Good to grind out a close game for a change against a top side after quite a few glorified training runs, but yet again we struggled against a side that used the rush defence out wide to cut off our "play" and didn't really seem to know what to do at times apart from drive it up the middle. It's happened lots against Warrington, happened against Huddersfield earlier in the season and we struggled last night despite the Whinos missing their two best forwards.



When we go wide we need to make sure we have more than one play which we don't seem to at the moment, especially later in the season.

It is at times like this when you are being crowded out by a rush defence that you need that plan B, it was crying out for Sam being moved to first receiver a few times.



The Leeds defenders on seeing Sam at the start of a move would not have dared to rush up otherwise he would have been through, it would not have been required at every move but the flexibility it would give would get the opposition thinking.

could not agree more.

we have one move and if the defence are playing well enough to nullify it we seem short of options.

If you have spotted this 'one move', surely coaches of every team we have played this season have also, why have they not made plans to stop it and prevent us from scoring ?, maybe we have other moves that you and these other teams we have beaten have not yet 'sussed out'.

Some folk are never happy are they? They moaned that we couldn't close out a tight game. Pats try was a perfect example of the forwards doing a number on their opposite pack and sucking the defenders in, and THEN spreading the ball out wide.



btw. After watching the video again I'm even more convinced that Sams kick was a goal.

Possibly, but we were probably better off with it missing with the time left on the clock. I'd have been a lot more nervous playing a set from our own line after the restart instead of from the dropout. Getting it to go dead was the main thing.

Without wanting to over-egg this pudding, I do agree that against a well marshalled defence we look limited. We had the same problem away at Huddersfield earlier in the season. Able to mix it in the middle, but missing that cutting edge.



There's time yet, but I feel it's unlikely we'll be able to batter our way to the trophies we want by brute force alone. I'm a big fan of Wane, but if he has an Achilles heel, this could be it. We need to 'outfootball' some of these better quality sides, and though Sunday's win was awesome, we haven't done it yet.

Happy with the test that we came through.



I was one of those who wondered if we could "step up" when needed and there is no doubt that we did that on Sunday.



What it DID confirm, however, is that league positions mean nothing.



There was nothing between Wigan and Leeds on the day, despite the relative performances during the season.



A little taster of what to expect come the playoffs.

I agree entirely Brett.. Fascinating game, we are getting better at shutting a game out, but Leeds still offer quite a challenge. Like all sport at the top level, mind games.

But had Leeds played and won their two games in hand (Widnes and Wakefield) they would have been second coming into Sunday's game. The two Leeds games this season have both been full-on encounters with very little between the teams, as can be seen by the aggregate score of 34 - 34.

In order to employ the defence Leeds did all game you have to have a set of very fit and well drilled players. Spotting the tactic doesn't mean you have the players able to defend against it and it follows that poorer sides won't be able to.



I am not convinced it would have been that different if Green had been playing which is what Wane has said as I am sure he would have found his options as limited as the half backs on the day did.

Blake Green has been on fire and is a major contributing factor behind Liam Farrell's rise to prominence this year, coupled with the fact his replacement has played only a couple of first team matches and Matty Smith was nowhere near the levels he's played this year due to returning from injury, leads me to believe that wigan would have scored double the number of tries we posted on Sunday....