Actually DG my post ain't rubbish and I did not say Smith and Leeming would have changed things. I did say that changes to the team disrupted the team.

Leeds and Wigan win things by playing simple rugby at high intensity when it matters. Our coaches tried to bring too clever. That is not good preparation, sportsmen and women in all sports need confidence, suddenly changing what was working brings doubt. Our team failed tonight, yet again when it really mattered they were found wanting.

Did Murphy, Wardle or Connor change the team. We went five weeks with the same team with a very big powerful pack and won each week, then we made changes and lost last week, panicked and picked as lightweight a pack as we could all to accommodate a fine player who has been injured or suspended all year and lost the game in the first 20 minutes while Ta'ai Lawrence and Crabtree sat on the bench.

Numerous players played poorly tonight - to avoid a repeat we must recognise why. We always play poorly when it really matters - that has to be preparation.

But you carry on kidding yourself.

How dare you come on this board at a time of panic and start spouting your common sense

A lot of posters are dwelling on the "when will we finally fulfill our potential and clear the hurdle of winning a major trophy".
Well, maybe this squad of players ARE fulfilling their potential and this IS as good as it will get. The Giants squad is not packed with superstars and relies on great team spirit and honest work ethic. Putting a good run of form together during the regular season dosn't either make you world beaters or win any trophies. I think your 5 match unbeaten streak gave some fans a false sense of confidence (bordering on cocky arrogance).
This is not an anti Giants rant, I wanted you to win last night and think Leeds wouldn't have fared any better at the DW last night.

Chunky I think you have a good point, was thinking myself have we under achieved or over achieved, and my opinion is that overall when it comes to the nitty gritty we are short. My big hope is that Ryan Hinchcliffe is going to make a big difference but whether we will be able to break the "monopoly" come trophy time is debatable. While I didn't think Wigan were great they knew how to control the game. I was disappointed that with 20 to go and needing a few scores we just continued 5 drives and a kick....we had nothing to lose at that point so thought we should have shown a bit of adventure.

I'm sorry but how many of those years did we go out on a good performance. Only one year can I think of out of that lot. Its not the results is the abject lacklustre displays we put in when opportunity presents itself. I've been watching for over 30 years win or lose you know when a team/ players play to their true ability, thats the disappointing thing more than anything. Where on earth did that performance come from? Certainly in the top 3 for the season.

Certainly hope Rapria and Hinchcliffe can bring some bite to this team when it matters.

The Rhinos supporters rightly says "I think your 5 match unbeaten streak gave some fans a false sense of confidence" we've not been anywhere near contenders all season really, save for 2-3 60min performances in the later stages. Certainly don't think theres been much cockiness though, Leeds have a monopoly on that one, albeit with good reason.

Hit the nail on the head, I was posting the above at the same time.

Yup.

And that makes it a club problem rather than a team problem.

This group of players haven't got the extra bite needed to get from 3rd to 1st.

Ryan Hinchcliffe is a massive signing for us, and I hope he'll bring the attitude. But even so, we're a few players short of winning the outright trophy.

And he won't change the small club attitude of the backroom staff.

In big games you need your "big hitters" to lead the way and once again yours went missing also when you hear JP talk he uses the words "fundamentals & 1%ers" on a regular basis that is something else you failed to do.
Wigan were worthy winners and outplayed their opposite numbers individually and collectively the writing was on the wall after 10 minutes.
I don't think you have the Coaching nous or individual/collective talent to up the gears or intensity when the big semi finals come around.

not to worry, they,ll all be down to the travel agents today, chockers, backroom staff jokers, just swap one "comfort zone" for another.

You are Fat Garry and I claim my £10 prize.

I'd have had the lazy buggers in for a 6.30 run!

