The Hurt
Got home last night about 12 still struggling to handle the fact that we lost .
I kept reading the forums , the match reviews , post match interviews trying to find some solace. But there is none.
I really believed we would win yesterday . In the last two CC finals we played in I doubted we would win but for this one I had really built my self up. To lose like that when we were the better team really hurts.
How many times is the Lance Todd trophy winner from the losing side.
It was so sad to think that Jerry , Leroy and Bruno may end their careers without a CC win they so deserve.
I am left with so many IF’s.
If Fage was not injured we would have won.
If Russell’s hamstring did not limit him we would have won.
If Hill was not injured we would have won.
If Leutele had not misread that tackle we would have won .
If Smithies had been carded we would have won .
If Pryce had not got himself banned for 10 games to be in a better chance of being picked we would have won .
If Tui had his kicking boots on we would have won.
But IF’s don’t really count . We lost . Wigan won and that is all history will say .
The only thing that I can say is that I am proud of the team and the fans for giving 100%.
That commitment was phenomenal and the players were gutted after giving so much .
I cried at the end when McQueen came over at the end .
I would love to thank each player personally.
I would tell them to be professional and go onto to win the grand final .
Someday we will end that drought of silverware .

Feel for you mate.

Had it not been against my team I’d have been rooting for you guys.

You played great but I felt you maybe went a bit too conservative towards the end, a 2 point lead felt very unsafe with the pace we had on the field.

You’ve got the most important thing in a very good coach.

Huddersfield will be in more big games in the coming years.

Hope you still had a decent day.

Yes, couldn't sleep this morning. Just drove back up the M1, loads of scarves and flags for town on the way down. Good luck today. Heartbroken here.

First of all, I want to say the team played well. They gave their all and were unlucky to lose (on any other day, at least 2 of the 4 failed kicks would have succeeded). The closeness of the score thoughout kept it interesting and fairly exciting, but I have to say I didn’t think it was a great game. I know the Giants can play better than that, and I suspect Wigan can too. There was a lack of flair and inventiveness on both sides. In particular, I can’t understand why the Giants persisted in running with the ball on the last tackle – it was obvious fairly early on that it wasn’t going to work, but noone seemed to have the courage to change the game plan. I do remember a couple of up and unders, but not a single grubber kick into the in-goal area, nor a cross-field kick to the opposite winger - I suspect it may have been different if Theo Fages was available. Never mind – the experience of playing in front of a really big crowd will be useful and something to remember for all the players.

I was a Giants' fan for the day and really felt you guys. I think the kick for the winning try is perhaps something you should have tried during the game but what will be will be. I hope nobody lays the blame at Tui's feet because this is the guy who has really lifted you into serious challengers in both cup and league. There's still plenty to play for and whilst I hope its the Black and Whites who win some silverware I would be more than happy for it to be you. Good luck for the rest of the season.

I think the game plan was down to the players available- Russell was playing with a hamstring injury, and no fages.I think the decision was to play it safe as if if French or field or Marshall got the ball in space via a break we would likely concede as only senior really has any pace in our side, and also with a short pitch and Short in goal area it was to avoid giving 7 tackle sets.

Imagine losing a grand final in the last second when u have been the better team throughout. Trust me, as Wigan fans we know what you are going through. But don’t get too downhearted as just like ourselves… your day will come. Keep the faith.

I hope so, I really do.

The difference is you had already tasted victory many times before then, we have not.

I've waited a long time to post having been lambasted for posting that without fages we would really struggle to win. Well we got Wigan on a bad day and still didn't quite win. With Fages we would 100% have won, and it really is so sad that we missed that chance to get silverware. As many neutral fans have pointed out running the ball on the 6th tackle in the last 15 mins was really so stupid. We basically tried not to lose instead of trying to win, we had great ball near their line and didn't even try to score or get another set, just tamely handed the ball over and let them attack us again and again and again. Even when we got the scare with Field being one step away from scoring we still persisted with allowing Wigan to be the only ones attacking while we only defended. I'm very sure Fages would have played it differently and his short kicking game would have got us points or at least repeat sets in those situations.

Still massively proud of the players who gave it 110% just such a shame that we didn't grab that silverware that was there for the taking, 30 years now watching Fartown and the wait continues.

I don’t agree that running the ball on the last was stupid. It was a tactical decision to play to our strengths and negate wigans, we were without our short range kicker in fages, and Russell was playing with a damaged hamstring, on a short pitch with a short in-goal. Giving away 7 tackle sets would have been even more stupid. and those neutral fans are indeed neutral, have seen nothing of us this year and so don’t know our team. It was the right tactical choice IMO.