This

Maybe so if all had their first 17 guaranteed available.....anything could happen bewteen now and then (the rugby gods forbid of course).

Leeds are already significantly weakened with the loss of Aiton for the rest of his Leeds career (on top of long term season ending injuries for Sutcliffe and JJB. After Sneyd's crocodile roll it also looked like we could have lost McGuire).

We certainly couldn't afford to lose another key player without it more than levelling the playing field.

Similarly if Wigan lost MM or Williams (etc?) .......it's all ifs and buts at this stage. Leeds could easily yet repeat the 2005 season

For the record, the comparison to Stoke was along the lines of a team that pushes the rules via their physical play to try level the field against more skillful/flair teams and are effective at doing so but sacrafice thieir own style in the process.

I actually think Wigan have a group of very skilful players in Bowen, Williams, Farrell and to a degree Bateman (dirty little twonk though he is) but the style they play is more geared to ground and pound.

Where does that leave Leeds? Where ever you like, it was just an analogy to say I think Wigan are gash to watch. Oh, and never did I say Leeds will win everything. Seems some folk get mighty touchy.

Exactly

Wigan have played some exciting Rugby and have scored some great tries this year.
Joe Burgess's effort at Newcastle being typical.

It's funny watching the frog eyed Roid O'Loughlin stagger from tackle to tackle and just collapse on top of the tackled player and 3 or 4 defenders. He has become a joke, like an arthritic pub drunk just pushing and dragging Leeds players over every time they played the ball in the last 20 minutes without any punishment from Silverwood. I had to laugh when he got up and started rollicking Silverwood before he played the ball and Silverwood wasn't man enough to penalise him the big girls blouse. it would be the most spiteful Grand Final of all time if we ended up playing them.

Exactly which is why I am an Arsenal Season ticket holder (10 years) and a Rhinos supporter (48 years)

Grow up soft lad.
Frog eyes?
I despair at times.
I will await your jovial response.
Suppose if in the unlikely event of Wigan making the grand final we should make it a game of tick and pass to avoid upsetting your gentle feelings.

In his book written in 1958 Lewis jones devoted a chapter to Leeds RLFC which he called The Arsenal of Rugby League

Might be more generous to say Wigan are more like Chelsea. Not pretty to watch but very effective, great at home and strong records against those teams at the top. Also their coaches are unpopular with opposition with what comes out of their mouths.

Typical South Stander moron mentality.

Stop looking for bites and do something productive with your life.

Might be hard to believe but Leeds Owl actually believes what he posts.

You'd better hope it isn't a Leeds Wigan GF

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with our Grand Final record thanks, How's your recently?

I'd like a Leeds Wigan final. Would be a tasty affair and give Leeds a chance ti get a large monkey off their back (and I don't mean Wane).

Who are the Wigan Athletic of super League? Huddersfield ? Cas?

I'd say Cas are possibly like Southampton. Play some good stuff and not far off the top teams but will probably lose their best players when bigger clubs come sniffing for them.

Not sure about Hudds but Hull FC can be Newcastle. Good crowds but always think they should be higher up and challenging for things but inevitably end up struggling. Salford can be QPR, signing guys more interested in money and not having the team spirit to be successful. Bradford Bulls can be Leeds United, made a complete shambles of things off the pitch from a few different people in charge that saw their demise from the top league.

Yes Bulls definitely Leeds United

So if we carried this football team analogy on to the National teams, I reckon England would still be England. Show promise in the build up, inspire a wave of optimism and hope before the big tournaments and despair after them. In summary play better on paper than on grass.

For the record - Newcastle fans don't necessarily 'think they should be higher up the league than they are', they just hope / wish that those in the shirt graft and give 100%. Which invariably they don't. The ultimate frustration is that if they did give 100%, they would find themselves in a better league position!

Do you mean the McGuire who played in the next game. Please don't drag us into your bitching fest with Wigan elite.

No he didn't

No, my mistake. But he was hardly missing for very long was he, so the original comment was slightly over the top.

Yeah, after all it was at least 2 years since you lot broke his leg properly.

I've had my fun with you lot, and just like the Sllverback that coaches you, you're far too easy to wind up. Hope you are enjoying our forum, it's fun, educational and stimulating, everything that yours isn't. The fun comes from me by the way, with some education thrown in for good measure. Hope you enjoy the Challenge Cup final.