'high' to be Wembley; their recent performances certainly suggest that.
If anything this is worse than 2014.....we did only lose to Catalans owing to a last minute cock up.....this season it looks like we might go out with a real whimper. Phil Clarke must be dancing with joy thinking his beloved Wigan are now going to go on and win the double.....

never thought I'd say this....but come on Huddersfield

He was practically begging for the VR to disallow Moon's try for a knock on that only existed in his head. He calmed down in the 2nd half actually but the was so desperate for calls to go against us in he 1st half that it was again pathetic to hear from a paid "professional"

I'm surprised no one has given Cas a bit of credit. Your forwards looked absolutely shot from 25 minutes in. I've always been a big admirer of Ablett but he was poor tonight along with a lot of others. It was very noticeable that the Cas forwards were relishing running it up the middle at the Rhino's pack. Age doesn't come into it as Lynch is the same age as Peacock but ran him into the floor performance wise. Very disappointed that some are blaming child for the defeat as it was Cas that got the tactics right and out enthused you. I suspect you'll all be Cas fans for a day next weekend. Thought young Lilley went well for you he's one for the future.

To be fair it's not like beating us since Wembley is a praise worthy achievement. If anything Cas messed up by twice letting us back in it even though we were struggling. Most of their points came in the opening 10 mins of each half, really against a tired side they should've scored more.

Cas weren't that great. They gave us enough chances to win that game, but Gale was superb and they were very clinical. We were too soft in the middle, and I think McDermott dropped a bollock starting Delaney instead of Singleton at LF.

what was wrong Watkins tonight? you certainly missed him!

Did he get a pass? At least he didn't knock on with no pressure on first tackle like Hall...and Peacock is making a habit of the same knocking on under no pressure.

On present form you're gonna steamroller us next week....just make sure you go on wipe the smirk of Wane's face in the GF. Big Earl deserves his medal

I don't think that was the case this year (last year definitely). I can't for a second believe the likes of Peacock and Sinfield don't want their last 80 mins of rugby to be at Old Trafford and winning there.

But for all the will in the world of wanting to win all 3, if the bodies and minds are just too tired then you're fighting a losing battle if you're coming up against good and fresher teams.

Watkins didn't look fit from the start. Seemed like a strange decision to bring him back tonight when he could have had another weeks rest at least.

I think you also have to look at how the tries were scored. Rhino's were either from kicks or barging over from close range. Tigers weren't. Not long ago the roles would have been reversed.

How did those breaks come about, though? They just ran through the string vest defensive line. Matt Cook's break was one of the worst defensive efforts I've seen from us in a long time.

don't be having a go at brian. he's the best coach ever don't you know

Cas were deservedly winners they wanted it more and played the better RL yea i thought Child was abysmal especially in the first half but we got what we deserved.
Once again our "Leaders" went missing when it was going wrong as did the Coach with his bizarre rotations this isn't a blip it's history repeating itself and we are running out of games/ideas to turn it around.
Our Pack were shot not helped by picking S.Ward on one leg ( who still had a decent game imo but was clearly struggling at times) also keeping Delaney on when he was ed after 15 minutes and the same with JP ,Cuthbo and Garbutt who were poorly managed imo.
Watkins wasn't fit but none of our backs got any decent ball and when Sinfield went off at 16-16 we were rudderless.
Not sure how we'll look squad wise next week but less "we'll fix it up" in the YEP and actually doing it on the pitch is needed that's 3 losses on the bounce and during the last 2 at least we've been awful ,lacking energy and any kind of idea with or without the ball that's not a blip that's a rut.

What? you mean the try of the season according to Sky's finest?

Absolutely - Loiner thinks he can actually walk on the surface of the River Aire down at Kirkstall!!

Hopefully some good will come of this and GH will insist on a quality assistant coach that will keep McDermott on his toes.

For the same thing to happen two seasons in a row suggested a coaching flaw - the lack of depth in the squad caused by the inability to develop young players to the correct standard also suggests a coaching issue.

Aye, that good he doesn't even need a full 17. Now that tvoc is back for a read perhaps he could tell us how many times we have done this now and what the results were each time?

Leeds forwards looked completely gassed last night (and for the last couple of weeks) and he chooses to leave one on the bench again. It makes no sense at all, but no doubt Juan will be along any minute to tell us that Walters isn't ready and shouldn't have played anyway so Brian was right...

It certainly looks like our forwards are shot at the moment. Agree bizzare sub policy again last night. Got to be a big worry going into a game with the form team at the moment in hudds and their pack

To me last week leeds look disinterested, as if they were saving themselves for the run in. Last night they looked like they really wanted it, but just could not perform. This is what concerns me most.

