Good post. I was thinking this before the CC final, I remember saying to my mate before watching the final that I thought the current Leeds team were at the end of an era but had enough players who had been there and done it to have one big finish in them, I thought Leeds would get the trophy that had eluded them at Wembley but it wasn't to be. Having said that I didn't think they were going to have a big finish against us and put us out today! You have to take your hat off to Leeds and Sinfield, they came to a team who were in hot form and have been blowing sides off the park and edged us out in a battle of will.

If Leeds win the GF from here it will be the best Grand Final story yet, for a team coming from 5th who had had their worst season in a decade in terms of form, to make two Grand Finals is a huge feat and to win it would be great and I'm not one for the whinging about a team finishing 5th winning it, I think if you can win big games in playoffs away from home and fight your way to the final then you deserve it.

As a Warrington fan and Leeds resident this has been a season of tables being turned for me, I think I mentioned on here earlier in the season how a game always stuck in my mind when Wire played at Headingley early in the 2005 season (when Leeds were in the best form I remember from any team in the SL era) and Leeds just played superb rugby under Tony Smith. Then this year when we won at Headingley we played similar rugby to that and I thought the tables have now been turned completely, you are back to where we were then (decent 4th-5th but not good enough to challenge for trophies) and we are where you were back then (the best in the league). But the irony now is that in 2005 Leeds made 2 finals and we ended up disappointed in the playoffs (when we had Andrew Johns but lost at home to Hull) - and the same thing has repeated itself now despite the form through the season being so different.

Ah well I'm a disappointed Wire fan but this is still the best era to watch Wire in my lifetime and so I'm happy for what we have achieved in the last few years, I will be supporting my (adopted) home town club in the final once again.

Looks like my Tactics worked

Oh the predicitability of sport - maybe you need a new table for the play offs?

It shows there are two comps - the one to get in a position and the one that really matters?

Easier Done than Said

Not when you been there and done it before

Monumentul effort and end result.

Good result big effort

Fantastic performance and a great result despite Ganson giving them all the 50/50 calls and some phantom decisions.

Can't say they weren't warned!

First off, as a Wire fan, I'd just like to say what a fantastic effort both sides put in last night.....Earlier in this thread I'd said that Wire had to bottle it to lose last night, but credit to Leeds, despite what all the trollers will say, Wire did not bottle it, we simply got pipped by a superb Leeds performance.

Secondly, and I know I'm going to sound slightly bitter, but surely Leeds' play off displays show the absurdity of the whole play off system and the fact that the winners are the ultimate 'champions'?

For most of this season, Leeds have been pretty average, Wire have been, on the whole, impressive.....Wire top a league after 27 games and it means nothing, Leeds get to possibly win 4 matches in a row and are crowned 'champions', despite being average for most of the year.

I've nothing against the play-offs as a competition, just the crowning of the winners as seemingly the league's best....Its bizarre that the Challenge Cup gets a slating because its seen as being easy to win, because you only have to win 5 games, yet the play-offs you only have to win 4??

Anyway, that's my rant over....Good luck in the final, I just hope you can raise your game again...After last night, it will take a mighty effort.

Couldn't agree more ...in ALL respects. Justice was done. A remarkable effort from the team and I hold my hands up...I didn't think they could do it.

I did think, however, that if by the slightest chance the team did conquer Warrington then it will go on to win its FIFTH GF. Brilliant.

The above happened to us in 2005 in my opinion. For me we were the best consistent team in the competition and granted we got to the final but lost.

On the contrary I have every sympathy with your position: it does smack of absurdity. The RL must be praying the winners of tonight's match are crowned "champions".

Anyone but Wigan...PLEASE

Perhaps you can now share your experience with us all?

Well said

As I have stated elsewhere...it's a travesty that the man hasn't being given his more natural convincing full 80 mins role more often.

How many more MOM performances might we have seen ?

Thats the most gutted I have ever felt after a game. As I keep saying to me the SL is the be all and end all. I wasnt upset after losing to Hull that year and had a good trip back but the Bulls game hurt bad.

Those are the rules though. They have been for 13 years now and I have never complained. What a lot of the fans who are new to the top of the table dont realise is that you have to time your run. As we proved in 06 (was it?) the first half of the season we looked unstoppable. Then it all went wrong. After that we never really started to get going until the last 7 or 8 games. Even last year we looked average throughout the year but turned it on towards the end of the year. It was a very good Wigan team that stopped us going for a 4th though.

Over the course of the playoffs I can only name 2 teams that have won the LLS. Us in '04 and us in '09. Apart from that I dont have a clue. I can tell you however, who won the SL Title in each of those years.

Been.

Well it just goes to show that SL is all about [icurrent form and momentum[/i and not about past results.

You failed to see the clear evidence that Leeds had JP & DM finally back to fitness and form and the coach had got the whole squad motivated and playing with confidence. Add to that this teams big match experience and mental toughness and an upset was on the cards.

We have now beaten in recent weeks 4th place twice and 1st place once. Add to that a near win at Wembley against 2nd place and you see that Leeds are peaking at the business end of the season.

The following are some other pre-match thoughts of KS

Bugger



.....but at least I don't get it's / its , or compliment / complement mixed up ( I notice even the YEP is getting that one wrong now

)

Harrigan I think saints did it as well in 06. Theyare the rules and agree never complained but 2005'was gutting!

No I don't think its a travesty that he has been allowed a brief rest. The modern hookers role is the most physically demanding position in any team and most sides try to play 2 hookers.

Buderus is coming to the end of an outstanding career and rotation has allowed him a rest and to come on with impact in the important closing stages of the game. It has also allowed some needed game time for McShane and the use of Burrow as an impact player has been an important part in our recent successes.

Last night was different as it was knock out time and Big Mac got it right to play him the full 80 as it was worth the risk.

Ok you might be right....let's hope he gets the full 80 at Old Trafford

Oooooh Mr Swiftcorn, you do make me smile sometimes

All ap has and ever will do is base his predictions on past results.

It's why in 2004 he said they'd win nothing, because they won nothing in 2003.