Leeming was injured i believe?

but the only thing i would question PA over is bringing back Bailey and Ferres, bailey has been anonymous, although possiby understandable due to Leeming's injury? Ferres has done OK, but i can't help feel that it maybe affected momentum?

as for last night, it was typical fartown wasn't it? get the interest up, get the fans turned out, get expectation high and serve up utter dross like that.
i was down at the front at the end and i could see how hurt the players were and how reluctant they were to approach the fans in fear of being shouted down, but the fans were great, and supportive.

so we move on and we go again next year, and hopefully we can finally take that next step.

very disappointed but then again should i be as its what ive come to expect now from the giants.

anderson got the team wrong, connor should not have been playing, said a few times now about him and wardle in defence not being good enough and unfortunately it proved correct on the night. both need hard work in the pre season.

cant believe anderson didnt know his strongest 17 going into the last game of the season.

our hopes now hinge on hinchcliffe being a miracle worker for us otherwise will be more of the same.

Have to agree with Meast here, don,t tinker with a winning , settled side, for me Ferres returning was a wrong move, OK on his day a very good player, but niggly and gives away stupid penalties, he,s not alone there.
Ultimately Anderson has to carry the can for what is another end of season failure, he has a very good squad that clearly had a very limited game plan, every single player underperformed last night, ?

i actually think he got it wrong the week before, Connor and Murphy were /built up a good understanding on our left, both in attack and defence, wardle was going well in 2R but then he changed all that to accommodate Ferres, although Ferres played well v Leeds, for me it disrupted the left side that had done well.
last night connor was recalled and it meant moving wardle back to 2R, hindsight is a wonderful thing but for me, as i said weeks ago Ferres should not have been brought back in, not because he isn't a good player but because of the potential disruption to a winning and confident side.
sadly i think Connor suffered from that as he looked shot to pieces last night, i will be wondering forever now whether bringing Ferres back went some way to explaining our 2 losses at the end of season?

long before the leeds game i was worried about connor and wardle in defence.

dont think bringing ferres back made much difference to anything really, wigan were too good for us

the best two teams of the season are in the final too.

Well I hope Leeds win but Saints don't lie down for anyone.

Though we probably wouldn't have won regardless of who was playing.
Anderson was the first chocker and probably didn't show faith in certain players who maybe deserved it. Wether that affected the confidence I don't know.

The big loss was Leeds! Home advantage against a team we'd have just beaten could of been crucial. Had we won that we'd of taken on the winners of Wigan and saints who'd have knocked 7 bells out of each other.

Cracking effort by the crowd barring a few annoying chants which would not want me to play in a Giants shirt...

Pretending to score a try... And not wanting to get to old Trafford being the obvious ones.
Hey but at least you chant starters enjoyed them as our players were putting there bodies on the line!

You do realise they were sung in jest and amusement after the game was lost ? Obviously we wanted to go to Old Trafford ! You may have also noticed that the noisy ones aren't the kind to sit and wallow in pity when we lose .... We were all bitterly disappointed but we go to the rugby to enjoy ourselves, hence the silly chants at the end ... Not harmful not nasty just a lighthearted fun to lighten our mood !!

maybe everyone should have just sat down and be miserable at the end?
we have backed the boys at every game this season and i'll be damned if i'm criticised( by someone who, by your own admission hasn't been to an away game for a while) for daring to enjoy a bit of light heartedness at the end of the season after all the vocal support we've given the lads all year.

I think yo lot have been both humerous and outstanding all season. Well done.

Im not digging at your support and having stood with you lads home and away, a lot when I used to be able to afford, I know it was all in good fun.

I was just trying to state how the players could of taken it and the fans who only go to a few games. I know for a fact that there are people that won't sit at the top with you because of some things you come out with.
Not because your not fun to be around but some people don't want to listen to a select few people chant random things and probably feel uncomfortable.
I'm not personally that bothered about it myself.. Just wonder what players might think.

Hey, but you can afford to go week In and week out so what does my opinion matter.

I get that. I know it wasn't malicious or a deliberate attempt to annoy anyone. It was a gutting end and some people may not want to have heard it. Not everyone can be pleased. I know all you can do sometimes is laugh or you'll cry. Hence the humour we shared at the back of the coach.

Fair enough, just sounded like a dig at us for trying to enjoy the rest of a bad night, we don't do glum at the back win or lose.....hope you can join us again sometime !!