I think McDermott would like to pick JJB if it's realistic. He along with Sinfield & Peacock is one of our main leaders and he brings more than just what he can do physically. I don't think we'll see Delaney unfortunately so I'd have a straight swap with Singleton at loose (although I think BMc would pick him on the bench and promote Bailey to loose instead).

Looking at the stats. I wouldn't put full confidence in opta, but if I did, 43 missed tackles by Leeds on Friday does not highlight the high intensity defence performance that appeared, or more importantly needed going forward.

Hopefully not, thought he made a good impact from the bench and made some good yards. If Delaney is out, i'd happily see Clarkson at Loose and keep the bench the same. That's assuming JJB isn't injured.

Err, but isn't only official now because they've announced it?

Assuming Delaney is out (He tweeted the other day that he has no luck, sounded like he's a goner) I reckon we'll go;

Hardaker
Jones-Bishop
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Sinfield
McGuire
Leuluai
Burrow
Peacock
Abblett
Jones-Buchannan
Bailey

Kirke
Sutcliffe
Achurch
Clarkson

On the stats, how many mistackles is Wilkins credited for? As from watching must be nearly 10?

They would have announced it last week had Hudds beat them in PO week 1 because last weekend would have been his last home game. As it is, this Friday will be his last home game so it makes sense that the "official" announcement comes this week as I would expect he will get quite a send off come Friday night.

It shows as 7. Thought Wilkin had a great game at the time, didn't realise the missed tackles.

Don't know if you are saying Opta might be undervaluing the missed tackles though, but if so would put an even worse slant on Leeds defence.

I think people have got carried away with a very close tense match, I did too. I watched it again yesterday though, obviously knowing the result this time, and you could see the performance was not great, but I still didn't realise there was that many missed tackles. For me Saints were poor, yet still looked capable of grabbing a try given an opportunity. For 50 minutes Leeds completely dominated that game, and were not tested, yet they only one by one point in the end, which would have been different had Saints scored their goal kick opportunity. Saints also made 33 missed tackles in that game, so that is 76 missed tackles between them. Yet between them, there were only 10 clean breaks in the match.

In the game againts Warrington where Leeds performance was deemed not good, and rightly so, Leeds made 50% less missed tackles, and Warrington missed 50% less tackles than Saints did on Friday, yet the same number of clean breaks were made, and Leeds ended up with 40 points againts them and scored 20 points themselves.

Friday it would appear was a great game for a neutral in how even and tense it was. But in reality both teams were not that great, and would probably have been beaten by the other teams left now in the comp. It needs much needed improvement for this week.

76 missed tackles but an 11-10 scoreline???


absolute rubbish

What the stats dont show is how desperate BOTH teams were to win and how both scrambled back and recovered from clean breaks etc etc.
The numbers dont change my view in that it was a tough entertaining intense sudden death play off game.
Also Gotcha this "would be different IF ST's had kicked their goal" what about Sinfields miss and the Mags no try under the sticks?
Coulda woulda shoulda along with ifs buts and maybes dont/didn't count i enjoyed the game and thought both teams ran their nadgers off and no numbers on paper change that.

Bit concerned by our inabaility to get over the line in our opponents 20m. It has been a concern all year for me, we don't seem to convert those chances all that well. I'm much more comfortable when we are 30 out.
I didn't think the quality of the performance Friday was great from either side, but it was tense.
This Friday we need to get front foot defence from the whistle and get the forwards laying the platform. The announcement of Tomkins departure will surely add to the Wigan intensity and we will need to control things to dampen it.

I agree with you, I said that above. But I, like you, are ignoring the facts that in reality both teams were not that good.

7 sounds about right.

He put some nice passes on etc.

But Leeds were right to run at him. I can recall Ablett (on a couple of occasions), Zak and Achurch easily bumping him off. Plenty of metres were made running at him.

I look at that bench and it gives me some hope as a Wigan fan. Not as strong as Leeds benches in previous years.

That said I think it will be very close on Friday, can't see any team running away with it.

Least we are played for repeat sets.

We do look more comfortable attacking from further out, where the likes of Moon and Watkins have more space.