Watkins was very clearly not right, and Wigan exploited that for the Farrell try. He shouldn't have been on the pitch. You don't win big games by having players so obviously incapacitated still out there. Major coaching error.

Forget the scoreboard, we were second best by a long long way tonight. No lack of effort from the players (but you would expect that wouldn't you at this stage) but so beaten by a team that plays structured attacking rugby which we failed to handle.

Well played Wigan, although I expect Warrington to beat you next week...

Erm...what did BJB do wrong, except taking loads of high-balls, making cover tackles and getting shoved into touch when Watkins passed to him too early?

Agreed. Watkins was still making the tackles and his handling errors were not due to his legs.

Great effort from all the team with special praise for JP, Ablett, Moon and Kirke. In truth we lost our chance this year at Warrington as we needed to get the week off. Both this years finalists benefitted from the extra weeks rest.

I have never said Watkins was right, but the fact of the matter remains that he had little to do with Leeds losing tonight but he will still be picked out as a scapegoat by those incapable of analysing the game properly. Forget all the positive contributions he made and listen to what Eddie and Stevo told you. Embarrassing. Watkins should be applauded for his magnificent effort this evening when several other Leeds players had shockers.

Can't score to save his life

No one is blaming watkins himself, jesus. He probably would have carried on with only one leg if the coach let him. But the coach has a responsibility to make the right decisions for the team.

All this conjecture....''well no one else kept up with achurch's break''...... ''he was still able to make some good tackle'' etc etc. Watch the second half, you can see he's not well enough to be out there in a high intensity game of this nature. I don't say this with hindsight either because i said to my old man at the time after about 10 minutes ''why the f***K is he leaving him out?'' then the tries came and I was livid, because i could see it coming.

McDermott will get the blame for the next few months. Watkins was struggling but so were many others. I don't remember a thread last week saying an unfit McGuire should have been taken off, maybe because he kicked the Winning drop goal. Injuries have caught up with us this season and well done to Wigan, they deserved it tonight.
Now is not the time to blame anyone, but congratulate the whole squad on a great effort.
It cannot be our season every year.
Well done Wigan.

Watkins was spent....really cannot comprehend why Sutcliffe could not have been brought on as a direct replacement.

Sterling effort from the team....hampered by poor coaching decisions: JJB was not fit enough to start and - as usual - baffling useage (or lack of it) with regards to the bench.

Both this years finalists benefitted from having a structured attack and defence, where players don't have to make miracle plays like for example the Ablett spin and break for the Moon try, but don't let that stop you from trotting out your usual tripe...

BTW your mate Kirke had a better game again tonight.

Looking forward to a thread on JJB.

He wasn't the only one though - how Leeds thought they could beat Wigan with players who were not even fit to play Salford defies belief.

You could see it after five minutes of the second half, never taking the ball up, never supporting play, waiting around on the wing, no confidence when the ball did come to him. Not what Watkins usually does. My Mrs said it was like the ghost of Joe Vickery. For me it was more like the ghost of Senior in Cardiff.

Badly in need of a decent hooker and Sutcliffe should have come on for Watkins at half time. Wigan coaching team spotted the weakness and exploited it. I also fear for McGuire next year. Moon JP and Ablett played well to say we had no half backs or hooker tonight.

I thought most of the team just looked very fatigued, rather than actually injured. Watkins wasn't well enough to carry on after a tackle in the first half and JJB went off and never returned from what I recall.