It's not just that warrington have the full package to win the grand final which saints don't quite have.

Thought it was going to be another Leeds v Saints GF after the first 40. Sky team doing the usual ''Warrington have been excellent tonight'' lines, and yes they were......in the 2nd half. Saints lost it from not getting far enough ahead at the break, on balance of play about a 12 point half-time would of been a fairer reflection than the 2 points it actually was. Reminded me of the '07, '08, '09 GF vs Saints. They were in it at half-time, actually the better team and then they just let the game steadily slip out of their grasp in the second half when the opposition upped their game and they couldn't go with them.

As for Wire in the final. Well a tale of two halfs, first comfortably outplayed and got 2 tries through Saints gifting them possesion, otherwise didn't get near the Saints line. Second half they clicked and played the way they can, they managed to get Briers into positions he could do damage as well as stopping Saints making as many yards forward. Throughout the match Wire's defence in their last 20m was very good, mixed in with a bit of sloppiness from Saints at times when up there, which is a problem Leeds do suffer from too at times. McGuire will be back but will it be enough to score the at least 4-5 tries (possibly more?) we'll need to outscore Warrington? If Warrington can produce that defence on the biggest occasion and not get overawed by it being their first GF then Leeds will have a struggle on their hands to get points.

If we defend like last night,they wont get more than 2-3.should be a classic as stevo would say!

I think it will be closer than wembley but wire have the better forwards and if briers brings his kicking boots I fear for us.

We do in that we have the experience and the ability but we don't have the attitude, especially up front. Our forwards go missing at crucial times without James Graham to hound them, and Rush has insisted on playing a half who isn't one with one who is still learning in a pairing that isn't pairing at all, while leaving one true half to rot in the u20s.

Still, personally I am relieved we are not at OT next week. Leeds would have battered us and I couldn't have taken a fourth battering! Wire have been the better team all season and deserved their win.

warrington will offer far more in attack than the one dimensional wigan did last night. Leeds will have to find a way to stop warringtons left hand side, and find a way to score some points, there certainly weren't many cracks at wembley when the game was still close.

Wigans game is so drilled and systematic, you can find ways to deal with it. Warrington are more unpredictable.

I think the game will follow exactly the same pattern as wembley. It will be fairly tight in the first quarter, leeds will huff and puff without really stretching warrington.

Between 55 and 70 minutes is where warrington will score 2 or 3 tries and take the game beyond leeds.

Wigan scored 2 and i thought at times they fluffed chances to go at our right side and Wire have a much quicker centre/wing partnership on that side. Warrington also posess a better attacking kicker in Briers. We will only keep Wire down to 2-3 if we're near perfect with our discipline in defence and aren't giving them piggy backs up field and repeat sets.

Good grief might as well not go next week then judging by some of you lot.

We should be favourites, it's like a home game for us.

I wouldn't go that far, but I'd definitely say its a 50-50 contest.

Leeds have the obvious advantage of the massive GF experience, Wire have the advantage of handing Leeds their backsides on a plate in the last 2 major finals they have met.

I'm not sure that playing in front of 70,000 at Old Trafford is any more intimidating than playing in front of 70,000 at Wembley, so I'm not convinced that Wire will freeze on the day, which is obviously a hope that Leeds' fans may harbour.

It will be a tight contest though, and the real turning point could be the weather - A standard October night in Manchester (rain, rain and a bit more rain), will give Leeds an advantage, as a Sinfield-inspired 80 minute grind, could be your best chance of stopping a Wire side that likes to get on a roll and blow away sides, while playing free running rugby.

Just hope both sides turn up and play to their best, as it would be a shame if either side 'bottled' it and it turned into an anti-climax.

Even if it does rain warrington have the kicking game and the forwards for a slow grind. Tony smith is no stranger to those tactics. Whichever way I look at this it's a warrington win I'm afraid. But you just don't know in sport, and we've been here many times before with leeds, up against it in the grand final. That is the good thing, we will be underdogs again, with warrington hot favourites.

Not for one minute do I think Wire will freeze at Old Trafford, and I don't think many do. What I do know is that the Leeds players are 100% confident in the Old Trafford environment, and will approach the game in a completely different frame of mind to the Challenge Cup final. This is their patch, and they won't let go of the trophy easily.

Having said all that, part of me fears a Warrington win in the manner of our 2007 win. Not many Saints fans or even players considered the fact that they might lose to Leeds that year, Saints just didn't lose Grand Final's back then, or any finals for that matter. Yet we turned up and did a comprehensive job on them. Leeds will have to be wary of that this time.