Southstander's game of "When we win it's the players, when we lose it's the coach" is back in full swing I see.

Not entirely sure what the coach was supposed to do for each 40 minute period, given that whoever he put on the pitch was dropping ball, missing tackles, failing to even get off the ground twice to contest kicks (yes, I'm looking at you Mr Lance Todd Trophy winner).

Many of that side look physically and mentally shot. It's been a longer than previous year (36 games if you make it to both finals) with no breaks in it for mid-season representative games where you can re-charge the batteries. The absence of any easy games at the back end of the season means that from Wembley onwards you've got a string of miniature Cup finals to get yourself up for, and it looks like some towels are already on beaches admiring their achievements.

Coaches can shout and scream and implore as much as they like, but once the players cross the line it's up to them to perform. To not do it once is excusable. Twice is worrying. Three times starts to look like a pattern.

Carnegie must be wondering what they're getting in Sinfield by the way. He's going to need a very long rest at the end of the season before I'd even consider putting him back on the field.

obviously the players have a big share in the blame, but to say that the coach can do nothing to influence the game once the players are on the pitch is nonsense.
He controls when the subs go on, where they go on. who they go on for and whether they go on at all. LAst night it was 50mins (and us 12 points down) that Singleton and Leuluai first got on. Not surprising that we got busted up the middle. Walters sat on the bench even though the other forwards will have hardly had a break. Proper rests for Peacock, GArbutt and Cuthbertson and the breaks through the middle would have been much less frequent.

This old rubbish again? really? The coach has had plenty of plaudits this year about the way we play. It is completely and utter rubbish to say what can the coach do. The coach selects the side, the solution for hooker has not been resolved, is that the players fault? the coach determines when subs are made, the forwards were shattered, is that the players fault that he held Kylie and Singleton back to the second half?

He might not well be able to sort missing tackles out on the day, but he could have selected a suitable option to defend the middle of the park in the first place. It's not like it is one game is it?




Yes the do look physically shot, yet four weeks back they looked perfectly sprightly. Who is responsible for them over those four weeks? You blame the players, but see nothing in the man who selects them?




If you can not get your body moving because of fatigue, then you can not get it moving. Just selecting them, doesn't mean it is going to happen. The players do not select themselves. The players do not say "hey lets not bother with an hooker defending, we can do it all in the forwards".





So it is now just down to the one player? you expect him to excel in that set up of disjointed positions and fatigued players? By the way it is Union, second division union, Sinfield could play on one leg and with one arm and he will still excel at with lot.

What an excellent job of completely misreading what I said. Yes, it's entirely down to Sinfield. That's completely the point I was making, even when I was criticising Briscoe's attempts under the high ball, it was entirely down to Sinfield.

And clearly, you don't watch much Championship rugby union. It may be a step down in pace from the Premiership, but it's still very physical even in the back division. For a 35 year old bloke who has struggled with injuries it's going to be a significant challenge, and going into it off the back of an intense Super 8s campaign and playoff(s) is going to represent a real struggle for him.

He's going to need a couple of weeks away on a beach somewhere to recharge the batteries, as all players do at the end of the year. Otherwise by the time it gets to April he'll have played 14 months in a row and I don't think his body or brain are capable of doing that.

Personally, couldn't give a stuff if Sinfield is burnt out or not once he finishes with us. He could have a stinker of a Union career for all i care, Wouldn't change his legacy and standing at Headingley whatever happens, as long as he gets himself right for the next few weeks as without him we can certainly kiss goodbye to whatever chances we have of winning the Title which already look slim.

Logical summary which in addition to our growing list of key players missing with injuries are the real factors that have turned our season upside down. But logic must never get in the way of a cheap shot at the coach for the usual suspects.

What is clear to me is that the Cup Final has to be moved well away from the the super 8's otherwise it is way too much of a handicap for the finalists. Also IMO there are now too many games as even the other super 8 contenders who have had a week off (or 2) but have also shown signs of mental and physical fatigue. I fear the top 4 playoffs could be one sided affairs if a couple of decisions given to one side shift momentum as the other side may not have enough left to make a fightback.

Maybe the time has come to ditch the Magic Weekend altogether or perhaps as a league affair and play a full round of Cup games instead. But something should be done to reduce the number of fixtures or increase the cap to allow bigger squads because clearly there is a limit to the length of time the players can keep up their performances. I believe it to be more a mental exhaustion than a physical one that has seen experienced and motivated players have their form drop so dramatically.

I fully agree regarding moving the final but for me collapsing two years in a runs much deeper than one extra game to anyone else. the final has little do do with the form