Fri 16th Sept: SL: Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos KO 20:00 (Sky)

[Just Browny]

I think that was a completely fair try tbh, no idea why Moore blew the whistle.

Well done Leeds. You'd have to say Bentley is an England player in that form, remarkably.

[JohnM]

1 minute ago, Ant said:

Just because they know how it works, doesn't make it a good system 

But it does work. To deny it flies in the face of all the evidence.  Tonight's game alone shows that. As will tomorrow's and as will the GF itself....as long as Leeds lose.

[andyscoot]

Congratulations Leeds

[Futtocks]

Just now, DavidM said:

Smith’s got Leeds going . Someone like Austin was going nowhere earlier in the year

At the start of the season, Austin and Sezer looked like they'd never played together before. Late-season runs seem to be a Leeds speciality these days.

[JohnM]

4 minutes ago, Ant said:

Disagree

 

Coming top after 27 rounds is a phenomenal achievement 

Winning a couple of knockout games is less so 

That's not a valid comparison. 

[Fevrover]

Well done Leeds didn't expect that.

[EastLondonMike]

Well done Leeds. Feel sorry for Aiden Sezer if he has to miss the GF.

 

[JohnM]

1 minute ago, andyscoot said:

Congratulations Leeds

Leeds deserved the win but congratulating them is a bridge too far for me.

[Damien]

Well played Leeds, great defence and the better team on the night. Wigan were just poor and missed Cust badly in the halfs. The Bateman sending off was just a killer.

[andyscoot]

Just now, ShropshireBull said:

Pies havent been to SL Grand Final now since 2018 

You sure about that?

[StandOffHalf]

Good bit of dog in that Rhinos performance tonight. I didn't see that sort of performance coming.

Very listless and unsatisfactory home GF qualifier performance from Wigan. The absence of Cust, Farrell, and then French affected them a lot, but they seemed quite a bit off.

Bentley MOTM for me. His toughness spread throughout his team-mates.

Strange that the Rhinos have made another GF, finishing well under Rohan Smith.

Wigan just didn't fire. Empty end to the season for them.

[Nate90]

A fun 150th anniversary season with plenty of memories and the Challenge Cup to show for it, but injuries to Farrell and Cust left the team lacking in ideas for the play offs. A massive improvement on the Adrian Lam years

Edited September 16, 2022 by Nate90

[andyscoot]

Last season was dreadful for Wigan. They've been thoroughly enjoyable to watch this season and a great cup win. I'm not too disheartened at losing fair and square in a play off game.

[dkw]

That's a brilliant 5 minutes of tv, a coach massively emotional, players with fans, players with family. Losing coaches and players showing class. Magnificent television. 

Matt Peet is a class act, turned the interview from being Wigan failed to Leeds succeeding. Been really impressed by him this season. 

Edited September 16, 2022 by dkw

[Damien]

Classy interview from Peet. No moaning, no excuses and full credit to Leeds.

[JohnM]

1 minute ago, andyscoot said:

Last season was dreadful for Wigan. They've been thoroughly enjoyable to watch this season and a great cup win. I'm not too disheartened at losing fair and square in a play off game.

Agree.  Some "easy" fixes...discipline, practicing goal kicking, finding why Bateman is lacking form.

[Fevrover]

Matt Peat a credit to the game.

[andyscoot]

1 minute ago, ShropshireBull said:

But french is gone and Pearce Paul is going after one more year, Field after two. It actually feels like Wigan have a tiny window with this team before they have to rebuild. 

French will be a big loss (if he goes, it's all gone quiet) but KPP less so.

[Just Browny]

Joking aside, Leuluai has always been a credit to his club and his country as a player and as a human. Wish him the best for his retirement from playing.

[meast]

12 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

The Grand Final isnt going anywhere and nor should it. Leeds will take a good amount as will Saints or Salford who I actually think will sell similar amounts. 

It will be 60,000 plus and will be a great success. Pies havent been to SL Grand Final (with fans) now since 2018 and Leeds first for 5 years.

Don't you ever stop obsessing about crowds?

Enjoy the sport on the field

[StandOffHalf]

Rohan Smith and Matt Peet both gave honest, humble, and fantastic post-match interviews.

[Live after death]

24 minutes ago, Ant said:

Disagree

 

Coming top after 27 rounds is a phenomenal achievement 

Winning a couple of knockout games is less so 

The fear and hatred that Leeds might do it from 5th again.

[StandOffHalf]

10 minutes ago, dkw said:

That's a brilliant 5 minutes of tv, a coach massively emotional, players with fans, players with family. Losing coaches and players showing class. Magnificent television. 

Matt Peet is a class act, turned the interview from being Wigan failed to Leeds succeeding. Been really impressed by him this season. 

Really well said. His compliments and humbleness have a genuine quality.

Both coaches were wonderful post-match.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, Live after death said:

The fear and hatred that Leeds might do it from 5th again.

Fair play to Leeds if they manage to go on and win the Grand Final and take advantage of the system in place.

However people can't then moan when much of the season becomes a procession once teams are safely in the play offs and teams play weakened sides and don't take games seriously.

[Niels]

Peet was being very magnaninous but I think he made a key mistake tonight at half time. French coming out for the second half was an error. He could hardly walk and it seemed to unsettle the defence. 

Also, with a weakened St Helen's side, this was a massive opportunity for Wigan. Leeds were 4/1 at half time so something went badly wrong. 

The sending off didn't really make a difference as it was 14-4 and Wigan did not look like scoring twice by then.

Leeds of course played very well. I think Smith has outcoached both McNamara and Peet. He has installed a great defensive system especially.