i thought the sending off brought the best out in you. it fired your guys up big time. whos to say if it didnt happen what the out come would have been.

We had started pretty well anyway tbh.

with hull having the week off i always thought it would be a tough start.

they put in a great effort today just a shame they lost,leeds were poor 1st half then came out fired up,it was going to be a tough ask with 12 men but they did there best

That was going through my head as I was walking out of the ground. There is little doubt that after Radford was dismissed the others all found an extra 10-20% playing with a passion and intensity above the usual norm. When a team has a player sent off, it can send them in one of two directions. They either effectively throw the towel in or enter into a seige like mentality, an all-for-one-one-for-all state of mind. Whose to say we would have been able to maintain that level of commitment if say Radford had only been sin-binned for 10 minutes. Although as Paul M says, we had certainly started with fire in our bellies. But maintaining that level of intensity over the course of 80 minutes has been a problem for us for some time now.

Also, wasn't Jordan Turner an unused substitute, which seems a puzzling decision given the "all men to the pumps" scenario.

Finally, why oh why didn't Danny Tickle simply put out a short pass to the supporting Richard Horne 10 minutes from time. Instead of which he threw it straight to Scott Donald. Less than a minute later McGuire was scooting underneath the sticks for the match winner. Instead of being 20-12 in front we found ourselves 18-14 behind. My heart sank as Leeds hit the front as I knew in my guts that the game had gone in that instant.

Still, hats off to each of the 16 (or 15?) players who gave everything they had to pull off what would have been a tremendous victory. Onto the play-offs and bring on our nearest and dearest for what is undoubtedly going to be a tumultuous night at the KC next weekend. Lets hope for a full house and an atmosphere that shows the rest of SL just what the play-offs should be all about.

COME ON YOU MIGHTY BLACK & WHITES

Thoughts on today were these:

Should have won with 12 men as we had enough chances to put them to bed but in the end fatigue made us pay for not taking them.
Radders will be, and should be, disappointed with himself. However any hand wringer who thinks that it's easy to take multiple illegal elbows to the head and not react in the heat of battle should think again.
We scored 2 superb tries and although the halves looked decidedly rusty they will be better next week for having this game under their belts.
Hopefully we've come away reasonably fit and healthy ready for next week. Our pack should be too strong if everyone steps up again.
Finally until the RFL replaces Stuart Cummings fans paying hard earned will continue to have to suffer random decisions, and in today's case random punishments, for the same offences seen from one week to the next.

I think he may well have invited Bailey for just such an engagement after Ian Smith had invited him to leave the field.

The lack of consistency was Agar's beef post-match. Said in the Wigan-Hudds game there was a far worse scuffle and they binned the 2 offenders for 10 minutes.

As was the punishment meted out for the all in brawl against R****s at home. Smith is the worst referee on the circuit bar none.

did he mention the long tackle on delaney without the ball a meter out or the blatent obstruction on ablett for the briscoe try?

the refs are always inconsistant. the calls even themselves out. if radford doent puch bailey repeatedly in the head then the ref can take no action.

thats the difference the man was face down trying to play the ball. there was no scuffle just an attacking. what bailey did happens every game, lauaki is as bad as anyone for it. cunningham did a wakey players eye socket last season. the more wrestling we have in the game the more the players fight to get up.

Do you think that if Bailey hadn't illegally elbowed Radford twice in the head that Radford would have punched him? Serious question.

what they went to the screen for and which proved that tickle and ablett were both running and tangled legs

yeah. please refer to my other post i was amending whilst you posted.

what bailey did happens most sets every game. lauaki is one of the worst ive seen. you watch him every week you must have seen it. cunningham did a wakey players eye socket last season. as i said the more the defence wrestle the more the players fight to get up.

ive seen lauaki punch players on the top of the head with his for arm to get em off him. lets be real about this? honest response would be appreciated?

cos terry albert gets it right all the time?

i think it was obstruction. i deal with it. i was just making the point that the calls are 50/50% for a reason some you get some you dont some are shockers some are baffeling. as much as some refuse to believe it, it happens to all teams.