Too much info I have no wish to know about wanes shaved semi

He did for most of the game, really showed up turner (which, I agre, isnt difficult!)

I hate losing, but a small part of me quite enjoyed the way Wigan played. To sustain that intensity and aggression for 80 minutes was impressive.

I thought we could have been a little more intelligent in the way (or rather the times) we moved the ball. But I think Wigan won the game when we had the ball. Ferocious defence. McIlorum was its spearhead, but everyone was involved.

1-1. I think Leeds and Wigan will be seeing plenty more of one another this year.

Briscoe and Watkins were huge misses for Leeds today imo, not just for their attacking threat, but the work they do in helping Leeds get a role on in the mid field. Both are strong and find their front more often and not, and you seem to thrive off quick play the balls. Your replacements for them just didn't have the same physical presence in the tackle, got dominated and Wigan controlled the ruck speed as a result.

Still you were in a hairs breadth of sneaking it at the end, and you made Wigan work for their win!

He does have a face that looks as though he got rejected at the first round auditions for a PG Tips advert

The biggest thing for me was the lack of composure from us with the ball.
The intensity in defence from Wigan was the obvious factor but we still had enough ball and experience out there to overcome it.
It did look like a "game too far" after recent battles but equally I thought we had chances to get more scores on the board
McGuire was very greedy and frustrating imo trying the solo hero stuff too often and ignoring the obvious passes.
Onto the niggle Dudson & Crosby should have been binned at the very least Thaler for me bottled it and although I think Wigan deserved the win the Ref was poor.
What some have missed imo is that the Bradford Pikey hit Bailey 3rd man in at knee level before it all started kicking off & that's what started their hand bags.
Overall we failed to match their line speed and aggression and I thought in the first half especially our ball control was poor.
Fair play the Pies got the win they deserved we move onto the Cod eads next week and hopefully we can bounce back.

I'm wondering what it is Clarkson brings to the squad, never mind getting a run out on the park.

There's no aggression in any of his time on the field, and simply lobbing the ball out from dummy half, with a 50% chance of it being forward is not a good enough return.

We really do need a couple of players out there with a bit of the mongrel in them, to lay the platform for what we are repeatedly reminded by the Sky intelligentsia, is the best back line in the known Universe.

A good old fashioned game, most of the matches in super league seem these days to be glorified touch and pass.
This was a proper high intensity match, unfortunately we came off second best.
I think the winning factor for Wigan was the aggressive nature of the tackling.
We did not tackle with the same venom as Wigan , credit to wane he really motivates the team.
He is obviously is building a siege type mentality at Wigan , every decision a referee gives against Wigan he seems to think is a travesty of justice.
I think his lobbying of match officials at half time is out of order,wane is no doubt copying the Alex Fergusen tactic which was highly successful .
I can't understand the rotation of wingers, although having briscoe in would not have made much difference .
I think next time we meet Wigan we may to have to fight fire with fire and get stuck into them from the word go.
Certainly some of the Wigan pack work on a short fuse,so it would not take long to upset them.
At the moment I think Wigan are slightly ahead of us,our major defect being the lack of a top class hooker. Once aiton is back that will sort that out.
I have a slight worry about some of our pack , we have several gentleman type players. When we could do with a bit more aggression ,which is what tipped the balance for Wigan yesterday .

Spot on. Ablett always plays well in the centres in attack and defence.

Mcguires decline in lack of pace is and has been alarming for a couple of years 5years ago a try nailed on. Thing kylie would have got further than that last night. And I keen minogue in high heels.

We really need to find a pacey half for next season, danny is finished

Rob Burrow?

Wane got it wrong last time around. He elected to attempt to go around Leeds and it didn't work. This time around, with limited resources, he kept the game plan simple. Tough down the middle, good kicks and tackle and get 'up and that them' as quickly as possible. It worked well.

As soon as McIlorum came back on McDermott should have instructed Clarkson to start a fight with him to get both sent off. Leeds would have had a 2 man advantage.
McIlorum is very average with the ball in hand but pretty devastating without it.

Bounce back?

We could probably be worse on Friday against Hull and still win comfortably!

I have to say when he threw that forward pass when we were 25m or so (if i remember rightly) - i think that was when i shouted the most at the TV the whole game. Stevie Ward didn't really offer anything either, but i have to say it felt like Clarkson offered nothing, other than being a physical body on the pitch. Admittedly i do not appreciate all the nuances and subtleties that many of you on here do, having watched many more games (and for much longer than me). But that forward pass did feel like it was a right momentum-halter, coming when it did.

I watched all 7 games at the weekend (kinda started flicking over through the Cas/Wakey Hudds/Bulls games though) and Radford must be close to the sack....along with Mr Harris at Salford.

Radford probably knows this as well.

On the one hand you got to say over the last few weeks Clarkson has done ok at filling in at a difficult time. He did throw one forward but even the best hookers do and having him out there at the start provides us with a solid tackler in the middle compared to if we start with Burrow.

Problem is he never really looks more than 'ok'. Neither does he look like he's going out there with a point to prove or to take his chance to become a regular starter once everyone is fit. Contrast to Achurch in a similar situation several weeks back, he's come in and played with a 'this is my opportunity' style IMO.

I have to say that Wane did remind me / carry himself around like Donkey Kong on the sidelines both during and after the game. It would have been interesting to see what he'd have done if any barrels had gone rolling by...

Remember Pearson took over and promised big things and was trying to take it to GH and Hull fans were flocking over here like dogs with two d*cks......wonder where they've gone?

Yeah, true. I am probably being a bit simplistic in my views. I guess you saying about him only ever being 'ok' is sort of what i am getting at. I know that when i watched the games more casually (ie. sometimes, rather than religiously) i never saw what Ablett or Bailey in particular contributed. Having had a season ticket for 18 months though, i now can see that Ablett is important and that he does offer something. My opinion on Bailey hasn't really altered greatly - sometimes he does offer something that i can see and appreciate, though the last few weeks in particular he hasn't made a positive impression on me.

Clarkson has consistently had a similar impression on me. Kirke did until recently, where i have to say (suprisingly) i have seen and understood why he is involved in the squad - having seen him bash a couple of opponents and also to make some metres having been tackled. But Clarkson has always been a bit 'meh'.

Achurch a 6-7 weeks ago; again i saw why he was now in the team as he looked strong, made metres and was a challenge for the opposition to stop. But the last 2 / 3 games i haven't seen that from him any more.

As i acknowledge, i probably don't see all the minute but significant things they do that a lot of you talk about (very informatively, from my POV) after matches. But also, i have come to see and appreciate Ablett in the last year (having considered him 'pointless' at first) and have seen the contribution and what Kirke and Achurch offer in flashes, and Sutcliffe last season too.

So i am getting better at noticing things! Maybe though having a 'fresher view' i can see some things more clearly than some of you as i am not hyper-analysing all the minute details as much.

Have you looked at his defence over last few games that he has worked on? I would suggest it would be worthwhile.

His defence has improved massively over last few weeks, and he is doing a hell of a lot of work. As much as Delaney, and in truth, those runs you talk of he is actually doing at Delaney level also.

He used to be quite a good looking, or at least noticably human, man when he was at Leeds.

Amazing what an extra 20 years in Wigan can do to a person.

Still resembles an Ape though. Just a younger one, where they have that softer bouncier hair.

I always thought he resembled a very good rugby player. He's also turning into a canny coach.

Not only is he passionate but he can also recognise ways to put off "better" opposition and get the best out of his own players. It won't always work but it gives another string to his bow.