Well I have had a few pints of pop, but here is my take on today....

Two minutes to half time, and Leeds get a penalty deep into the Wire territory. Sinfields goes for the two points. Approx. 12 minutes before full time and Wire get a penalty deep in Leeds territory and Briers takes a tap. Both decisions were quite wrong IMO, but that is not the point.

Throughout the 1st half Leeds attacked down a narrow channel in the centre of the field. They rarely moved the ball out wide and there were few offloads. This was unlike a typical Leeds side, they played with little ambition and ran straight into one of the best tackling packs of SL. But the Sinfield penalty was for me the real turning point of the game. Forget the Hodgeson tackle at the start of the second half, Sinfields decision to go for goal was the real turning point. It said that Leeds lacked self belief, that they were unable to back themselves to get the 6 points. It said that they lacked confidence and the belief that they could win the game. It was completely the wrong decision.

Fast forward to the Wire penalty, and it was a no brainer to go for the 2 points. It would have used up some time, it would have given a breather to the players, it would have put another nail in the Leeds coffin, and we would have got the ball back from the restart. But Briers went for the tap and we quickly lost possession to boot. But the contrast with Sinfields decision was stark. Briers / Wire were full of confidence, and nothing was going to stop us winning the game. We were always going to win, there was never any doubt in the players minds that we were going to do anything but win the cc today.

Leeds played without ambition, they were far too conservative, and their game plan of keeping it with the forwards, was a disaster. If it wasn't for their 1st half kicking game, and then the wet conditions, it could have been a rout.

But what my alcohol addled brain wanted to really say was that Leeds lost this game before they even arrived at Wembly. They never had the self belief that they could win, and that Sinfield penalty encapsulated those feelings better than any words could ever say.

As a Leeds fan I agree. With 90 seconds to go until half time I wanted us to have a real go at your line and try to go in with a lead. I was bemused with the decision to kick for goal.

Sinfield is a class act and one of the real gentlemen of RL, but he looked a broken man at the end of the game. I shouldn't really feel sorry for him after all the honours he has won, but I did.

Can't be bothered reading your first post*, but I agree with this.

[size=50*I'll read it in the morning.[/size

I posted something very similar on our forum. He was crushed emotionally and his interview with Sky which I've just seen admitted as much.

Whatever other team's fans think he really is a classy person who it's been an absolute privelidge to support for 16 seasons now. The game of RL would be a better place if there were more like him.

I thought Sinfield's first penalty conversion was weather related; take the points where you can if this rain is to continue. But, I totally agree on the second two pointer; I thought at the game it was not the right call when only 4 points behind and so close to half-time/our line. I didn't think of the confidence thing though, which I usually do in those situations, too wrapped up with anxiety I guess

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I think Briers' tap call was fair, it just didn't pan out. We had all the momentum at that point and a were well within our right to flex our arm and try for the 6.

For what it's worth, I think the Hodge call was correct and only dubious in that it could have been looked at like Brett hadn't totally lost control before Leului knocked it forward.

...And, watching the game back: Silverwood had some poor calls for both sides, but nothing game changing, I don't think. Briers knocked on in the downpour, but I'm not sure the (now infamous) knock on from the dropout was actually a knock on due to the initial bounce being behind him and only then rolling forward (I'm not sure how that should be called). But, that did not directly lead to a try, we had to force a repeat set.

The look on Sinfield's face at the end was awful. I always feel for the losing side and their fans (especially for Leeds today), but Sinfield did just look broken. Still, they'll always have Saints

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I thought it was a poor show from a lot of Leeds fans to not wait to applaud their team receiving their medals..the Leeds end was nearly empty when they climbed the steps !
Chaz's comments about confidence struck me too when Sinfield went for goal. To be honest i was stood near the players entrance when the teams arrived & even then Sinfield who was sat near the coach window looked ed off.Maybe it was in the back of the older Leeds players minds how we managed to deny them four tries in 2010.

Sinfeild was going for the two because of the time that shall not be speaken of a few years ago in the CC final... and also becuase they believed it was the easier option... which was why we lost the game throughout. Not adventurous enough, hardly any offloads, only going to Hall for most of the first half out wide... when we did go outwide.

Poor gameplan, it seemed asif they had been told 'damage limitation'.

I've often wondered whether our fans would wait around to clap our players and also the opposition players recieving medals if we lost a final. Sadly, I think the answer would be no. Hopefully I never get to find out!

I think Sinfield knew we were struggling in the playmaking department to break Warrington down, maybe he thought we'll take 2 here and hopefully we can re-address some attacking issues in the dressing rooms at half-time. I felt for him because he really did seem to be on his own out there in terms of our creative side, no McGuire, Burrow didn't look 100%, his calf injury the only reason i can think why he didn't provide another kicking option. It did look at times like it was Hodgson, Briers and Myler vs just Sinfield.

A McGuireless Leeds is a much poorer Leeds. For me, he IS their player.
Burrow (yes, he shows unbelievable flashes of brilliance) but, he isn't as vital as McGuire
Sinfield is a great SL player, he's just a bit "Emporer's New Clothes", for me.

I never like to see oposition players missing games through injury, but I must admit I breathed a little sigh of relief when I heard he wouldn't be playing.

I have experienced two wembley defeats, 1975 and 1990. On each occasion, the vast majority of wire fans sang and cheered their team right to the end, then stayed behind for the losers lap of honour. There's a famous photo of Bob Jackson being consoled by wire fans through the fencing.

I would hope that would still be the case if we lost a final. Sure it would have been yesterday but not so sure if we had lost three on the bounce.