I thought Leeds competed well in a game in which the pressure was arguably more on Warrington and their big-money signings after yet another season of massive underachievement. No complaints from me. It is going to take time for some individuals to feel their way into new roles - particularly relating to leadership on-field and kicking responsibilities. On top of that there have been a lot of personnel changes, and it will take time for the team to gel - the same can be said of Warrington who were far from perfect despite picking up the two points (had Leeds been in their position I'm sure someone would have reminded us that we cannot always rely on a kicker having an off-day).

I don't think a lot was on for either side, and it is far too early to criticise our halves for a lack of creativity - Sutcliffe's only just come back from a long spell injured, and McGuire wasn't on long enough. For me, the lack of on-field leadership was the biggest deficiency, and that will be sorted out with time. Looking forward to seeing Falloon, not to mention Stevie Ward coming back. Someone like JJB would have made a big difference in the leadership side of things.

Nice for the team to have things to work on at this stage of the season - no danger of them falling for the hype of the all-conquering treble champions this way.

couldn't watch the game last night, just watched it back now and thought the performance was pretty good on the whole.I think we deserved the result but Warrington were very good in defence and took their chances when they came, the few which we gave them.Expect them to go much better this year.Thought Ferres fitted in nicely for us, Galloway got through some nice work and lilley did well when he came on.Can't really find much to criticise to be honest, just couldn't get the right side of a tight game but signs are good imo.

disappointing for Mcguire hopefully not too serious.

That performance would generally win you 95% of your games, you completely dominated possession, just need 2 things, a better kicker and a true leader.

By the same token I can see the Wolves playing much better (dropping less ball in your 20 metre area for instance) but still losing against a side with better/slicker attacking ideas & execution.

as if you're blaming him for that

The brakes that Burrow put on were quite shocking really. Normally he is so fearless and backs his pace...and he would def have made it to the line if he [uhad[/u backed his pace. (and won us the game). Hardaker needs to put in more practice...and be made to step aside if there is a better goalkicker on the field (Lilley).
The more I see of Lilley the more I like what I see: the kid seems to have it all with the maturity well beyond his tender years to boss players around. For me he deserves a starting slot in the halves against Widnes alongside McGuire (if fit of course). Sutcliffe if not. ... Burrow on the bench assuming Faloon is fit.

Are you suggesting it wasn't his fault?

There is a thread blaming the goal kicking for the loss. Why would Sutcliffe bombing a certain try with poor ball retention not also be a blame? Why would Moon running back inside with people outside bombing another try not be blameable? why would Burrow coming to a stop when a try looked on to the corner with support there not be blameable?

You get four points for a try, you get two for a conversion.

On another day Sutcliffe would have scored; and Moon would have made a better decision.....as for Burrow....go figure.

Love Burrow and his efforts/guile/bodacity, as a rule, can never be questioned even if he does tend to run up his own ass at times.....but.....sorry......can't get over this 'bombing' of a given try. He just had to keep motoring.

Burrow was going to be tackled. The warrington player had the angle and the speed. Burrow isn't a 16 stone forward/back that can fend the defender off those last few metres.

If he continued his route he was about to be tackled, the support player out on the right wasn't really on because there was another warrington defender blocking that line. So burrow could either continue and be tackled, or cut back and have a chance of wrong footing the defender. He took the option that gave him the only chance in that situation of scoring.

Burrow has 15 years game time in the memory bank. His brain was able to quickly judge based on his speed and the angle of the defender he was about to be tackled. It was instinct. To avoid being tackled his angle would have had divert so that he was just running straight toward the touchline rather than the try line. I think people are so used to seeing those little legs drive away from defenders to the try line they just expected to see him whizz in at the corner.

But it wasn't on.

He bombed nothing.

But two conversions are the same as a try

Currie for such a big lad is very very quick and smart beyond his years.

The only way Burrow may have scored looking back is heading for the corner, even then he may have been chased down.

He had no support, that was the main problem, it DM had still been on the field he would have been on his coattails.

Spot on summary.

Those in doubt who maybe waiting for their Specsaver appointment should get close to the screen and look at the highlights on the Rhinos website for proof.

IMO Moon did not bomb a try either. Nothing on outside and he beat several men as he cut inside to create a better chance.

Hardaker missed four points with two very kickable chances.

Sutcliffe did bomb 4 points (would have been 6 if Lilley had been kicking) but I put that down to rustiness not a lack of skill as he was just off the pace in his support run. Great work from Cuthbertson by the way.

Rubbish! No matter how you try to make long elaborate excuses, all Burrow had to do was keep motoring for the corner...he would have made it in IMO, but even if he hadn't he could not be criticised for that.

I'm not sure people would be quite so generous if it had been Achurch in those same shoes !!!! Burrow 'chickened out' ...he can be forgiven to more degree than the likes of a player who has given far less to the team over the years....but he did 'chciken out'

Cuthbertson's offload and Sutcliffe's support run didn't connect perfectly which resulted in the ball being spilled. The support runner will often pull that in but last night was one occasion when he didn't and that happens also.

