Wigan v Leeds

[captinjack]

GeorgeOrwell. I understand you, but what else have we left to play for. The C.C. is gone. :eh:

[KaylaRobbo]

Can I just say that not only did the team not play but who gagged the fans? We were 4:1 to them and all you could hear was Leeds songs and their bloody drummer!!!!! Not surprising that they had no faith in themselves when we stop singing unless we're winning. Very disappointing - I know they are being paid to play but surely some encouragement wouldn't go amiss. I am sure that I even heard boo's from our fans to our players - whats all that about? Shame on the team and shame on us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :snea1: :eusa17:

[Panchitta Marra]

Leeds done a job on us today, something they had been planning since both teams were drawn against each other after the Q Finals.
Our defence let us down, we made too many unforced errors and Thaler had a howler, but they knew exactly how to get at Finch & Hock to nulify our attacking game and it worked.
We had no plan "B" with the problem of having Lockers in the halves.
I know its hindsight but would we not have been better having Jack Murphy on the bench instead of maybe Ben Flower and that way we could have moved Sam into 6/7 with Lockers back to 13 to surprise Leeds a bit.
I thought their players looked as though they wanted it more than ours.

[Alex the Warrior]

We were abject today and deserved to lose for that reason but if we'd had a half-decent referee this board would be full of comments like 'We got away with that big style' and 'We'll have to play much better at Wembley'.

Constantly, rugby league shoots itself in the foot and having referees who perform like that embarrasses the game.

[cpwigan]

Ok Leeds got some shocking decisions but IMO they wanted it more than our players today.

What a silly statement. Wigan wanted it just as much as Leeds they just did not play well.

Spare us your pedantry, none of us needs it right now. And you knew exactly what he meant!

It is a stupid statement / Wane made a similar one post match. So if anybody Thinks Wigan lost because of a lack of effort / desire then say so. You say it if you think that KW. Let's not sit on the fence boys and girls some of you have yellow coated splinters.

Wigan lost a game of RL because they played poorly. It happens. It always has / always will. Half fit players / several players learning the ropes and poor officiating was always far more important than desire.

When any team has 2/3rd possession / field position keeping the score so close is about desire / effort because that is all you have when you execute play so poorly.

[cpwigan]

CP. I've watched Wigan for 63 years,I've played for em'.They had injuries but they were off the boil !!!Full stop. Stop teaching!!!

Your point?

Are you saying half fit players / players lacking match fitness was not a contributory factor? Was Lima fully fit? Hansen? Charnley? Goulding? George fresh enough?

Wigan did not play well; Many of us incl myself & you watched far better players, Wigan Gods struggled to beat teams like Saints at Wembley with half fit / injected players. You always push it playing less than fully fit, in the modern era you are asking for HUGE trouble.

Players less than fully fit make errors, miss more tackles, struggle to get back / set in the defensive line, maje effective tackles, control the POTB, struggle to support play etc etc

[cpwigan]

It is a stupid statement / Wane made a similar one post match. So if anybody Thinks Wigan lost because of a lack of effort / desire then say so. You say it if you think that KW. Let's not sit on the fence boys and girls some of you have yellow coated splinters.

Wigan lost a game of RL because they played poorly. It happens. It always has / always will. Half fit players / several players learning the ropes and poor officiating was always far more important than desire.

When any team has 2/3rd possession / field position keeping the score so close is about desire / effort because that is all you have when you execute play so poorly.

I don't think Leeds necessarily wanted it more, but they did appear to be much more motivated than Wigan.

Not that it's any surprise. They were the underdogs, which is always an advantage, they also had last years final defeat and the hammering mid-season to avenge and that seemed to give them that extra determination and aggression.

I've no doubt that the Wigan players wanted to win just as much as the Leeds players but Leeds seemed much more comfortable without as much pressure and also seemed to have more hurt with which to motivate themselves.

The real advantage Cherry was getting a lead. British RL players play far far better when in front, ask them to play under pressure, from behind, a deadlocked game and they crumble. Irrespective of who won, today will be hailed in Britain as a wonderful game, personally it was good to watch but as far as competing with the best in the world, Aus / NRL the game was a joke. Neither team could defend. I kept waiting for Wigan to wake up but it never happened.

[DaveO]

I know its hindsight but would we not have been better having Jack Murphy on the bench instead of maybe Ben Flower and that way we could have moved Sam into 6/7 with Lockers back to 13 to surprise Leeds a bit.

That is not hindsight. Sam in the half backs and Murphy at full back is one of two realistic options we have had to deal with Tommy's loss. The other was bring Mellor back as mentioned on another thread and both were mentioned well before this game by several posters. Wane took neither option.

[DaveO]

After conceding those early tries the team just panicked and even when the difference was just 10 points they were playing like they were 20 points down with 10 to go and desperately in need of chasing the game.

They just couldn't find the patience that was needed because the pressure of knockout rugby meant they were always aware that time was running out. It's something of a contradiction that when times running down you need to slow it down and be more patient.

And knock-out rugby was invented last week wasn't it.

[cpwigan]

I was quite impressed by Flower personally. Tuson was poor IMO.