This 100%.

I think we are in with a good shout of winning SL next season if Walsh and Masoe bed in.

That's how the Play-Off's should be. An excellent game where either team could truly have won it right up until the end buzzer. I'm not going to lie, as a Leeds fan I went into the game quietly confident that we'd win, based off past results between us at Old Trafford and the fact we seem to be stronger at this time in the season.

I'm also going to admit that I underestimated you greatly, and had the players done what I did we'd have been spiraling out of that game and this season. Saints shocked me completely last night, your defence was key to everything and you seemed to have an answer for most of what we tried to do. I was on the edge of my seat assuming we'd lose, especially after Manu(?) scored that 2nd try.

Another 5 minutes, who knows what would have happened. Great, great game. Definitely a force to reckon with next season. You seem to be coming out of your 'Transition period' whereas I think Leeds will be entering into one in the next couple of years so the tables may well be turned.

Tremendous effort defensively. Leeds were struggling to break us down with long spells on our line. I find that when Leeds struggle to break a team down, Rob Burrow starts to run side to side a lot. I was pleased we were only 4-0 down at ht.

With the ball we weren't great. A load of unforced errors. Lot of passes were intercepted and some really daft mistakes like Turner losing the ball when he was trying to play it.

Getting to within a point was cruel, but I knew that when Wilkin missed that drop goal (he wouldn't have had a better chance to do so) I knew they'd walk up the other end and put it over.

I think there is a lot to be excited about next season. Brown has done a great job. Roll on 2014

It was there for the taking in the closing stages. Don't want to criticise Turner, but that conversion would, IMO, have sealed it. To then not take another pop from the kick-off penalty let Leeds off the hook. But, even when we ran the pen and got to the Leeds 20, we wasted four tackled just driving it in. At that stage, we should have either tried to put a move on or take an earlier drop with less pressure. What we did was fall between the two stools.

Players obviously didn't want to risk dropping the ball and losing the drop goal chance completely, so didn't risk a killer pass. As we didn't line up for a drop early in the tackle count, it didn't cause the Leeds defence to break the line to close down a potential drop, possibly leading to gaps if we ran it.

Personally, I'd have liked Wilkin & Lomax to have lined up as 1st receiver on either side of the PTB to split any chasers, and we'd have tried the drop early in the count.

IMO, a valiant effort from the team that augers well for 2014, but still a tough loss to take. Then again, likely we'd have played the scum at pie park next round and, although I think we have the beating of them as their form is questionable, it'd be heartbreaking to lose to those gobsh***s

I can see why you've made that comparison but I think we're a better side than Hull and are better coached than them so I think we'll cope slightly better.

We not got those risk players anymore that do that special thing to win a game. Leeds are big game team with numerous players that can come up with that special play. Maguire was awful last night but popped over the winner.

Im taking about us actually winning something and not just happy to cope. We've not coped to well this year have we.

The two areas we needed recruitment in were the halves and at prop and we've recruited well in those areas. We lost by a point away at the Champions, so I'm confident we can challenge next year.

Can we change our bogey team next year to London or Wakey.. Someone who we are not likely to meet on route to the GF???



Wakey used to be a bogey team for us, we'd turn up expecting a win and then go eh????? But come the end of the season they were not in a position to upset the apple cart.

I'm not even sad that much at losing to Leeds again. I'm just bored of loosing to them. It's becoming scripted!!!!

With regard to the 6 issue.

I think next season we will play Walsh down the right with Wilkin playing down the left as nominally loose forward but being one of the play makers. I then expect Lance or maybe Wheeler to play a midfield support player role in which they are basically sniffing around forwards looking for offloads, and then making darting runs in midfield. Sometime even filling in at hooker. Similar to how Brown had Luke Robinson at Huddersfield.

Our pack next year should be a fearsome affair. This year Walmsley has exceeded all expectations and often has carried our pack. Next season he will have the support of Amor and Masoe in particular, and also Beamont when injuries hit.
As a result I doubt we will be in a situation such as we have seen this season were we struggle for territory and thus struggle to make try scoring opportunities for the backs.
Inability to make yards going forward also means the opposition have more opportunities to score against us due to their superior territory.

It is therefore somewhat encouraging that despite little field position and with arguably no halfbacks this season, we were able to score the same number of trys as Leeds in the playoff game, and in the regular rounds inflict defeats on Warrington, Wigan and also Leeds.

For the first time in years im also excited about our threequarters.
We now have the magical LOFA (length of field ability) that ive been banging on about for years. ie the players with pace who can magic out a try from deep inside their own half.

Turner for me has also exceeded everyones expectations. I was a champion of his signing, but even then didn't expect him to perform at the level he has done. Certainly he is a far superior player than what the Hull fans thought of him.
One area he has surprised me of late is his kicking game, I didn't know he had one, yet he possesses what I regard as a raw ability in this area, that with a bit of coaching could become an extra string to his and the teams bow. This by the way is with regard to both goal kicking and field kicking. He kicked our only 40/20 this season, and also I noticed against Leeds he was getting the drop kicks from under the sticks to travel almost Pat Richards distances 60+ metres. This is in marked contrast to Paul Wellens whose kicks used to just about get passed the 40 metre mark.

A lot of positives from last night, but ultimately it was a gut wrenching loss when a glorious win was there for the taking. Just one or two better decisions at vital times would've seen that one more required score.

Not to be this year, but our new lads for 2014 should make us a better force.

I think Makinson was gutted when we were stood under the posts after he had bombed a pass, after such a brilliant catch, step and run.

He probably got a call. If he did, he wouldn't be the first player in anyone's team to have fallen for it. However, had the call come from Turner then the result would have probably been great to witness.

Wilkin will be in the pack next year.

That's a pretty one-dimensional take, cocker.

In place of who tho? We've got players like lafranchi who may be moved to the back row for our more specialised props, added to our existing back rowers and I don't see who he'll force out. Great player, but possibly too small for the pack now

Both Jon and Brown agree that Jon ain't a halfback and will be in the pack next year.

Oh I agree with that, but in place of who? Add Jones who has been amazing too . Lots of competition in the back row and I'm not sure in Jon would get in over those players

The the basis Jon won players player and IMO should have been player of the year means if expect him in at 13 before JJ.

Maybe JJ will be back at centre.

He's been brilliant, out of the pack. Perhaps jones will go to centre and that will give us some size there

Wilkin will be a pivotal 13 next year similar to O Loughlin with the goons. Wilkin has gained valuable experience this season, I should imagine Walsh, Wilkin and Roby will make our attack more structured next season.

Add Lomax to that and we've got 4 effective pivots, quite different from this year!

Edited for accuracy .

Is Laffranchi deffo staying next season?

I bloody hope not