I agree with those who didn't think Burrow would have held off Currie (Currie and Evans IMO where very good defensively in the centres for Warrington - Watkins easily contained) Warrington's desire on defence was top rate. The one where Penny spilled the kick return (Sutcliffe forcing the error) yet they prevented Briscoe getting near the line from Ferres' quality one handed offload was particularly noteworthy.

Who are you, Stevo? Burrow was never, ever getting over, Currie was eating up the ground on him - Burrow has great acceleration but he's bn nowhere near as quick as Currie at full pace. In retrospect taking the tackle and getting a quick play the ball (or penalty) might have been the better option but I can understand why he checked to look for support.

Mcguire out for 1-2 months. Not good but hope Lilley gets a run at halfback.

Called it.

We had 6 first team players out, were light up front, and were also playing our first league game with no less than 6 debutants. So comments that we "looked average" or "were nothing special" are a little strange..

Anyway, that Leeds performance reminded me of us in 2014 and 2015; get to the opposition 20, have loads of possession and chances, but just can't finish. Our reason was the lack of quality at halfback, what's yours?

Well that night we played 4 halves: one coming back from injury, one going off with injury, one 19 and mainly playing at dummy half, the other has played hooker for the past 4 and a half years so...

Given it was the first game without the Sinfield / peacock influence ,that we lost Mags early and had an injured halfback we didn't do too bad. Also consider the first try wwas worth a look at for obstruction .

Warrington played well and snowing the PTB was a great tactic for them.
We seemed to stop supporting/ offloading and get drawn into bashing it up the middle,without the ability to get a quick pass out ride for the centres to take advantage of any overlap.

The Burrow stopping/ taking the tackle and the dropped ball in good position (was it Sutty?) Were very unlucky and won't happen too often.
Same with the bad goal kick from Zak.

I thought you clunge on for dear life and your scramble saved you. I thought we were unlucky not to get the win. Taking nothing away from your win which was born out of effort, a bit of luck for the obstruction try and individual brilliance to win you the game. (Which I called)

If we have that much territory and ball this season we will win a lot more than we loose.

As I've said I thought you were lucky to get the win, i totally acknowledge you made your own luck and you found a way to win a game where you were run ragged at times and the stats totally back that up.

That's more respect to Wire for doing that.

Has anyone mentioned goal kicking might have been the difference?

Whilst at the game i thought attack wise we still looked in pre-season and a couple of weeks away from being ready having watched it again on T.v my view hasn't changed.
Losing Mags was a big blow especially as Sutty was playing on 1 leg from the 14th minute after the bombed try.
It seems 50/50 split re-Burrows break in the 2nd half it happened right in front of us and imo he'd have just made it or got tackled short and Hall would have had a walk in from dummy half either way i think he got it wrong hitting the breaks.
Also whilst on about the little Dynamo far too often he hit the lead runner in possession or stepped and went the wrong way losing the ball on one occasion when the call was clearly to come right to Ferres/Watkins.
Lilley again looked the real deal but imo he's a better 7 than he is a 9 and controls play better there than RB.
Plenty of positives Galloway was much better ,Ferres was my M.O.M and Singo got stuck right in.
The GK issue i've covered on the rellevant thread and as for Mr Child once again our great sport is getting held back by inept officials who go along consistently being awful to average without repurcussions or more importantly improvement.
Loads we need to improve on and more importantly 1 or 2 positional tweaks are needed imo but at least a lot is fixable rustiness and not lack of quality/talent.
On the Leadership front it will take time but there was enough experience on that pitch to have taken better control and brought a calmness but it didn't happen.

Agree with that Rhinoms.
I'm not too worried. I thought there were times we were starting to look good with Cuthbertson getting some offloads away we just didn't do enough of it.
Sutcliffe was obviously struggling and losing McGuire was a blow. Had he been on I reckon we'd have sneaked a win.
Pleased with Ferres and Galloway.
Unfortunately Burrow, whilst trying hard as always, wasn't particularly effective at anything really.
We appeared to lack direction when McGuire was off. Often we were going sideways when we needed to straighten up and vice-versa, plus our last tackle was generally poor and rushed.
Moon looked very dangerous as did Watkins on the very few occasions he got the ball.

All of this though shouldn't lead to the referee's terrible performance being overlooked. He was utterly terrible. He didn't referee that game, he just let it happen. The holding down and offside rule was consistently ignored by him and the forward pass and high tackle rule applied schizophrenicly. But the crowning turd in the water-pipe was Wire's first try. An obstruction occurred directly in front of him. It should've gone to the video ref. To not send that up to the VR simply isn't good enough. Child is developing a pattern, his games involve an awful lot of holding down and offsides. Be prepared for most of the skill to be taken out of the games he refs thanks to his allowing holding down and offsides. It becomes more of a lottery with him reffing.

Now before any Wire fans get all worked up, I'm not complaining at the result, Wire's hard work and determination kept us out, I'm merely depressed/annoyed that at the very start of the new season the exact same refereeing problems are so starkly evident. Hopefully the other refs have improved otherwise it's going to be another season filled with slow play the balls and dodgy obstruction calls.