Excellent post

In the past, I have not been the biggest fan of Mac's coaching or style of play. We have been inconsistent, rarely look fluent in attack, struggle to create chances in the opposition 20 and some of the tactics have been bewildering (I don't by this "scenario preparation BS).

Regardless of the foregoing, he is in a results driven business and, despite my strong desire to provide testimony to the contrary, I would much rather win a trophy after a questionable season, than play like demigods without winning anything of note. On that basis, I will be his biggest cheerleader from now on.

I can only think of a couple of games where Leeds have played anywhere near the potential of the players they have in the squad. On defence the points conceded is very similar to 2016 so I am not sure the improved defence stands up to scrutiny. In Kallum Watkins you have one of the most outstanding athletes in the game yet he seldom get the opportunity to show his skills its a travesty.

On the final every try came via a kick - Leeds never looked like they had the skills or the set moves to break Cas down. Whilst Eden lost the ball at the last minute the move that led up that was a delight to see.

As I have said before you cannot knock McDermott's record it is second to none - do I really enjoy watching the style of rugby his teams play week in week out - not really its effective but its so dull.

A change of style would be great - maybe you can't have both?

Briscoe's second try wasn't from a kick. Castlefords only try came from a kick. It could be argued that BM saw a weakness in the Cas defence under the high ball which he wanted us to exploit.
You do see a lot more tries from kicks in the modern game though.

It wasn't really conditions that suited well worked tries though was it.

Let's remember back to the start of the season when we wouldn't even kick on the last for apparent fear of conceding a 7 tackle set and were being tackled on the last. Even when we did kick it wasn't deemed that good so to score 3 tries of kicks in a GF (could've been 4 had Watkins grounded his chance) I won't complain.

We played the conditions in the final, that in itself is a joy to watch IMO we did have the skills to break Castleford down, they didn't have the skill to break us down. And you're right evens move was a delight to see, but not in the way you saw it it was a delight to see McGuire save the try from being scored.

Either our attack or defence improved from 2016 - the league position and GF winners rings show that. Our points difference at the end of regular season was -172 in 2016 in 2017 it was +76 and after the super 8s it was +126

Listening to McDs post mactch press conference after the grand final, he talks about how after the cas loss in the third round Gary hetherington was on the phone all weekend saying things need to change and they need to start picking up results and how GH was having to settle the board of directors. (Remember he then gave 4 weeks for a turn around)

McD then said him and Mags had a very difficult conversation the Monday morning.

He said all those conversations were difficult to have and everyone probably got stuff wrong in those conversations. How ever ultimately the result of all those convos was to hold your nerve.

Imagine that pressure he must have been under at that stage. He was told he needed results, and he delivered. 2nd place in the league with only 1 less point than our treble winning season. And then bringing home the grand final as champions.

I truely belive this season was about answering questions and bring home results. Not about playing the most attractive rugby in the league.

I also find it almost laughable how quiet the Doom mongers have been this week.

The performance from Leeds was as good as any final performance apart from 2007 - they stuck to their game plan and delivered. Most neutral commentators have suggest it was worst ever final quality wise, make of that what you will.

The defence improved slightly 100 points over 23 games so a marginal gain on a truly horrific previous year. You cannot compare the Super 8's to the qualifiers in 2016

On the Eden move - I go to games to see great athletes performing to their potential. I am not blinded to a quality move just because Leeds didn't perform it. Everyone is crying out for tries that don't come from kicks - the precision of that move was stunning to see live. If you watch the NRL you can see how much more they work on the precision of these moves and the game is a more attractive spectacle because of it

I make of it that they were all expecting Cas to walk it and got proved wrong.

I agree with you that it was the best GF performance since 2007 - I actually think its my favourite GF win, not for the actual game but the story behind it all.

Yes that Eden no try move was great, McGuire last ditch effort to stop it was better IMHO.

With 2016 the defensive numbers got a real boost towards the end of the regular season when we managed to find a bit of form, get players back, Segeyaro in and back at Kirkstall and drag ourselves up to 9th. The last 7 games we averaged less than 15 points against us, the first 16 games it was almost 30, so maybe more appropriate to say the defence has improved massively from the first half of 2016 when it would crumble.

Wrt points against this season, again just sticking with the opening 23 rounds. Castleford were responsible for nearly a quarter of our points against so whilst we had the well documented Cas problem, against the rest of the league we didn't do too bad overall.

(Points against total 477.....points against vs Cas 118 = 24.7%)