Looking like a more confident and focused side, maybe a few needed the better bonus of finishing 3rd rather than 4th ha. Looks more optimistic going into the playoffs like that than the last month that has been up and down. Playoffs should be a treat!

And not a word was said.

That thought crossed my mind too last night.
After a couple of high tackles on Hall by Goulding, for him to then get a crack in the face by one of his own players must have seemed like justice to Phil Clarke. Don't recall him mentioning it mind.....

Great effort.

Leeds gearing up again.

We had to win the ruck and did so easily, the quick blind side plays made making yards very easy. Good, solid, sets followed by a great kick chase.

We made Wigan look very ordinary and their form going into playoffs will be worrying for Stress Eric Wane.

The amount of yards and bump offs made by Ablett, JP and Hall was scary.

Nice to see Zak and BJB come back around.

And the impact Singleton offered was superb, going under the radar but doing all the little things right. Nothing subtle about him he just wants to blast it up as hard as he can.

Shame we didn't get to see Achurch in more meaningful game time.

Thought Kirke had his best game for months, which was badly due. IIRC he even showed some emotion and lashed out with a 'knee up' at the PTB. Whatever next......

What was pleasing last night was our defence line speed, we got up to the Wigan attacker quick and in a solid line. Unlike several occasions this season when certain players have jumped out the line. This completely shut down various Wigan moves.
It also pressurized smiths kicking game, wigans kicking game was poor. On the night Wigan came off second best, not because they were off form, it was down to us not letting them play or dictate any passage of the game.
As for Delaney and Jjb to return and play like that was remarkable, top marks to both of them, and also to the conditioning team for the fitness levels of those two.

JJB after about an hour, without going off, he was blowing....hard.

1 play later he was sprinting to get to dummy half...Sinfield got there too and moved the ball. But those little examples of true commitment highlight a players mental attitude.

Legend.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctkuUzJMXKA Again? Surely not.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctkuUzJMXKA Again? Surely not.

Some clever little bits of game-planning off the training pitch last night.

The little scoot blind side then turn it back in to the player who had just played the ball caught out Wigan's aggressive marker defence a couple of times. Both markers set off after the dummy half, leaving a gap back behind the ruck.

The fitness and intensity levels were good from both sides in a game which had few stoppages due to a low error count.

Thought Leeds got a little lucky on the Thornley no-try, but then again Wigan shouldn't have had field position to start with from the 40-22 kick.

Anyone clarify what the ruling is on the tackle being completed on a grounded player? Thought Hall's momentum had stopped when Tomkins completed the ball steal, which would have made it illegal?

But Hall's ball carrying arm hadn't hit the ground.
That can be the only inference.
The poor 40/22 (like it AG) & the odd forward pass from dummy half from both sides apart, I thought the officiating was pretty good last night.

I quite liked the tactic of McDermotts to leave 2 players on the becnh for 60mins this week. It got match minutes into the legs of JJB, Delaney & McGuire, whilst conditioning the team to play a high intensity game with low numbers, whilst then able to bring on 2 completely fresh pairs of legs for the last 20 mins to seal the game. Wins all round

Just as good second time round. Was beginning to lose faith in the sport given the amount of garbage we've been served up in the last few weeks, in this vital year for the code.

All in all it stands us in good stead for a great play-off series. Leeds were immense, the scoreline flattered Wigan in the end. If ever there was a clear message that they don't intend giving the SL trophy up easily, this was it. JP was outstanding - I hope Sinny can convince him to have one last crack at Australia - is there a more deserving man of steel?

It all makes for an intriguing Saturday afternoon next week. I suspect if we play with that intensity we can overcome Wire, but it certainly will be a close game. I reckon Hudds will take the Pies, though a 5 day turn around is hardly a reward for coming top.


Wigan looked like we did in 2009. No lack of effort or commitment, but simply not good enough. One or 2 pie fans (on the goon board) are convinced last night didn't matter & the players weren't up for it, but that's not the game I saw. As for golden/rat (delete as applicable) boy, in order to be considered a true world class player you need to be able to defend as well as attack. He should have stopped BJB, and the attempt on Ablett was schoolboy stuff. The Aussies will have a field day I fear.

Roll on next weekend

First of all congratulations on the victory, well deserved and Leeds were the better side. I thought Peacock was outstanding and for me should be man of steel.

Just a few points, the forward pass for Thornleys try was never forward but we got the rub of the green with the 40:20 that for me wasn't.
The collision between Hansen and Goulding cost Wigan two substitutions and was a factor later in the match. Also for Leeds second try Scott Taylor was down in back play leaving Wigan a man short in the defensive line. Fair play to Leeds they exploited that space and were well worthy of their win.

2010

Ooops, of course! There's been that many

Wouldn't the Hansen "substitution" not have counted as it was a blood injury and he was back within ten minutes, or has that rule changed?

