I may be a 'smart alec ( sic)' but the result does prove it. That and the fact that we found our way around the Giant's 'umbrella', defended well when we were expected to crumble, largely snuffed out B Hodgson and completely snuffed out Robinson, and, finally, found a gap down the middle againt 'the best defence in SL'. Pretty conclusive.

I think we've all seen better teams lose games on the day, so I don't fully agree with that statement. However, I think Warrington's specialist game plan to nullify our threats and remove our defensive dominance made the result a formality. I think the 'double movement' try was a try, but I also think that we'd have lost anyway. We weren't as prepared as Warrington. We didn't play to nullify their attacking threats and their forwards really muscled up big time. Maybe Smith's experience in the CC told? I don't know. I'm really disappointed, course I am. But Hell, credit where it's due.

not sure wether smith out coached us or not having re watching the game, the tale about run out wide to stop our compressed defence i dont buy that, wire only made 1 break on the edges when briers chipped over, granted hicks try came at the end of that but all the other 3 trys were scored in or around the posts, i think errors by individuals in the middle of the defensive pattern was the problem twice robbo was caught out and mathers squirmed though some ordinary defence from fuey, for me the reason wire won was briers kicking game which was spot on.

I've yet to see the game on TV. I suppose I should watch it again.

That i sthe point i was making earlier . there were many things that happened on the day which led to the result. Very few of these were due to coaching. Did Brown coach our attacking kicks to go straight into touch or Kevin Brown to run into a tackle to knacker his knee or antagonise the officials to be sympathetic to Wire no.

Unfortunately either our too sporting fans or their inferiority complex leads us to conclude that thge other team or coach was better than ours. maybe that is the product of none of us being able to remember us being successful, maybe that affects the players as well. maybe we need to win something to give us a bit of arrogance so that we can finally throw that poor little Giants monkey of our back.

We got to the final because we DESERVED to be there.

We are 4th in the league because we deserve to be ther. No luck, no cheating but honest hard work from everyone at the club.

So Smith picked up his tactics from watching Cullen on Boots n' All? Love it.

i agree durham we as a set of fans do seem quick to put ourselves and club down and the end of the day we are not a bad side because weve lost a cup final by 9 points and 1 try more.

I noticed that myself as well actually - though I must admit that I was stunned that the defence fell for it every time. Obviously, if they'd been rushing up on Briers regardless then it would have left a gaping whole for Monas to run through, but even so, I thought they'd have marshalled themselves a little better against it after the first couple of occasions.

Put it down to a learning experience maybe .... also, I wonder if we'll see a similar method of last tackle kick being employed by Wire against HKR this weekend.

I liked that comment too. Great banter.

Nobody's saying we didn't deserve to be there. Nobody's saying Nathan Brown is a plum for losing one game. I agree we didn't get the rub of the green in the first 25 minutes. But they say the harder you work the luckier you get, and Warrington worked bloody hard according to a good game plan.

Me too. I was hoping that the 2nd half would see that issue sorted.

I should point out I still haven't watched the TV coverage of the game yet. I suppose I might watch that and revise my opinion completely! I doubt it though.

We stopped your 2nd phase brilliantly, those little balls on the inside you like to play we shackled them straight away and if you look at your first few sets your struggled to make yards, which the exception of the faiumu forward pass you were unable to cut us open also.

Again, only going to go one way.

You've got the Cup, you deserved the win. Don't come on here spouting crap a few days later, it's poor form.

I am a great believer in the fact that you learn a lot more in defeat than you do in victory. With that in mind I think Saturday's events should stand us in good stead for the rest of the season and the play-offs. For a start, none of the players are going to want the experience of losing a big game again. They will realise how important it is to start well and stop the opposition getting momentum - once Warrington got their couple of tries to go 18-6 up they were so keyed up and determined that they wouldn't get caught. Hopefully next time we'll see ALL our players step up and grab the initiative - heads seem to go when Kev went off and they seemed to be looking around for someone else to make it happen. The game passed a lot of players by - again, they should be determined that this wont happen again.

I'd say that Smith got some things spot on - keeping Briers away from first reciever on the last gave him acres of space to get the kick away - but mostly the difference was in the players when they crossed the white line. Warrington played nervelessly and completely seized the day. Giants seemed to let the occasion get to them and played without the same confidence they showed in the semi. I'm sure it will be different in the next big occassion, we've still got a fantastic chance to win something this season.

I think you're right. I think looking back Nathan and the coaching staff made an error resting the key players againts Saints, it possibly would have been better to have rested against Bradford at home and then try and get a confidence boosting win away at Saints which given their performance that evening was highly likely. It is worrying to hear Brett Hodgson say that it is going to be very tough to raise the players for the playoffs. To be honest, they are paid to do just that and I don't think preparing excuses in advance is going to wash. If we play like we know we can then we have every chance of contesting the grand final, going out on a whimper after such a great season will be far from acceptable.