A second "moral victory" in two years must be very hard to take for players and fans alike. We should probably cut them a little slack whilst they vent their frustration on the officials, the streaker or what ever other scapegoats they want to line up. Truth is if the 2 point margin had been the other way, we'd have probably had quite a few on here having a similar rant. The history books will show we saw off 3 of our all time greats with a treble winning season and for me, whether it was on points difference, or the narrowest of margins, that is enough. It has been a great year to be a Rhino and one that we may well have to cherish for a season or two whilst we rebuild and try to replace the legends who have and will depart. Bring it on

To be honest, the disrespect (if, in reality, there is any) doesn't bother me. I don't need Burgess or any other player to tell me how good or how much class this Leeds team has. In any case, it's likely that only some of each player's comments have been quoted. What point would there be in stating the same thing time after time? Given a choice, I'd rather read the part of an interview that isn't full of platitudes.

O'Loughlin, League Express"What Leeds have achieved this year has been fantastic. They are at the other end of the spectrum to us. We've got quite a young squad but they have a side littered with legends of the game. Kev, JP and Kylie. It's been a pleasure to play with and against some of those blokes and they've been a credit to Leeds and to themselves[/i

Williams and Bowen don't say much that is disrespectful. Bowen simply believes in the youth talent and backs them to win the next three...a little arrogant maybe so. Williams is humble enough to say that he would have laughed at you if you had told him he would be young player of the year and in a GF. Burgess is the one that is disrespectful, whinging about the try without understanding of the rules of Rugby League it seems. Then goes on to say he will be back (After failing in the NRL and missing mummy and daddy I presume) and win everything with Wigan...Wow...When watching the game back I said to the missus that Burgess is actually one the few decent lads Wigan have got...How wrong was I there.

The problem Wigan have isn't producing young players, it's keeping hold of them.

The ones they do produce all seem to be quite keen to get away either to the NRL or to Union.

Contrast with Leeds, who have been able to keep a generation of top players together through a period of enduring success. You're not telling me that at no point were there offers on the table for some of those to move elsewhere.

www.skysports.com/rugby-league/l ... 346/report Interview with Shaun Wane giving full credit to a "Champion side", yep thats some brainwashing job he's doing there, obviously worked on Sean O'Loughlin looking at those quotes. In fact I can't remember one post match interview where he hasn't said how good the opposition are. So in summary why not enjoy your win rather than picking faults in selected comments from disappointed players, 2 of whom won't even be at Wigan next year.

www.skysports.com/rugby-league/l ... 346/report Interview with Shaun Wane giving full credit to a "Champion side", yep thats some brainwashing job he's doing there, obviously worked on Sean O'Loughlin looking at those quotes. In fact I can't remember one post match interview where he hasn't said how good the opposition are. So in summary why not enjoy your win rather than picking faults in selected comments from disappointed players, 2 of whom won't even be at Wigan next year.

That's just directed at the OP BTW, not the majority of the other commenters.

For the next 4 months or so I don't give a flying feck what Wigan fans or players think or so.
Sour grapes, poor sportsmanship, arrogance, chips on shoulders etc...I don't care one iota

They won the same as every other SL club last year...sweet feck all because we've got the lot.
That's enough satisfaction for me

The Sky Sports interview with Brian Carney afterwards, Shaun Wane looked as though he had been crying!

Meh.

I don't really expect players to be gushing with praise for opposition after such a tight close contest. Wigan will be up there for years to come with the players they have. But will they catch the saints old trafford hoodoo bug now they've lost 2 on the trot that they started as favourites for?

Hopefully.

The Wigan fans complaining they took two points for a penalty, how harsh it was in the first place. McIlorum throwing the ball at Watkins who was not getting in the way of play, not in the spirit of the game.
Also like him trying to take Burrow's head off late on, looked a sin binning to me.
What about the late challenge on McGuire also by Farrell after he had scored the try ?
They should have concentrated more on playing the game in the proper manner instead of the bully boy tactics you see from them each week !!

It depends what you read and what you buy into. Many Wigan fans like myself championed Leeds on such a fantastic achievement, a fitting send off for 3 players who have given their all to our game, Peacock is arguably the best prop I've ever seen Sinfield has been so influential and such a key for Leeds it's hard to see past who's offered more to Leeds in their time.

But there's nothing wrong with the Wigan players or fans believing they will go on to great things, a positive mentality and will to win is the starting place for success, you have to believe you can win, to win.

And so they should, surely people have to realistic, can Leeds be as strong next year after losing their 2 most influential players? How on one hand can they be two of the best ever and be instantly replaced? They can't.

Similar to Warrington who have fallen massively from grace still not successfully replacing Briers.

Whereas Wigan are a little different, they need to hold on to their talent, and if they do look how promising the future is.

Gidart
Williams
Hampshire
Bateman
Manfredi
Sarginson
Gelling
Crosby

All under 25 with the likes of

J Tomkins
Liam Farrell (25)
S Tomkins (26)
Lockers
Smith

All internationals. It's hard to see the strengthen of Wigan as a team, and with a positive mentality why shouldn't they back themselves for the future?

That penalty lost them the game, no question about it. I was delighted when they took it. It had the air of a team who thought they were just hammering another nail in the coffin and could just carry on as they were. Poor captaincy, and Sinfield's decision in the exact same situation was telling.

There's a genuine dislike of the Wigan side from the Leeds players, I think Sinfield basically said as much in a fans forum meeting earlier this year. It's not hard to see why.

Thought both teams showed great attitude and guts.

Leeds building a lead, Wigan chipping it back and taking the lead. Classic final.

What blew Wigan out was the Walters score. 1st chance we had of the second half and we took it. you can talk about 'shouldn't have gone for 2' or 'should have' but the difference was executing opportunities. Leeds got back into the lead and looked rock solid. They gave Wigan the task of scoring from deep to win it and they couldn't break our strangle hold.

I've seen plenty of heavy beatings from Wigan in a final, so I'll enjoy this one.

Bit like Burrow running into an offside player in 2011 to dump them out of the play offs. For me, it is in the spirit of a big game. You take whatever you can and give nothing away and play, as much as possible, within the rules. Because make no mistake, what MM did was not cheating in the way that, for example, diving forward at the ptb in order to con the ref would have been.