Referee: Phil Bentham
Touch-Judges: James Child, Robert Hicks.
Video Referee: Steve Ganson
Match Commissioner: Dave Campbell.
Reserve Referee: Richard Silverwood
Reserve Touch-Judge: Tim Roby

How do you think we / Wigan will line up? Hopefully the injuries to Kallum Watkins and Carl Ablett are not serious and we see them back in the squad for Saturday. Also, hopefully the players that were rested were only rested and not injured.

Match score predictions, first try scorer and attendance also.

See you all there.

Score - Leeds by 4, I'll go 24 - 20.
First Try Scorer - S Tomkins
Attendance - 82, 396

Wigan by 16

Sam Tomkins Lance Todd

I'll go Leeds by 2pts

Rhinos 24 Wigan 22 - First try scorer Ryan Hall

Att. 78,465

27/09/11???

You guys turning up a month late?

Wigan by 6 26-20 unfortunately

Att 78,450

Good luck anyway.

Thank goodness we have a fan from the "cup experts" here to help...

Tomkins
Charnley
Tomkins
Carmont
Richards
Finch
Deacon
Lima
Leluai
Coley
Hansen
Hoffman
OLoughlin

McIlorum
Mossop

and 2 from:
Hock
Prescott
Farrell

Rhinos by 4 imo 18-14
1st try Ryan Hall
ATT-78,645
Lance Todd winner J.Peacock.

24-16 to Leeds
First try to Carmont
Attendance 77324

I'm going to be optomistic and go

Leeds 21 - Wigan 14

Ablett, Buderus and Hall with scores along with a Sinfield Pen + DG towards the end of the game.

But yeh... we'll see.....

Heart:
Leeds by 7, Peacock for Lance Todd.

Head:
Wigan by 18, Leuluai (T) for Lance Todd.

Might aswell

27 - 20 to Leeds

1st try - McGuire

Lance todd - Jamie peacock

Leeds by 11, BJB for Lance Todd.

Wigan 32 Leeds 12

First scorer - Carmont

Attendance - Vastly inflated by the RFL

Leeds 22 - 18 Wigan
Att: 82'053
First Try: Pat Richards
Lance Todd: Danny Buderus or Kevin Sinfield

I wonder what the odds are on TMFMISL with his form at the moment.

Wigan by 14.

Finch Lance Todd, Charnley first try.

Leeds by 8

Tomkins to score first

Attendance 74001

Burrow to win Lance Todd trophy

No pressure on us at all. As a fan I can go down relaxed and enjoy the day. If we win the trip back will be superb, if we lose then it's no problem.
All the pressure is on Wigan.

Bailey to make up for last year and this time succeed in walking through the FB to score first try, Bailey to win Lance Todd; Leeds by 4 owing to last minute Bailey hat trick.

Leeds will have to put an outstanding 80 minute performance together to have any chance.

That will be their biggest challenge.

The 2 previous Wigan games this year brought out our strongest performances. So Leeds will need to use those as a base to build from. But in those game we had blow-outs which cost us victory (late on at HQ and early in the 2nd half at Wiiiigan) we can't afford a lapse like that again. We will also need to hope that Wigan bring out their Super A Reserved game against us again. They probably have shown us too much respect. Their is a new pride in town, but Leeds only need to stand up for 1 more scrap. Leeds don't need to put together a string of well won battles, just 80 minutes. Gut check time.

We will also have to keep it tight, anal sets in our own half and punt. But punt well and chase well. No handling errors, we can't gift position away. Then there's penalties, keep composure. Only give one away if you need to.

In the tackle we need to hit hard and hit well. Step up the pack. Wigan have a huge pack that we probably won't run over but we can try and slow their impact down. So the usual suspects for us will have to be at their striking best. And for me this is where Buderus becomes the difference maker. We need to be at least keeping our heads above water in the ruck. Wigan will slow us down, but we need to have the right attitude of application to say 'i want to play this ball' and get on with it. Instead of looking at the ref, just get up and play it. Buderus has to demand his chargers do this. And on the other side hold your own. Gang tackling, organised line. Wigan always make the most of an over-lap, so our 3/4's will have to be disciplined.

Then comes the challenge - how do we score? All year Leeds have juttered and stalled with execution, especially in the danger zone. An area where Wigan love defending. But we can get behind them with grubbers and have had success their before. I'd rather start sets 30/40 out and see what we can do. But we must take our chances, wigan will out score us given the chance, so we have to give ourselves the best leg-up.

They will charge forward in manful style early doors, we need to hold out. We can't leak early score(s). It could end up a landslide if that happens. But get past that twitchy first half hour of a final and if are there-abouts at half time that should raise confidence and hopefully get the pie eaters doubting, hopefully intruding their thoughts of lifting another trophy with those of failure. Any sniff of early points - take. With both hands.

The bounce of the ball, a TRY or NO TRY could be the difference.

Logically speaking, and looking at the 2 teams over the course of a season - Wigan's name should already be on the cup.

But, let's see if the romance of that old trophy can see Leeds 'get up' one more time..........

Sing your hearts out...........

Great post

You've made my eyes water, only this time without the discomfort.

<Lee Trevino mode> Wigan's name IS already on the Cup, 17 times... </Lee Trevino mode>