Well, I've woken (just about!) this morning, and still feel drained, exhausted and completely overwhelmed by what a great game last night's was.

Tension, controversy, with the outcome not known till the bitter end.

Yes we lost, but neither side deserved to lose. We blew Leeds out of the water (as we've done with so many sides this year) for 20 minutes, but they kept plugging away and were patient. There was definitely an element of been there, done that and their experience in big games got them a win. We came back hard at the end, but it was just not to be.

Is it all doom and gloom now? of course not, we lost by a point in the dying minutes of a game against the current champions. A playoff worthy (and probably better than) the grand final. I suppose it's payback for the playoff game we nicked at their place...

I'd like to say a well done and big pat on the back to the 34 lads that put their bodies on the line for our entertainment. Hopefully Maguire's injury isn't serious, as I don't like to see any serious injuries out there, and that we turn them over at their place.

To our lads, that's part of the game. There's a saying in Aus that you have to lose a GF before you win one... hopefully we'll learn a hell of a lot from that game.

the cold light of day is confiming what most of us thought. we dont have that winning mentality yet purely through lack of experience. a lot of us had said this year is a year to early and with next year additions we will be better placed.
but the same players under pressure cracked, Tuson and J Tompkins who deserved a red card last night and no doubt will be serving a game ban.

I think MM does not learn from his previous interchange mistakes, how Feka was not playing is a mystery. at 14 - 0 up and to then bring Feka on but the facts are Tuson and Prescott are not good enough replacments for fielden and Coley.

Micky Mac also had a terrible no existent game.

plenty to work on for next week

I don't think there's much doubt that there's a lot of work on. A short turnaround too which isn't great, huge 5 days ahead.

We certainly don't have that winning mentality yet, but I'm not totally coonvinced it's due to lack of experience. Some of the players out there have played in several big games, at home this season, and in numerous semi finals in the last few seasons, yet still we can't seem to put these big games to bed.
At some point Maguire will have to coldly assess whether certainly players will ever be capable of taking the next step. as I say, at some point to stop using experience as an excuse and decide whether some players have what it takes mentally to be able to do it in the big games.

It was a great game to watch last night but boy there was some poor mistakes from both sides.

Personally I think we were crap and feel alot better knowing we have an extra 80 minutes to put things right before the semi..

Agree. Some are going on like it was a classic contest with wonderful skills winning the game. For me both sides were average at best and it made for a good match up and exciting game but it did not make for a high quality game. Very basic errors from both teams and I feel that both teams would have been beaten by Hull KR, Wire and Saints had they played like that against them this weekend.

There is plenty of improvement in us, not sure there is in Leeds.

One major concern I have is that, in every big game we play, at least 1 player has an absolute nightmare that costs us dearly, Tomkins last night, Coley vs Leeds etc etc.

These individual performances are costing the team the games and it is crucial that they are not made in any rounds as if they are we will not be in the competition for much longer.

I've considered the result and the events of the game now, after a bad night's sleep and in the cold light of day...

...and it's still as fecking awful as it was last night!

Our line defence is weak, a constant theme this year.

Our defence is probably one of the best in the league, however when put under considerable pressure on our own line we crumble far too easily.

No matter how good you are you will face considerable pressure in any game against Leeds, Saints, Warrington. I just hope Dobson's kicking game is off par next week.

I think that is true if I understand you correctly. It's OK giving a younger player the nod during the season if he trains the house down all week to reward him and make sure the senior pros don't get complacent as they did IMO under Noble but players like Tuson and even Farrell are very inexperienced to be playing in play off or cup games. In fact didn't Maquire simply not bring Tuscon on when we played Leeds in the cup?

As to not picking Feka I think that was down to injury.

Dave

Sensible opinion. It was great rugby league entertainment which had everything, high skills, mistakes, and last minute drama. All the players from both sides are to be congratulated with Leeds showing courage and mental toughness to overcome their injuries and going 14 points down to a rampant Wigan start.

I'm not blaminmg the likes of Tucson or Farrell in any way. I fact I have every confidence in Farrell and he seems pretty unflappable in any game he plays. Contrast that to a certain second rower who had a nightmare last night and probably cost us a place in the grand final last year with his decision making in the final minute at Knowsley Road. Tommy Leualaui is another player who can't claim to be inepxerienced but continually fails to step up in big games. (World cup final excluded, but that hardly did Wigan much good did it?)
At times last night we looked like startled rabbits and need to learn quick. Two years ago I would say we were an inexperienced team but I don't think we can say that any more. the question is how do we ensure the team approaches these games with a 'business as usual' approach in the same way saints and Leeds seem to manage?

As an outsider looking in (Warrington Fan) what I dont understand is why when Deacon went off MM didnt put S Tomkins back in the halves, put Richards at full back and move O'Loughlin or McCorlorum to centre, would have given you more options in the halves because you lost your kicking game when Deacon dissapeared.

Great game though.

Listened to the game on 5 live extra...texting fellow fans with the scores. Was gutted at the result but the fact is that we are just 1 drop goal behind the reigning champs....had Pat not missed with the boot it would be a different storey today. We can still do this! We can and will beat KR.....and we can beat Leeds.Let's face it...the scousers won't choose us incase we beat them at theirs again.

ps....I do blame the result on my performance in the sack last night with my girlfriend!

I said the same at the time, but would have put JT in the centres.

^ at the risk of sounding like a broken record a few of us are astonished that he did not do something like that.