When JP limped off, it looked like the season and game had gone with him but then......

What an absolutely sensational display from our pack!

Bailey was my MOM - what a leader! The muppets on here who knock him (mostly from other sides) don't have a clue what they are on about - keep up this form and he should be a cert for the tri-nations!

JJB had arguably his best game of the season just when we needed it

Leuluai - Gees - What did he have for his tea!? - He was unbelievable going forward - the Wolves boys won't sleep much tonight with all the bumps and bruises they got from him. A man mountain!!

Kirke - Superb. Ran it in hard all night and got no protection from Thaler. His head will probably still rolling round on the turf!

Beastwood too put in a good shift.

What a marker we put down tonight. The season was on the line. Warrington came here full of confidence and some big names in that pack. And we owned them!!!

The reports of the Rhinos demise have been grossly exaggerated.

Bring on the Bulls*it!!

Did Kirke win a collision?

I wouldn't say the season was on the line, but it was the start of 3 big games.

Win the next 2 and we should be 4th and in the CC semi.

I thought that Kirke was immense tonight, he ran hard all night, so i don't understand what your getting at?

I also thought that Bailey was outstanding, his footwork on attack tonight was fantastic

IMO thats the best shift put in by our pack of forwards this season, and in adversity too as we played without JP for 75 minutes and Clarkson for all the 2nd half

Not really. And Eastwood was, understandably, well off the pace. but the rest of the forwards were absolutely superb, especially Kylie and Ablett.

We were suicidal for the first 12 mins handing them the ball inside our 40 on every turnover. But the defence was much more solid than of late. The next 58 minutes were were very dominant against a very good side. In fact, much more dominant than the score suggests.

In the final ten we tired due to the 1st twelve mins and being two men down but that doesn't take the gloss off.

Bluey was on the radio whilst I was driving to t'match. He said this was our 1st home game against top four opposition this year and he expected us to be much more up for it. Boy, were we.

He did what he always does. Concedes the collision upon impact.

That pretty much sums it up (apart from your obvious bias against Kirke who had a great game - in the argument you always use for Bailey, successive Leeds coaches have picked him in Grand Final winning teams...he's arguably playing his best rugby for Leeds right now and deserves a bit of credit!)

He didn't concede every collision at all. He got through a hell of a lot of work in attack and defense and he certainly won a lot of his defensive collisions. Give him a break!!!

Honestly Andy, it isn't bias. It's honest observation. I had a guest sat next to me tonight that doesn't usually watch the games with me and we made a point of observing Kirke. He had a couple of nice offloads, one dominant tackle I can recall but he simply concedes the vast majority of collisions.

Nope. I'll call it as I see it.

For instance, Sinfield's passing was atrocious in the first half. I like Sinfield. He's a favourite player and he came good in the 2nd half with some nice off-loads. Does that mean I shouldn't comment upon how bad his passing was? Should I give him a break?

No, and I respect your opinion because you talk a lot of sense normally. However the way you vehemently defend Bailey and criticise Kirke when IMO both have similar attributes shows a hint of bias. Bailey had best game of a very good season tonight but didn't win that many collisions. He probably plays the ball a bit quicker than Kirke but not drastically.

Kirke IMO is an honest pro, the type every squad needs. he doesn't miss many tackles and he isn't work shy. He rarely gets driven backwards in the tackle. He can play prop and second row and has been an integral part of our triple championship winning side.

I sound like his biggest fan - I'm not. I've criticised him in the past. Just think you're being a little harsh.

Kirke was our weakest forward tonight IMO

As for Bailey another good performance from TMFMISL

I thought Kirke had his best game by far of the season, and i think that your being very harsh on him

Kirke is a similar player to Bailey in the fact that some speccies dont often realise what certain players qualities bring to the team, they are not game breakers admittedly, but they certainly compliment the flair players in our side with the un noticed stuff they do

Kirke has played in the last 3 GF's, so both Tony Smith and Bluey's opinions appear to agree that he brings much needed attributes to the side would you not agree?

This is a decent assessment. The only thing I'd add is to steal the words of another. He probably gets more game time at a club like ours than he should. My main frustration is that with his size and physical presence he should be a much more dominant player. He frustrates me, which I will conceded, might, just might, colour, but not cloud, my impeccable judgment