But with 8 minutes to go we were 6 points up andhad momentum. Cas looked to be down and it was the sending off that revived them and our being a man down. You have to agree that this factors were crucial. However I do agree with you that defensive errors gave away a couple of soft scores but in such a high tempo game this can happen to both sides.

Actually, I think there is a confusion about the sending off and the fact he had already been pinned for the holding down. The sending off came from the resulting arguing. Cas moved down field from the original foul, and awarded two further penalties to give them the try scoring opportunity. This is why I personally say the sending off was not the reason we did not win the game.

We had enough field position, and enough ball, to have won that game in the 20 minutes before his sending off, and that's not even considering the first half, as far as I am concerned. It was those brain farts that stopped the win.

We should have been more than 6 points up before Sinfield was sent off. We'd already butchered a routine drop-goal chance when Aiton threw a terrible pass to McGuire, where otherwise McGuire could have popped it over or flicked it on to Sinfield who was waiting in the pocket. There was also a Hardaker break where you'd have backed him to score but he was taken by an excellent Sneyd tackle, but then McGuire messed up the next play where a quick pass blindside would have been a walk-in and we wasted our set of six.

However if Sinfield hadn't been sent off and we were defending with 13 men rather than 12 then obviously we'd have been much more likely to close out the game 6 points up whether or not we scored any more.

Am I the only one who remembers that Sinfield DID attempt a drop goal (about 2 minutes before his sending off) and it was charged down with Hardaker running back to collect for another set of 6?

Or the previous set when 2m out on the 5th, Hardaker tried to crash over from dummy half ala Kieron Cunningham style?

In times gone past we might've done but the team usually wasn't missing as many starters (and if Moon stays on at centre instead of Walters getting caught out we probably still win). I'm not trying to have a pop at Walters because he's done very well since he came in but he did get done there and on one or two other occasions and it happens with the younger guys.

For how good the likes of Sinfield, Burrow, McGuire etc became at winning the tight games they also had the narrow defeats in the 2003 playoffs and CC Final, lost to Bradford in the 2004 playoffs (before gaining revenge) and narrow defeats in the 2005 CC and GF. I'd say this 'golden generation' didn't become good at winning the close games until McClennen took over and at that point they'd already won 2 GF's and WCC.

Even the guys who became experts at winning the close games had to have their failures first, and it's perhaps understandable that with a chunk of them missing a less experienced side came up just short, with a bit of a rookie mistake leading to the winning try.

Surely you are not comparing run of the mill league game with cup finals and semi's?

You are correct to talk of youngsters learning and time, but the comparisons you were making, those previous players were winning those same league matches, Infact winning by big margins in some cases.

Yes Walters made a mistake at Wakefield. But there were chances before that not taken by experienced players. I can't recall other than Wakey where a youngster has made the mistake that cost us either. I think it's the experienced guys who are coming up with uncharacteristic errors and making the failures.

That's the whole point, about tight games not big margins games. This same team strolled past Wakey twice this year.

When this Golden Generation were first hitting heights they drew 5 games in the 2003 & 2004 seasons. In the following 9 seasons Leeds drew 4 games altogether as those tight games became wins.



Yes like I said I wasn't trying to bag the guy but it's impossible to mention the Wakey defeat without mentioning the winning try and what was behind it.

I think Brian deserves a bit of criticism for tonight. Fancy resting so many players in a big local derby.

It was Bradford's last chance to put one over on Leeds for at least a year,maybe longer, and they took it.

However, any calls for McDermott's head would be harsh.

A bigger critisism would be once you get in front with limited time left, why the hell would you then sub Delaney.

Just one look at the bench tonight and jimmy and his bulls would have got all the motivation needed really.

Well I'm glad I spent 4 hours in the car on the m1 and a 150 mile round trip to watch that crap. Bradford were all but still managed to beat us

The kids at half time manned to hold onto the ball so why couldn't the professionals.
The worst thing was the lack of structure or organisation, and no real go to players who can come up with a big play.

We did make breaks but never had the pace to finishthem off

Our attack is dismal, we rarely see any set moves at scrums etc. The skill level in this squad needs improvement.

if we dont beat wolves next week (going into it on the back of 5 poor performances) McDermott should have to answer some questions. you dont pick a squad as thin as that to play the bulls. they showed what they can do when taken lightly last week, so what do we do? the exact same. the mind boggles

After the performance against bradford and London it is time to GO NOW

The week before the Cup final? That could only go well for us.

Best players, worst fans...

Don't blame the coach - blame the players that team should have been good enough

For goodness sake he is the coach he picks the team he coaches them he decides tactics win or lose the buck stops with him .

Yes but as has been said. He put out a team that had a 22 point Lead. In that respect he was doing his job. The players concerned blew it.

Had we never had such a lead, and were constantly chasing, then it would be true, he would be to blame.

God it's embarrassing to be a Leeds fan sometimes with posts like these. IMO McDermott was right to rest a lot of key players ahead of the cup final. In reality winning the hub cap means very little and players like peacock after a big effort against wire needed the rest prior to THE CUP FINAL.

That team were good enough to win today and showed it by being 20 points up at some point. That was a perfect opportunity to play some fringe player and rest a few, against London and people trying to put themselves in a shop window to claim a bench spot. Let's be honest there was plenty of tallent in that team more than enough to win.

Correct.I'm very frustrated we have tossed away 4 points against the bottom 2 sides but some of the reaction is way over the top.The side that played yesterday had internationals and senior squad members throughout and should have comfortably won, and with a 30-8 lead looked like it was going to.

I'm still very confident we will get the job done on saturday and i fully expect when we do that certain posters come on this thread whilst eating some humble pie.

And be replaced by.......?

I think you deserve an award - for the most ridiculous comment ever posted on this board. And there's been strong competition over the last few years!





As has been said many times already this morning by a few sensible posters - blame for yesterday should rest entirely with the players on the field that threw away such a commanding lead.

McDermott got the team selection right IMO. But has been shown time and time again on here, he can't do right with some people. Posters on here cry out for key players to be rested/rotated and Academy players given a chance. So that happens, before A CUP FINAL and we lose what is in the grand scheme of things, a pretty irrelevant game.

So if he'd have gone all out and picked a near full strength team, we end up winning by 50 but at some point Sinfield, or any key player, gets injured - I guarantee you there would be a longer thread than the 'joke' (very aptly titled) one that has so far reached 6 pages. With the same posters bitching and whining that that player shouldn't have played.

Sinfield, Peacock, Burrow and McGuire were never going to play in that game coming a week before Wembley but the rest probably could and arguably should have been selected.

Yet another two points needlessly given away by a club allegedly after top spot.

The club this morning are a laughing stock.

You will of course have statistical evidence to back up your claim?
i suspect that Hull may be even more of a laughing stock after all they haven't a cup final to look forward to or probably even a place in the playoffs.