This.

I hope Gary Hetherington is taking note - "This month is an important one, with games against Catalans Dragons, Wakefield Trinity, Huddersfield Giants and Wigan Warriors, and at its end we will be in a much better position to make an accurate judgement on the performance of all our players, coaching staff and senior management, including myself.... we are not stubborn enough to believe no change is always the best option."

Bloody doom monger, I hope he wasn't allowed to join in the celebrations

i must have missed his email after every other game we lost then, especially the one after the loss to Wakefield away

Indeed that is a great observation. No two teams are alike but all have been overcome. The best team over the season (not least in their four meetings with Leeds) not allowed to perform on the night - albeit coupled with their worst showing.

it was as if Cas were mesmerized by Old Trafford

I don't buy that - no matter how much Powell and others say that Cas underperformed, we simply didn't let them play.

I've just watched the highlights and we blew Cas off the park. They couldn't handle the speed of the game. We kept the tempo relentless in attack and our line speed in defence was possibly as good as I've ever seen.

I'm hearing Castleford made 18 errors according to the stats, many IIRC were unforced errors - I'd describe that as them underperforming. Leeds were very good in these Play-Offs, would still have been hard to beat had CAS turned up.

Honestly, I don't get the idea of unforced errors ... This is RL not tennis, there's always some 80kg+ bloke or three hurtling towards you and a lot of Cas errors came when they were already behind and under pressure from the score/clock

There biggest unforced errors was not taking the two!

In this context unforced may not be the correct term but untypical might better describe Castleford's losing the ball so readily in contact, passes going to ground or in to touch, fumbles at the play the ball etc.

DHM is bang on. The whole point of a forum is to have opinions. The win was brilliant and his record is exceptional. That will not stop me having a dig in the future if I feel that way inclined if we're playing badly in the future, and nor should it. At least one myth has been laid to rest - that we only won previously because Sinfield and/or Peacock were the real coaches.

For whatever reason we seem to be blessed (?) with coaches who polarise views - IMO Tony Smith never got enough credit, DP and Bluey too much and BM seems to be either loved or hated in equal measure.

It does beg the question as to how 2016 was allowed to happen - perfect storm or calamitous management?

The ethos/culture at the club has delivered spectacular results but the results shouldn't mask over its short comings.

Saturday night was a triumph for the club for which all deserve much praise.

Saturday night answered that question. The only reason anyone would still ask is because they put all their eggs in the latter basket.

I need to watch the game again, if I can bring myself to do it. It's always a bit different sober & not from behind the sticks. But Leeds made numerous errors, particularly in the first half, something like 4 in a row on the first tackle. Cas just weren't good enough to exploit it. I'm struggling to think of a period when I thought Cas looked particularly threatening. Whereas Leeds looked dangerous each time they got near our line.

Word of caution to the Cas fans putting a positive spin on the final by saying this season has set things up nicely for winning big next year.

As I see it, the 3 big Lancashire teams will be stronger next year, Leeds and Hull will be just as strong as this year. Opponents will be wise to the Cas style of play and they will return to their usual place of a team vying for a play-off place with the likes of Wakey and Catalans.

Cas have blown their golden opportunity to win the big prize, like Warrington have a couple of times.

And crucially they need a new starting FB, not going to be easy at this time of year to get a good one.

Ah okay , I'll not bother watching then.