Listening to the commentry on the final, I heard this phrase a couple of times, that Leeds are getting the rub of the green.
This used to mean that a bounce which could go either way would land in your hands, or a kick would go in off the posts, not out. But I am afraid that nowadays it seems to mean that the ref see's it your way a little too often.

As always, Leeds got the rub of the decisions from Silverwood, just as they did against us. Now I am not saying that we did not throw the first half away, but when it looked like we were on top in the last twenty minutes of the game, there were two identical calls that could have changed the outcome but were conveniently ignored by Silverwood.

With Leeds defending desperately on their own line, the linesman used the phrase,

'every one of them off side, every one'

Each time, the referee said nothing and played on.

This is why so many of us are disillusioned with the sport. We support the most consistent team in Superleague only to be cheated out of a final, again.

Brian Noble said he always thought that it was just sour grapes that Wigan never got the 'rub of the green' until he coached here and realised just how bad it was.

Nuff said.

PS If you are a Leeds fan, justa bout to have a little rant on here, well done, you have bought another trophy from Red Hall. Now go and play nicely until next year.

Plus they got the rub of the green against Catalans (Silverwood again).

what an crappy thread, sounds awful when wigan fans spout this crap

Wigan get the 'rub of the green' quite often also, sometimes it goes against us, swings and roundabouts, move on to next season

Are you guys actually serious?

Did Leeds get the rub of the green against Wigan when everytime Wigan lost the ball in the tackle it was deemed a strip and every time Leeds lost the ball to a strip it was deemed a knock on? The 4 back to back incorrect calls that put Wigan in place to score their second try was Leeds getting the rub was it?

The laying on at the end was the first bit of good fortune Leeds had all game at your place and it was fully deserved as, like it or not, we were much the better team on the day as many of your more grown up posters have been decent enough to admit.

As for against Warrington? I'd say having a perfectly legitimate try ruled out for a forward pass that hadn't happened is actually not getting the rub of the green. Similarly I'd say that Hardaker getting whacked in the face in the tackle where he subsequently lost the ball (leading to Wire's second try) should have been called a penalty - that it wasn't kind of makes a mockery of your bitter little point doesn't it? Or maybe you're talking about when Sinfield was knocked out by a reckless tackle that wasn't even given as a penalty.

Again the better side won.

Wigan were not cheated out of a final. They were beaten by the better side on the day. Warrington were not cheated out of a title, they were beaten in every aspect by a better team on the day. Leeds have not had the rub of the green in any way during this play off series, if anything more poor decisions have gone against us than for us, but this side is a champion side and as such they ignored the injustices that went against them, embraced those in their favour, moved on and won.

Your bitterness is a bit sad really, and your argument holds absolutely no water. Otherwise well done though.

two words -grapes ,sour.we were beaten by a leeds teams that knows how to win big games,i had to stand back and admire the way leeds played,but on saying that we were a nose away from winning,a great game and well done to the worthy champs.we are going in the right direction by getting rid of the overseas players and bringing our own young ones through,it will in the long run be better for the club.we will return next season and it will not be doom and gloom many on here are saying we will be up there in the mix.

Think this was Thaler but yes the DM swinging arm should have resulted in a red card as the panel found him guilty. The Peacock offside as well these were two masive moments in the playoffs which helped Leeds massively.

Leeds earn any rub of the green that comes their way by sheer guts, determination and hard work. I was sat in the Leeds end on Saturday and their fans certainly didn't think they got the best part of Silverwoods decisions. I thought the ref had a pretty fair game tbh.

Overall Leeds win things because they're the best side, it's as simple as that IMO.

I hereby declare the off season formally open.

What a cretin. Do i dare mention that season Wigan were close to being relegated but brought in a few players that took them over the salary cap but they stayed in SL? Did Wigan not get the rub of the green then? No?

I'm a bit perplexed.

Against catalan leeds certainly got a few favourable calls.

But not against wigan or warrington. There were 4 incorrect calls against leeds which lead to wigans second try. In fact the opinion of most neutrals on these boards at the time was that the ref was having a stinker, against leeds.

In the final, the 2 calls in leeds favour i remember was the penalty in the first half to leeds which we kicked when it should have been a knock on, and halls knock on which wasn't picked up, but this was counter balanced by the smack on hardaker by myler which caused the knock on and lead directly to atkins try.

