O’Connor showing he can be an 80min hooker and that you don’t alway need a replacement on the bench, was outstanding in the second half, so much energy in defence.

Lisone needs to be used as an impact prop rather than a starter. Holdroyd did some damage off the bench but I’d rather he started.

I'm not sure it isn't the game plan AC, Smith mentioned last week explicitly about going to look for opportunities rather than waiting for them. It's a game plan to not build momentum and play off that but to play regardless.

What an incredible game it had everything!

Looking forward to the Lot Pod review of this one

Agree with all of this. Regarding the errors, it is incredibly frustrating to watch. Last night, for example, the first half suicidal attempted off loads and attempted miracle passes coming off our line put us under so much pressure. The second half was unreal though. It made the nightmare getting there worth it.

The conserving energy thing and just staying in the game is game plan. I think that clear.

Being willing to pass the ball around is game plan

The errors definitely aren’t, and my problem for most of the first half last night was that most of the errors weren’t coming off high risk plays. Ultimately despite the errors we defended ok, apart from the left edge being disjointed and only conceded two tries (granted some of that was down to wigan being toothless with the ball).

Personally I think we should swap Holroyd and Lisone.

One thing I will add though is I don’t know what else Cam Smith has to do to be in England contention. So much of our good stuff has his fingerprints on it and it’s not like he doesn’t work hard either. Smithies on the other hand is a hard worker but limited footballer and was mostly anonymous last night.

You're right, it is to play regardless - which can be exasparating, but also rewarding. However, playing regardless surely wouldn't incorporate brainless and repeated offside penalties when in good field position, and not being committed to holding the ball in contact - something else Smith mentioned at a recent press conference. I can live with, even welcome, a game plan that might involve throwing a long, wide pass close to our own line. To me it's the individual errors and discipline which is preventing us from being a more consistent threat.

Insane game tbh.
My view of the first half hasn't changed - we were a total shambles.
A team that were at the races (like Warrington were) would have been 30 points ahead at HT and game over.
Thankfully, Wigan were dreadful and we were still in it.

Smith obviously isn't sending the team out with instructions to be terrible in the first half.
But whatever he is saying isn't working.
We're playing the entire first half under pressure, camped in our own half and it is leading to errors and bad decisions.
To be fair, he recognises this and references it in his interviews.
He just needs to fix it now.

Whatever he said at half time last night worked and we looked totally different, particularly Martin and Austin who were unrecognisable from the first half.
The positive is that we have performances like the second half in us and that gives reason to be optimistic.
The negative is that we are massively inconsistent and this game plan will not always work.

Hopefully we can back it up with 2 home games coming up.

Im just not sure how to separate the two as a more casual/relaxed/passive approach seems to inevitably lead to the same mindset in these other areas ie ball control In the ruck though also the example of Handleys offload into Smith's face. The early knock on from Tindall came off poor execution but also forcing the pass under pressure. For me they need to recognise when to play that way and I don't think it's when you've not been in the game and another error invites more energy sapping line defence.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/rugb ... y-26906830 Thought provoking read.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/rugb ... y-26906830 Thought provoking read.

I couldn't make it across to the game last night and watched in TV. After that first half, atrocious continuation of last week's tripe, I almost put I'm a celebrity final on instead of the 2nd half. I didn't and I'm so glad, we turned into the Leeds team that we can be.
I'm not going to dissect it as others on here have already said everything, the only thing I can hope is that 2nd half entertaining Leeds sticks around to play a few games instead of that awful, uninspiring dross that is first half Leeds.

They’re still learning. Being asked to play a very different way. Think we might all agree it’s better than watching 5 drives and a kick?

There is a huge difference between a game plan which involves throwing passes and going for it when it is appropriate and throwing the pass every time, when it isn’t really on.
Fairly clear Smith is not suggesting the second option. The first option is what we did in the second half. In the first half we did the second option. Fairly obvious what the difference is.
Being able to distinguish which is which is some coaching but a lot of it is the players.
On the defence I haven’t ever thought we were that passive, I also don’t think this obsession with flying up and applying pressure is the only way to play or defend.

Overall I would much rather watch a team and support a club who want to play an attractive brand of rugby, that might god forbid encourage people to watch the game. If you want to watch super structured, rush up wrestle defence there are plenty of teams you can watch play that style.

There is more than one way to play, we play a way not many others do. It means there will be inconsistency, there will be frustrating games, halves and runs of form. However, there will be breathtaking games, halves and runs of form.

So much negativity on here. Oh yeah it was a good second half but a quality team would have played that way for 80 mins and been 30 up at half time. Wigan are rubbish. Etc etc

We won the game, against a team near the top, at their home ground, when we were down to 12 for over half the game and were a sub down. Plus we have been in a fairly inconsistent and poor run of games. Just accept that sometimes it will work and it worked last night, when we do that then nobody in the comp can live with us, it is our unique selling point.

One more thing I forgot to mention and hasn't really been over discussed on here. Tetavano, red was harsh in my opinion. It was a penalty and border line yellow at the most
I know they are cracking down on late tackles but they are impossible to eradicate due to the nature of the game, please have some discretion and common sense when dealing with them on the pitch.
Watching an NRL game now and just given a yellow for throwing a punch, can't help feeling that you would get 6 games or more here for that