As a neutral I've got to say it was a cracking game to watch, and I reckon you just about deserved the win. It could have been greatly different if Wigan had chosen to kick towards Vickery instead of Hall. You have to wonder if they've ever seen Ryan under the high ball. Safe as houses.

I think it was more to with Wigan plying to their Strengths (ie Charnley) rather than Leeds weaknesses. Hall showed he is the Best winger in the country though last night against the guy most likely to get the other wing spot. His 5 mini sidesteps bamboozled Richards and further highlighted how good he is at finishing when he gets a sniff. On another night he could have had a bag full but Wigan defended well.

Nice piece of heads up alert play from Leeds' dummy-half to give Hall that opening opportunity. Not a bad effort from the alleged flat-track bully.

......says it all really. Don't disagree he had a better game, but why are some given continued opportunities to shine or at least perorm as though they deserve a first team shirt, while others only have to make one mistake - or even none at all - and get dropped. Most recently the easy scapegoats appear to be Clarkson and McShane.

"no pace and weak defence"....now if Mr Vickery was the only cover you might be right. Might as well scrap the acadamey team and pointless competition right now.

Moon had lost contact with his right hand on the ball and I think Ian Smith was trying to satisfy himself that he still had enough contact with the left hand as the ball was 'placed' for the try.

One of those that at normal speed is a try 100% of the time but we run the risk of ruling them out when scrutinised to this degree. An abuse of the VR system IMO and I'm surprised Ian Smith (considering his new role) set that standard of proof.

Said as much to my step-son who could not understand the repeated viewings. Without the 'benefit' of a video replay the numerous tries we see disallowed would be given in real time. I wonder how the history of RL would be changed with such scrutiny given to every try 'scored' in the past.

I guess there's no point worrying too much about that at the moment when less than a third of all tries scored this weekend will have to pass the video test.

I know why we have it and how it can add to the theater for audiences but from an integrity point of view I'd only have it for the end of season play-off games where all are televised.

It might be the old 'wear him out at that end of the field' plan. I remember a similar tactic used against Vainikolo in the '04 GF. Never really seen it work though with Hall, Wire tried it in the GF even after BJB dropped the first kick of the night most kicks thereafter strangley went to Hall or Hardaker.

But most of the time spent was on the Hall 'challenge' on Charnley. That and Moon's grounding were obvious and ok after 2 maybe 3 looks, not around double figures. And that's not Leeds tinted glasses on saying it was obviously ok because I thought the other decisions (Hall no try & Farrell try) were both correct.

It was a multi-faceted decision. Onside/offside, the challenge in the air, how the ball came free and finally the grounding. Ultimately I felt Smith was most concerned and spent the most time on the eventual grounding and for the reason I gave earlier.

Smith has been our best video official IMO and it's usually possible to track the thought processes he goes through to come to the usually correct decision.

Edit: Silverwood asked for a ruling on the challenge and grounding.

Replays:

1 - Onside/Offside
2 - Onside/Offside
3 - Challenge and initial view of Grounding
4 - Challenge and initial view of Grounding
5 - Challenge
6 - Challenge and Grounding
7 - Grounding
8 - Challenge (although presumably satisfied at this point) and Grounding
9 - Grounding
10 - Grounding

TRY

Smith always strikes me as a very good video official. I thought there was one angle where there was some hint of daylight between Moon's hand and the ball on grounding.

If he's not certain, then I have no problem with him looking for as long as wants until he is.