All in all, in either game leeds didn't get any more decisions go in their favour than the opposition did. It's swings and roundabouts as it always is.

Why not? They didn't, but don't let that get in the way.

Crap thread though. Winners make their own luck.

I'm officially distancing myself from this thread.

Are you sure you just don't mean the [isilly[/i season ?!

You're not allowed I'm afraid.

The general rule of RLFANS is that because someone from the team you support embarrasses themselves, then ALL fans of that team will have been saying the same thing if you go onto another board and read about it.

Not my rules, just the way it is.

I really don't think I can take 4 months of this.

I suggest we just close the board down until the end of January?

Really? You were much better on the day? Struck me as a game of two halves where you battered us in the first half, and vice versa the second. But then again, you didn't actually break our defensive line in attack, and looked pretty clueless imo.

But not bitter at all... clearly....

enjoy you well deserved victory

also... MOT

What a load of rubbish! It's a knock out competition and as such who wins it has as much to do with luck, refs calls and so on as the challenge cup.

The team who won the challenge cup was never seen as the best side in any particular year because everyone knew that it was a knock-out competition. It was still always a great thing to win but people managed to keep it in perspective about what it said about a team. That perspective has gone out of the window with the play-offs it seems. It is just another knock out competition.

There have been upsets in the Challenge Cup ever since it has existed. That is the nature of knock out rugby but no one was daft enough to go in and suggest those causing the upset were the best side in the competition that year or necessarily were a great team. Leeds caused an upset two years running and have more in common with Sheffield Eagles than being a great side.

Those who think the play offs are somehow different ought to read the Emperors New Clothes tale by Hans Christian Anderson.

And before any Leeds fan says "sour grapes" I have held this view since 1998 whether Wigan won it or not.

Its topics like this that make me want to cry

It's a great spectator-sport though, just sit back, point & laugh

Except it's a cup competition where finishing higher up the league gives you home advantage, means you need play fewer games and against teams who finished below you and you can lose and still progress - other than that they're identical. Luck and refs calls played a part in Wigan finishing top, it played a part in some of the games Leeds lost sending them down to fifth, they are, in short, a part of each and avery game - to ignore the influence they have on the end of season placings negates your argument IMO.



It's how the season ends and has been for some time. It's not separate at all. The season ends the first weekend in October, not at some point in September. The best analogies that I've seen compare it to a long distance race or a Grand Prix - no one cares who's in front going in to the last lap, it's crossing the finish line that counts and everyone knows where the finish line is.



So the players in this Leeds side who've done it when it counts five times in six years don't make a great side? They've got more in common with a fluke? You're demented. Leeds beating anyone is hardly an upset, sometimes unexpected perhaps, but to compare it to the biggest shock result in the final for as long as I can remember makes a complete mockery of any argument you have. Leeds are the very definition of a great side, a champion side who can win against just about anybody in just about any conditions - there's plenty of evidence to back this up - how do you support your argument?



Those who think the season ends at round 27 need to consult the schedule at the start of each season.



Being wrong for a long time doesn't make you any less wrong.

And the one try they did get...weren't they offside as every team is when defending their own line?

probably, but everyone is offside always, can't be picky about it, sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it goes against you, guess in a 1 point defeat it hurts a little bit more though, but that's life

That opening post is one to treasure

They've been awfully lucky to have won 5 out of the last 6 grand finals and make the last three challenge cup finals. They also must have been lucky to win the WCC on a few occasions as well!

Leeds know the rules and know they don't need to leave too much energy in the weekly rounds. If the rules changed next year back to a first past the post system does anybody seriously think Leeds would finish 5th again? Not a chance in hell! I'm not saying they're purposely losing games but they obviously struggle to find that motivation in the weekly rounds but when push comes to shove they're quite clearly the best side in the league.

I don't understand why some people struggle to acknowledge that. It's a massive source of pride for me that Wigan are the only team in 6 years to beat them in a knock out play off game and that we beat them in a challenge cup final.

Those victories look better and better everytime they take out another Grand final.

Now the season is over I do like fishing. If it were as easy as this, they would call it catching, not fishing.