Don't get so emotional. Its only a game. I know you are upset, we all are dissappointed not to make the final once more but really the odds were heavily against us and as I have said we lost our best chance by losing to Warrington.

I do not know the exact percentages of fitness of our squad but then neither do you. So I refrain from making such medical judgements but I would hazard a guess that there were more than 4 players who were patched up. I note you have not answered my question regarding the coaches decision to play an unfit McGuire last week?

"Second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan was one of the Leeds players who defied injury to play in their biggest game of the season.

He came off eight minutes before half-time and his knee injury could scupper his chances of playing for England in the World Cup.

"He shouldn't have been on the field," McDermott said. "His ligament is hanging on by a thread.

"It's up to Jonesy whether he's available for the World Cup. If it goes, it goes, if not he could do a job."

Straight from the mouth of our coach. Given this knowledge should he have been selected tonight or should we have gone with Achurch or Clarkson starting and Singleton on the bench....

I seem to remember Tony Smith getting a real slating after playing an unfit Keith Senior in the 2005 cup final V Hull FC, I wonder what will happen after this admission by BMD?

I answered clearly when i said "check my previous" posts re-fitness i even said Mags should be on the bench and Sutty starting at 6 with Burrow at 7 and Sinfiled at9/13 when he returned.
As for knowing the %'s were you watching the warm up/game??
It was Clear to a blind Cyclops the 4 who were not even 65% fit that's before we kick off or even 15 minutes in.
You can shrug it off as emotion maybe it's part of it but it was clear to ANYONE who watched that game what we/the Coach got wrong tonight.
Now i'm not saying he should be sacked i've left that in the past but was it really a gamble worth taking even before the bus left Leeds this afternoon?
There's no excuse JC it's that simple and even considering that the bench rotation was very poor for a double GF winning Coach.

I said in the week he shouldn't play if he wasn't properly fit and got a sarcastic ''thank you doctor'' response.

[i''Shouldn't have been on the field'' ''ligament hanging by a thread'[/i' from the horses mouth. It wasn't a calculated risk by mcdermott it was outright stupidity.

The amount of players we had injured who suddenly became miraculously available for the playoffs I can't help feel they've been rushed back and as a result have never been properly fit.

Dice was rolled and it came up snake eyes.it was always a big ask and mac wanted as many key players in as possible.backfired tonight but i find it hard to see us turning the tables had singleton,achurch,sutcliffe and clarkson been in from the start.

i can understand BM wanting his big players out there but to play four who were nowhere nearly fit was stupid imo.

but away from that wigan played with structure and a coach who rotated his forwards, kept them fresh and had a hooker and half back who dictated the games.

leeds battled well but never looked like winning.

one more thing. burrow was magnificent at 7. take note please coach

He was rubbish tad. People talk about structure, and Burrow is the exact reason why we don't play with any.

Run so many times and a couple of times you are going to make a break. So many times he ran up his own Harris. His kicking game was shocking. That is why Sinfield should be no where near dummy half after the first three tackles. Unless you have another decent long range kicker, which we don't, then you don't have your only one at the play the ball.

I have been critical of McGuire, and he played on one leg last night, but still looked far more dangerous in a creative fashion than Burrow. But I do agree with the sky team that perhaps McGuire should have been at dummy half.

Well I back our coach. Reckon he knows dam sight more about his squad than a load of keyboard warriors. A proven hooker would be a great addition, but who's available?

And your the sort to accept mediocrity.

It was clear at Easter this coach had it all wrong, and stated then. Why has it being proved right if the coach know best?

I sincerely hope the "ligament hanging by a thread" thing was an exaggeration.

Not going to be calling for the coaches head, but mistakes do seem (emphasis on seem, from the outside) to have been made. And I wouldn't want to think that the health of players with potentially serious injuries was being jeopardised.

That's good - so you will be happy with this season then - bet the players aren't?

Gotcha/Sal wtf are you on about? I'd be unhappy if I were a Hull fan & had watched my team bend over and get royally seen to but I saw my team fight until the final whistle after a tough season. Plus I've had the honour of watching the best player I've ever seen in a Leeds shirt (JP) have an absolute stormer of a season. So yes, I'm happy enough.


To quote big mac 'this season has been the worst he has ever known (as a player or coach) for long term injuries to key players. No, I wouldn't expect the players to be happy with the season, because I'd imagine they don't like being injured. To do what this squad has done - in a salary capped sport - is nothing short of miraculous. I've no doubt that regardless of who we sign/don't sign we'll be in the mix next year. Bring it on

This squad of players have won the last 2 Grand Finals despite having a coach with the tactical nous of a cabbage, and gave their all in the last couple of games to repeat that. The trackback and tackle by Kirk is an example of the great team spirit within the team.

We honestly applaud their efforts and commitments despite the injuries they were carrying, but all teams know that you need to peak in September and too many of our players have lost their sparkle. Ryan Hall and BJB being prime examples. Factor in BMD's baffling decision to leave Watkins on the pitch, and not throw the younger and fresh legs of his subs on earlier, when clearly the team was running on empty, and we were always up against it.

Simply a game too far for us, and it's just a pity it had to be Wigan.

The season is ultimately a disappointment. But for me I think the prior success and the injuries we've had mean that the current coaching staff have earned the right to respond next season. Other opinions will obviously differ. Opinions are like that.

I'm old enough to remember when it was a thrill to get to the John Player semi-finals, but standards and expectations are higher now.

This was, in terms of where we finished in the major competitions, a worse season than the one that saw our previous double-GF winning coach leave the club.