What we have to watch out for on Friday is the ball-stealing tactic of Leeds. Every time we play them, they seem to have 3 in the tackle and very cleverly knock the ball out. It's something that has caught my attention so I hope Noble ( and the ref) will be wary of this.

They definitely targeted Hock earlier in the season and got away with it most times, Noble should get them practicing this in training where 2 or 3 defenders try to strip the ball and the man with it has to try his hardest to keep hold of it.

every team is at it!! Wigan should have been working on this for years not just this season or this week!!

And that makes it right?

Usually when Hock is the ball carrier the call goes against him. As refs know he has a loose carry and is liable to drop the ball. We won't have that problem this weekend.

But Leeds are the best.
2 or three years ago, when we played them at home in wet weather, they raked it out about 6 times (no exaggeration) and since then I've observed it many times.

The ball carrier should take more care of the ball.

Who said anything about right!! It's about gamesmanship which has a place in the game and always has had! don't be nieve! Leeds arnt the best!! Saints are as they do all the things the other clubs do but get penalised the least! Not because the refs are on their side but because they are the most sly! And fair play to em! (or not)

Nicky Kiss and Gary Connolly were good stealers of the ball

Yes, and when someone is head-tackled they should have ducked.

No it's cheating. Plain and simple. More irritating is the fact the ref gets the decision wrong 90% of the time. If the ball comes free in a tackle and it contentious the video ref should adjudicate.

then you really are nieve and clueless! controlling and spoiling the ruck is the most important part of the game!!


no no no no no!! The vid ref spoils the game as it is!! They have 20 replys and still get it wrong!! The last thing the game needs is to be stopped everytime the ball comes out! the men in the middle bottle it enough! if Its contentious surley the refs should be making the big call on the field!! Plus the players are so fit that if we have anymore stops to the game we can do away with interchange!!

Thought this was a thread about leon pryce then

the leeds players hands are on the ball in every tackle, must be trained this way worst team in super league to do it but hey this is leeds the blue eyed boys of rugby league.