I'm okay about it really. We didn't deserve to win.

The game was very poor for me. Neither team played well, we just knocked it on a lot and offered Leeds good field position.

If either team had turned up at their best they would have trounced the other side. Leeds were poor-ish, Wire were shyite.

In 2009 we were fortunate enough to have played Huddersfield, who had a similar lack of finals experience themselves, so that helped us get a grip on the occasion. Leeds, on the other hand, haven't won the cup since 1999, and repeated finals defeats can take their toll on a side. Likewise, their repeated grand final victories allow them to be in their element when another final comes, as they know how to handle the occasion perfectly. For me, it is similar to our own hoodoo against Saints; after one win, we were subsequently able to rack up several.

Can't agree with this......It was a good, tight game of rugby, between two well matched sides. The only difference being Kevin Sinfield.

Put simply, if you were giving marks out of 10 for each player's performance, 33 players would have got 6 or 7 out of 10, Sinfield was a definite big 9.....None of our players raised their game to the level needed to win a Grand Final, or more importantly, Leeds did not allow us to raise our game.

First rule of Rugby League tactics is to stifle the opposition, if you do that you are 80% there.....We didn't stop Sinfield and it sadly told.

Wewere just trumped by a more enthused, more experienced Leeds side. Sorry pal, but I have to disagree with your assessment there.

To me the Wire didn't play thebest we have seen but Leeds didn't allow us and credit to them for what they have achieved. Soreline wise the game was balanced until the last 10 mins when they pulled away. So a tight intense game, but to say Leeds were poor and Wires were , sorry have to disagree.

You just have to read threads from neutrals and they were calling it a brilliant, immense game best GF for years etc.

Were were there, just not good enough.

Thought Leeds were pretty good and stifled Wire when they needed to. Leeds were more composed on the day and won the battle up front over the course of the 80 mins.

Very disappointed because if we had played 10-15% better the game was there to be won. Apologies for the cliche

The long journey home commences sat in Manc airport and thoughts of my next live game on Boxing Day.......

I feel more disappointed today. It must be a delayed reaction. I've been thinking about how close we were to winning the big prize, it really was within our grasp if we had had one better 20 minute session of rugby. Just watching the end of game montage on Sky and thinking it could have been Adrian Morley lifting the Super League trophy, Briers and Westwood coming up to the fans with the trophy at the end and us double winners and assured of a place in history as one of the greatest.

You never know what will happen in the future and if we slide back down next season, players retire and TS leaves we may yet end up looking back at this moment as the closest we got to ever touching the SL title. For many years we looked back at the Jonathan Davies era and missing out on the title to Wigan on points difference as what might have been.

I guess all of us that are Wire fans these days have to be thankful to Simon Moran, Tony Smith and the great players that have worn our jersey, Briers, Morley, Westwood, the Monaghans, Hodgson, Carvell, Waterhouse, these guys have given us something we haven't had for years which is the chance to enjoy a quality set of players play good rugby and have great spirit and pride in the jersey. They have allowed us to have hope of winning the title. Next year will probably be the last chapter of this era of Wires so lets make the most of it and appreciate them and maybe they'll do it.

Maine Road challenge cup semi 1989. Nothing will ever come close........

Now i was just talking about this game, talking of tension at a game, this was the scariest game i've ever been too, i was 10 years old and remember being terrified after the game.

I'd agree with 90% of this. Except I thought Myler played one of his best matches in the P&B and was a constant threat down that left edge. He was our MOM in my opinion by some distance too.

Still gutted, just about to go back to work and it sucks that it can't be corrected til next season. Kicking game and discipline was off, I think both teams made too many errors. Unfortunately as we do, most of them came in our own half.

Congratulations to Leeds. Deserved champions.

Fully agreed, and that's why it's so painful for me.

The people complaining about trouble on Saturday night would have had kittens if they were at the '89 semi.

Family game though innit.

Not true fans.

Absolutely this AL2. I don't know when this 'hangover' is going to wear off, no sign of it abating just yet

Still very gutted but then again I'm only 15 and have been very selfish towards the team this past few day since they have lost. My Dad says that I am too harsh on them and I haven't seen the really bad teams.

I did watch them when they were crap about 10 years ao but didn't really understand what was going on.

I am 100% confident that we will win the the Grand Final next year. mark my word. Each year we keep going one better in the play-offs.

Also, how anyone can say that this Warrington team will not do well next year should be shot a dawn. The team they have there will not go the next 2-3 years without winning a grand final. The oldies will play 10-15 games next year so there will be no problems with the younger ones sliding in for the oldies to be fit and healthy for the business end. TS knows exactly what he is doing and if we think a new signing is needed then he will too.

past the stage of sulking cos the wire have lost an important game..good luck to leeds it was well deserved..one for those who need cheering up just remember what weve won since ts arrival

TS has done great things here but after winning 3 CC the only thing we really want now is the big one

You are so lucky, you are growing up with the best team Warrington has produced in decades. Like my 2 teenage sons, they have seen us win at Wembley 3 times, win a league leaders shield and go to a Grand Final in a matter of 4 years. Many of the older supporters have waited a long time to see a succesful team and during that time have watched some poor Warrington sides, although we have had good teams and been graced with some super players.

Just be patient

too bloody right that lydon drop goal,memories dont think youll ever see a sweetly hit drop goal again

Agreed, sam
I've done precious little sulking, since THAT Wire v Wigan game, decided by THAT decision by Smith. Cost me about £400. Took us at 50/1, preseason.
Leeds played us at our own (expansive) game, and they deserved their win. Maguire, Burrow and Sinfield tore us a new one.
3 CCs in 4 attempts
The hub-cap
Our record in the play-offs is improving
We're getting players "mentioned in dispatches" for the MoS awards
Our lot is quite a happy one.
Gutted? Not a chance

Rewind to early 2009. The Cullen era had ended, Lowes was in charge and appeared to be taking the team nowhere fast.

If somebody then had offered me three Challenge Cup wins, finishing top of the league once and playing some of the most attractive rugby ever seen in SL, but with the price of making Old Trafford and losing all within the next 3½ years I would have ripped their arm out at the socket as I'm sure most (if not all) Wire fans would.

Disappointed rather than gutted about the result, but looking at the amazing ride we've been on in such a short space of time still leaves me buzzing.

Spot on. And if people are still not sure, think about the supporters of clubs like Bradford, Hull KR, Salford, Cas. Plus Saints not winning anything again, and Wigan only getting the LLS. We have had a fantastic year and a brilliant run for the past few seasons. I just hope we can continue next year.

Yeah, all of this is how I'm feeling. I was disappointed that we lost, but I was surprised by how quickly I accepted it and wasn't gutted, because as well as not being the best side on the day I was happy that we had come this far. I sometimes worry that we've been spoiled by this recent form, because I don't want us to turn into a club that moans about how unfair it is that we didn't win everything, given the last decade and a half (that I've been following us since a kid) in which we've won nothing until now. I worried that I would never see a successful Wire side like the ones I heard about from years gone by, and now I have I want to enjoy it while it lasts.

Of course we should try and win as much as possible, but if we manage not to win anything next season we're still vastly better off than we were 10 years ago, and better off than many other clubs in the league - is that really something to complain about?