I had to settle for watching the game on telly at the weekend. In my opinion we haven't played well for a long time. There seems to be a lot of frustration in our performances, and dare I say it, expectancy to win. I can understand us being confident, but I do fear complacency could soon start creeping in. The game itself really was tit for tat, and the less biased fans would have seen that, with both sides having sly shots at each other. It doesn't matter who started it on the day, because the bad blood started on the day Mick Nanyn kicked the levelling conversion at POR.
Another thing to consider, is that you don't always have to play rugby in its purest form! The physical aggression, and indeed rule breaking are part of the game. The dark arts have been around for as long as the game itself, and I for one really don't mind it. It's all about planting the seed of doubt in an opponents mind, doing things that they'll remember next time round. It's all part of imposing superiority, as nasty as it is, but those psychological victories are just as important as playing free flowing, off the cuff rugby.
All in all, I think everyone needs to stop with all the,'you started it', caper, and accept that it is part and parcel, regardless of this new breed of purists declaring that it isn't anymore.

Everybody wants to win with classy long range tries, and Harlem globetrotter style plays every week, but I have admiration for the guys who know just how far to go in order to wind the opposition up.
This is the best Leigh side I've seen in my years watching the club, IMO better in a lot of ways than the Fev side that dominated for a few years. If we could manage a game like they could when they had Finn, as well as do what we do now, we would be almost perfect. It's okay saying,'if we play for 80 mins and everything sticks, somebody's gonna get a pasting', but equally we could have that shocker where nowt goes to hand and we get a hiding ourselves. I feel one of the two will happen against wire in the cup.

I know exactly what you're saying, Rennie, in regards to the darker arts of the game - and of course it's part of the game and always has been.

But Leigh need to get the balance right at the moment. We've got too many wind-up merchants and players that play without brain engaged.

But, as for form. Second half last week at Wakey and then for most of the match against Fev, I believe we're getting back to some fluency. We could have put 40 odd on Fev, easily.

Higham will be a great addition too.

In the last three games the major flare ups have all occurred when Leigh have had the ball, within inches of the opposition line and, despite all the cards that resulted, all three have resulted in penalties to Leigh. Even the Tom Armstrong sending off against Halifax happened when he had the ball and was trying to get up and play it. If the referees are not going to referee the play the ball correctly what can players do?

Get sent off or sin binned, apparently its all part of the game

Both times against Halifax when players ended up getting carded and Leigh had the ball the penalties went to Fax. On both occasions it came from Leigh players taking heavy tackles and losing their tempers. Armstrong took a heavy tackle from Saltonstall and Haggerty took a heavy tackle from Calahane both of which are clearly fair tackles, both players then lost their rag.

Come on, GFB. Seriously?

I will look at the incidents again later, but are you trying to tell us that routine, fair, hard tackles were the main reason behind such commotions?


EDIT: I have had another look now and if you're saying there wasn't even a hint of niggle in the ruck from Fax, then we're all wasting our time having polite chats on here.

Armstrong and Haggerty reacted to the niggle (rightly or wrongly) and the rest is history.

The question? is Reffy is it Leigh has a team or individuals.The "all in" I don't have a problem with,but is it the same individuals who keep creating the "all in".. That for me is what needs addressing.

Well you are right I have just rewatched the second half on Centurion TV.

The Haggerty incident starts at 1 hour 30mins on the video.

Re the Armstrong incident I don't think his head connected with the Fax player although he pretended it did. ie the Fax player pretended it did.

You are correct Atomic, it is the same players but surprisingly the culprits aren't in the pack. At the end of the day I think the forwards respect each other even if they do a give and take a smack. It is mainly the backs, some of whom take it as an insult that a lesser being has tackled them.

paul wood gets dismissed on 27 min's for gouging a leigh player and the fev fans are calling the leigh team thugs......you could not make it up.....could you....

Watch it carefully, there is no gouge.

Woody does have an injury consistent with being gouged though.