Not having a go per se, I just think people should be wary on bigging him up too much when his decision making and focus in a game can be frustrating. He was looking for the scrap in tackles before the sin bin, rather that going for the gap. The silly offload annoyed me more though, we'd just broke up field after taking the pressure, first tackle, all the chance to make leeds work down their end of the field. Just take the tackle, don't try to be a hero.

I thought we played as well as we were allowed to last night. Leeds were good defensively, we lacked a cutting edge which couldn't be helped due to injuries but tried to open them up.

Defensively we worked over time and showed some desire and pride and gave our all. Unfortunately Leeds are a very good team and sometimes the ball didn't bounce our way.

I was pleased with our performance, we stuck at it and never gave up

i am came away feeling positive, the way i see it is this:

We have looked really solid in defence in the first two games and have just lacked that extra bit of creativity, this was eveident last night when we virtually camped on the leeds line, thi sis mainly due to injuries and it certainly didn't help Obst getting injured just before and forcing Martin to play scrum half.

We have two more points than i thought we would have at this stage and have showed real heart/hunger in the first two games, we have players to come back and we have a nice home game against Salford next.

Here is to a great 2009 for Trinity

I enjoyed the game, Leeds definitely deserved the win but we never gave in.
Defensively both teams were on form, decent Trinity following and a very tough game out of the way that we can look back on respectably.

It was bloody cold though!

Atkins just started punching. If you remember it was just after a kick and
him and ablett were going for a 50/50 ball. Atkins just went crazy and reminded me of Monty Beetham a few years back when he laid into that bloke at cas.

Hope he dosn't get a ban.

I thought he did ok but would have expected a big centre to burst the line and score when running full tilt onto the ball from 8 yards out and being stopped in his tracks by Carl Ablett!!

The match review on Sky sports site is absolutely SPOT ON i think we can come away with our heads held high,Just a pity we gave them 1 stupid try cos at that time of the match we were on top, But 2pts from 2 very hard games will do for me & JK i would imagine

I can't too much vodka and I've slept since then! I know it was a bit of a brawl but I thought a Wakey player not sure who had gone in with the knees but I am more than likely wrong.

think ryan had a good game. can see him doing well this year. don't think he started punching for no reason.

Agreed. I like the 'aggression' in him - if he keeps that aggression, but finds a little more discipline with it - he'll play for England this year!

I certainly enjoyed it...you never stopped trying and but for a couple of great last ditch tackles right on the try line..one by Peackock was a thriller and worth the entry price alone...it would have been touch and go for us.

Great scambling defence by our lads at times. Drew was a constant threat without ever getting the bounce of the ball but we seemed to contain the other perceived threats.

The major point IMO is we have managed 4 points ..top of the league.. and Manly will not have learned a great deal about us they didnt already know.

Best to build up to the WCC game slowly and not risk players unnecessarily.

think you are right about that. for us to go there with all our injuries, one part timer, lose a man for 10 mins, play the world champions and come away with those results. if i was the leeds coach i would be worried this morning.well done all of them. great effort.

Read the above comments...I think Bluey knows exactly what he is doing...

Not the result we would have liked, but I think as other people have said the effort of the players can't be faulted. We were coming off a 5 day turnaround (after a hard away win at Wigan) and down to the bare bones.

Leeds on the other hand were coming into their second home game after a week turnaround and although Senior and Sinfield were out of last weeks team, Buderus and Bailey came in (not bad replacements albeit in different positions).

I find it funny how last week nobody mentioned understrength Leeds and commended the Crusaders on their second half showing, but this week as its Wakey, suddenly an understrength Leeds has done well to win!!!

[url=http://leeds.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1125Southstanders Report[/url

Not a bad effort, but 'a side devastated by injuries'???? I'm sure he meant to say Wakefield when he wrote that line!

It seems that because some of injuries are to the 'squad' members, people don't see them as seriously, but if you first player is out, then you turn to your squad members, when they are out, your turn to part-timers - geddit???

think that if we hadn't gifted leeds the 2 first half tries then it would have been very different..ref had to speak with bailey 3 times..and the "knees in" definately deserved the sin bin. i think that the attitude was summed up by olly w when he was completely out of it with blood streaming down his face and still wanting to stay on !!! great performance and if we can keep this up the season might not finnish as early as usual..here's hoping !!

Good job your not our coach then isn't it.

Don't think he'll be worrying, far from it in all honesty, the Leeds defence last night was immaculate, 3 times they held us up or stopped us inches short. The Aussies are hardly renound for playing breath taking attacking rugby league so I think last night will have been a good hit out for the Rhinos, due to injuries we missed our most creative players but we made the breaks through hard work and determination. Drew was superb and offered the sort of threat that the likes of Matt Orford will offer next week (although Orford is slightly younger!). OK we're not as good as Manly but we gave the Leeds side a good hard game and they'll be greatful for that imho.

Our defence was also superb, the first two tries coming after knock ons on our own line and the third after a blatant forward pass in the play before the try was scored but hey ho these things happen and I'm sure we'll get a call at some point this season.

Positives:

- Drew - excellent game.
- Grix - tireless display.
- Aktins, looked very strong and made some good runs.
- Good team spirit.
- Good line defence, looked organised when defending.
- Excellent work rate and fitness looked good.

Negatives:

- Real lack of any go forward, we urgently need TWO big front rowers ASAP.
- Jay Pitts looked completely out of his depth and seemed to have trouble bending his back.
- Bibey, sorry went hiding when we needed some go forward - useless lump IMHO, sorry but he's got the frame of a giant and the heart of a shrew. Simply not SL standard. Putting far too much pressure on Wilkes and Stosic.
- Poor ball retention, needs improving.
- Discipline, needs to improve.
- Silly penalties - still giving away silly needless pens and piggy backing teams out of their own half far too easily - STILL.


Summary:

We can take a lot of positives from last nights game, but IMHO Leeds were there for the taking. They were very average IMHO last night and although they defended well I don't feel we really went at them. We won't have a better chance of beating Leeds at Headingly as we had last night.

Soft tackling let in big Ali, a silly mistake allowed them to score their second and back to back pens on our own line gifted them their 3rd when in all fairness we were on the back foot.

We lacked go forward and just didn't seem to have anyone other than Drew or Atkins who could break the Leeds line.

I don't think we'd have scored if we were still playing now I'm afriad to say and we were asking far too much from Drew to work behind a back offering no go forward whatsoever.

Disappointing in many ways, but lots of positives to take from it.

I reckon we would have won had Obst played and thats what dissapointed me, we could have beaten them and gift wrapped them two tries. I cant knock the effort and commitment at all but we were so close to winning..

Ifs buts and maybes dont count my friend and an upset never looked likely really.

IMO you were never near winning ..competeing yes... striving yes... scrambling yes... effort yes...

...but succeeding no, you were shown to be short in the pack and out wide as well.

Were you had an edge was around the PTB at times but you couldnt covert this to points.

3 tries to none sums it up for me and however you want to dress it up with what ifs and other excuses .....the 14 margin was spot on...as I predicted on our board.

Don't think you were 14 points better than us, but your defense was top notch. In fact I though both teams defences were good last night.

We deserved at least 1 try but hey ho that's life. Was a good performance by our lads and they did us proud

I stand by statement, Sam Obst doesnt get injured in the warm up for the game and we would have won. There wasnt much between the teams and sam would have made the difference..

I repeat ifs and buts dont count...we would be justified in saying exactly the same with regards to Sinfield.