The Thornley forward pass was clearly the case of the ref rectifying an earlier mistake. Both sides had plenty of "flat" passes from dummy half that weren't pulled up.

Rogues, what are your thoughts for the remainder of the season? Have to admit if you'd asked me before last night I'd have happily bet that Leeds wouldn't even make the GF, let alone win it. Seeing that we have still got that level of intensity in us I've changed my mind!

For me, Wigan seem to have lost the fear factor of the last couple of seasons - or simply don't seem as physical. I appreciate not having O'Loughlin available is a big blow, but what else has gone wrong? Despite the love/hate relationship between clubs, games between Leeds & Wigan are always my favourite

Thought Tomkins was pretty good defensively myself, much better than he used to be, and saved a few tries, made a mess of one bomb but dropped it backwards while the one he let bounce he was probably right to leave 40 yards from his line. The tackle on Hardaker after Hall's pop-up ball was excellent and saved a try, his ball-steal play on Hall was also smart work and a momentum-changer. Don't think he could have done any more in trying to catch BJB with that start, he could have done more to stop Ablett though, but any fullback can be made to look stupid one-on-one.

What you'd worry about more with Tomkins is that, given how good a runner he can be, he NEVER properly took the ball back up after fielding a kick.

I think we're probably short of two players, a prop and a centre. O'Loughlin covers up for that missing prop because he can play like a prop, standoff or a loose forward as the game dictates.
The centre position is an infuriating one, you saw Thornleys poor decision making last night and it's happened quite lot this season. I don't think people realised (including our own fans) just how good George Carmont was. Joel moon should have been Wigans no.1 target at the end of last season, and I would have a go at Dean Collis fot next.

Lauaki should be able to do that aggressive props job, but he's having problems. I thought Andy Powell again showed some good signs last night though, but we'll certainly need to replace Mossop next season.

On the Tomkins part, I thought he did remarkably well to get close to BJB considering the start and angle he had to make up. Because Leeds pack dominated it was difficult for Wigan to create space to use his running game. It's normal for him to use that drop off to Richards or Charnley.

I use that move time and again in touch rugby. The hole is so big even a fat, near 50 year old like me can run through it.

Thought Hall was clearly tackled. Ball carrying arm does not have to touch the ground for the tackle to be complete.

I thought it was fine. It appeared to be done in one motion with Tomkins getting his arms round the ball and then twisting his body to rip the ball away. Certainly before there was any call that he was "held". IMO a smart piece of play. I just thought that Hall was unlucky that the ball didn't bounce up because if he'd been able to run onto it no one would have touched him.

I had only just got up when I read that.Ive been scratching my head supping my coffee.Thanks Eagle for the correction

Long time reader, first time poster, so here's my two penneth. I though Leeds were excellent last night, and it didn't really look like anyone had a bad game (even though Achurch and Sutty had limited gametime at the back end, they showed a lot of enthusiasm).

In terms of our standout performers, JP, Ablett and Hall were all exceptional, and were making a good amount of yardage in the tackle every time they had the ball. JP for me has got to be this year's Man of Steel, Ablett seems to be coming into his prime, and Hall not only ran it in like a forward, but kept Charnley quiet all night, and pretty much showed him up (one of the things I've always thought made Hall an exceptional player is the impact he can have on games even when he's not scoring a bucketload of tries).

But for me, one of the most impressive performances last night cam efrom the young last Singleton. He ran it in with such enthusiasm, crunched Wigan on defense (there was one tackle on Tomkins in particular that shut down all his space and stopped him dead). He looked to have an old head (I keep forgetting he's only 20, given that he's been around the first team for a few years) and included two (?) really neat offloads that led to a couple of near-try scoring opportunities.

I think Leeds laid down a marker last night, and signaled their intent. To completely shut down Wigan for long periods on their home turf (our reading of their attack and defensive structure was one of the highlights) was always going to require a special effort, and Leeds delivered last night.

Very proud.

YEs on that performance, Hardacker made a great shout for the FB spot come the world cup and Hall cemeneted his place, the others can battle it out for the other wing spot

Personally I'd play Hardaker and Hall as the wings with Tomkins at fullback. The option is still there to have Hardaker at fb for the defensive sets and back to the wing with Tomkins as the extra half on attack.

last night was a massive step up from anything that we have seen this season,i thought all the returning injured players ran their blood to water

sinny looked like a natural 9 and we looked far more balanced and composed around the ruck area

jp,jjb and abbo were absolutely tremendous up front and murdered the wigan pack

this game and last weeks battle against catalans has set us up nicely for the play offs




that's what makes jones'y a legend sal and i'm glad that you're finally realising how good he is



that's also the first time i have ever seen you praise jonesy,or not include the words "penalty machine" in regards to him in one of your posts



bang on