Fri 27th Sept: SL Eliminator: Salford Red Devils v Leigh Leopards KO 20:00 (Sky)

[17 stone giant]

Congratulations to Big New Leigh, as I always like to call them. They fully deserved their victory. Their defending was superb and they had the creativity when needed. I'm always impressed when I see Moylan play, and I thought he was good again last night. He just looks to me as though he's got that special moment in him. Ipape too was great. I know the defender was unfortunate to slip, but it was still a great break, and the pass was sensational. I could see him looking around for an option, but I wasn't sure if he'd be able to find a support player (Hardaker was probably covered, I think), but then he picked out O'Brien beautifully.

I thought it was a very good game to watch and Salford played their part. They threw everything at Leigh for the whole game, but a combination of maybe not quite being at their best in attack, and Leigh being top drawer in defence, they just couldn't break through. The atmosphere was terrific too.

All in all, a good advert for play-off rugby league.

[MrIzzard]

44 minutes ago, Bod said:

life's too short, let it go.

I AM A ROBOT MY NAME IS KYLE AMORE.

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, MrIzzard said:

I AM A ROBOT MY NAME IS KYLE AMORE.

Amore is the Italian word for 'love' there is no 'e' at the end of his name, just saying.

[Tonka]

Anyone got any updates on Josh Charnley?  Hate seeing injuries like that.

[Tonka]

Never mind, I’ve just googled it

Glad he’s ok 

[bobbruce]

22 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Congratulations to Big New Leigh, as I always like to call them. They fully deserved their victory. Their defending was superb and they had the creativity when needed. I'm always impressed when I see Moylan play, and I thought he was good again last night. He just looks to me as though he's got that special moment in him. Ipape too was great. I know the defender was unfortunate to slip, but it was still a great break, and the pass was sensational. I could see him looking around for an option, but I wasn't sure if he'd be able to find a support player (Hardaker was probably covered, I think), but then he picked out O'Brien beautifully.

I thought it was a very good game to watch and Salford played their part. They threw everything at Leigh for the whole game, but a combination of maybe not quite being at their best in attack, and Leigh being top drawer in defence, they just couldn't break through. The atmosphere was terrific too.

All in all, a good advert for play-off rugby league.

I think that’s a good point both very good teams just Leigh had more game changing individuals. 

[Click]

10 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

 NO disrespect Click, but defences wins matches is something that I have known and coached previously in my time in this game over a very long time, stop the opposition doing what they are good at and that goes a long way to winning.

Leigh and Mr Lam knew exactly what they had to do, just look back a few weeks to Magic, 26 zilch to Leigh stop Sneyd stop Lafai and Macdonald and your home and dry.

 

Yes, we have all heard the phrase "defence wins games" before. Yes Leigh did well on their defence, no one is taking that away from them. 

We are just also saying that Salford's attack was awful.

[MatthewWoody]

What a game, what a game. 

Nothing beats playoff rugby league. 

[Click]

11 hours ago, WN83 said:

The Leigh defence was exceptional in that first half and I'd rather focus on that and focus on the incredible physical effort both sets of players put in at the end of a great game. Wilkin came out with something like 'Salford did nothing' and mentioned them letting down the crowd who turned up and that's wrong. Leigh had to bust a gut to keep them out, so saying that is disrespectful to both sides. 

I watch of loads different sports and I cannot think of one whose pundits would be as negative as him and Tomkins were tonight (both at half time and full time). 

 

 

I agree that we may have some of the most negative pundits of quite a lot of sports.

Doesn't really change what Wilkin said. As great as it was I am sure, to see Salford work really hard in defence - I imagine the crowd would have liked their attack to actually do something during the game rather than not having any shape whatsoever in their attack. 

[StandOffHalf]

1 hour ago, 17 stone giant said:

I didn't interpret it that way. I just thought he was referencing something that some people might say or think about Leigh, as a way of bigging up their current achievements. I perceived it to be a friendly and positive comment, which was said to highlight how well Leigh are doing right now, compared to maybe how things were for them in the past.

Leigh isn't a recognised giant of the game like Wigan or St Helens, but here they are playing brilliantly and in with a shout of reaching and winning the Grand Final. I felt Tomkins was showing appreciation for that achievement, rather than trying to put them down.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just can't see why he'd want or need to be condescending towards Leigh in that moment. He's achieved almost everything in the game and is known as a great player.

Hmm, maybe. Who knows? He did seem a bit peeved though when Leigh beat Saints.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Which game is first next week? Wigan or Rovers? That will affect who I want to win in the Wigan v Leigh game

[DG70]

Fair to say best team won on the night, Lam outmanouvred Rowley tactically and Leigh deserve to be where they are, Salford are probably 2 quality forwards away from having a strong pack and suspect they also need a top winger, haven't really replaced Sio adequately enough.

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

Which game is first next week? Wigan or Rovers? That will affect who I want to win in the Wigan v Leigh game

Hull on Friday night, Wigan on Sat afternoon- BBC2

[bobbruce]

8 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

Which game is first next week? Wigan or Rovers? That will affect who I want to win in the Wigan v Leigh game

I’d imagine Wigan will play first to give a day extra to the final. 

[Harry Stottle]

40 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Hmm, maybe. Who knows? He did seem a bit peeved though when Leigh beat Saints.

A bit peeved, I have heard his dog has been limping all week !

[bobbruce]

3 minutes ago, DG70 said:

Fair to say best team won on the night, Lam outmanouvred Rowley tactically and Leigh deserve to be where they are, Salford are probably 2 quality forwards away from having a strong pack and suspect they also need a top winger, haven't really replaced Sio adequately enough.

Or Burgess. 

[binosh]

33 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

Or Burgess. 

I still think they threw Burgess under the bus for a relatively small misdemeanour, possible it was used to save on wages as he’s certainly a quality winger and they are in short supply none quota.

[LeytherRob]

Cracking game which was a pretty typical defence on top playoff game. Ipape is an absolute beast and if Moylan is retiring I’d rather us go cheaper on the replacement and give Ipape a monster marquee deal to tie him down. The pass at speed for O’Obriens try was world class.

I thought some of the Salford fans really let their club down with behaviour, there looked to be fighting in the South stand with stewards running back and forth for a fair bit of the match then a few hundred charged the field at the end of the game, including a couple of dozen coming to try and goad the Leigh fans. I’m just thankful non of our idiots took the bait as things could’ve gotten ugly. There looked to be nowhere near enough stewards for a crowd of that size and I’d expect a fine incoming for Salford.

[RigbyLuger]

I know it's a minor thing, but where are the adults stopping kids running on the pitch after matches? Not the ones of players (although that's another matter) but random ones getting in the way. Also: flares in the stand. Grow up.

[ATLANTISMAN]

2 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

A bit peeved, I have heard his dog has been limping all week !

Understand that Harry i have 3 and the Staffie gets really peed off when the Dragons lose

[Ullman]

Watched on delay and haven't caught up with the comments on here so I don't what the consensus is but I thought it was an outstanding game, played with real play-off intensity and a great atmosphere.

Credit to both sides but Leigh had just enough of an edge on Salford and deserved the win.

[Worzel]

2 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Hull on Friday night, Wigan on Sat afternoon- BBC2

Hull definitely won’t be playing on Friday night, their season ended in March

[WN83]

Watching Leigh last night and seeing that following just reminded me that for all the daft stuff from Beaumont, he's reinvented that club and it's great to see. I'm from Wigan and now live in Atherton, which is a bit of a no mans land but most people seem to gravitate towards Leigh. I know people who are watching Leigh now and had little interest in the sport previously and that is brilliant to see. 

As a Wiganer, I'm thankful to have another close (extremely close,too close in fact! Ha) rivalry. If we end up playing them in the next week or two though, I will be bricking it! But it'll be a great occasion. 

[Harry Stottle]

33 minutes ago, Worzel said:

Hull definitely won’t be playing on Friday night, their season ended in March

Now now Worzel, just wait till next season you won't be laughing then

[Harry Stottle]

24 minutes ago, WN83 said:

Watching Leigh last night and seeing that following just reminded me that for all the daft stuff from Beaumont, he's reinvented that club and it's great to see. I'm from Wigan and now live in Atherton, which is a bit of a no mans land but most people seem to gravitate towards Leigh. I know people who are watching Leigh now and had little interest in the sport previously and that is brilliant to see. 

As a Wiganer, I'm thankful to have another close (extremely close,too close in fact! Ha) rivalry. If we end up playing them in the next week or two though, I will be bricking it! But it'll be a great occasion. 

Leigh have been playing sudden death play offs for 13 weeks now, could only afford two loses in that time and they have heroically acheived that.

Whoever we play next week will be a week to soon, keeping up doing what they have already acheived is a big ask, there are some battered and bruised bodies and will most probably be without 3 stalwarts of the team in Charnley and Halton definitely and very possibly O'Donnell and we have to see if there are any other casualties at Monday's roll call.

But the team won't roll over to have their bellies tickled, they will give it a go but I can't help but think it is a game to far whoever we play.