Leeds deserved it. The scoreline reflected how the game went. Our kicking game extremely average.



And having watched the game back since, how the hell did Sinfield get motm on the tv?? There was many players on their side who had much better games than him. And one or two on ours.

Players make mistakes. Some of Leeds' most experienced players coughed up the ball inexplicably last night. I can cope with Mose dropping the ball - especially as he has been a tower of strength over the last few games.



What I can't cope with is a halfback who might as well be playing for the opposition for all the help and free tries he's giving them. I backed Cunningham when he criticised Walsh's teammates for not protecting him.



But the players can't and won't be held responsible for his shocking standard of play forever. At some point there is going to be a serious row behind the scenes at the club. Fierce competitors like Walmsley, Roby and company just aren't going to put up with Walsh's inability to recover his form for much longer.

In the first 20 minutes Leeds were too good for you in all departments. It was not just the offloading aspect to our game, but we played at speed in attack and defense that kept you out of our half totally for this period. We also made clean breaks and tackle busts that made the offloads difficult to handle.



Credit to Saints for coming back but you need a game plan that is not just bashing up the middle with the big forwards.

One thing I will say is that I'm getting completely fed up with the way our forwards are handling Leeds' geriatric front row.



I'll never forget the time Kevin Ward played his last game against Australia at Wembley. At the time he was, maybe 36, and still playing very well for Saints.



I can't remember who was coaching Australia back then but I remember him saying something like,[i "a guy that age has no place on a rugby pitch"[/i. From the first minute to the last their younger forwards smashed Ward every time he took the ball. By half time he looked like an old man - finished.



Peacock is a great player. But if you aren't smashing 35 year old forwards every time they take the ball you really are behind the IQ curve. There's certainly no excuse for the treatment we gave KL.



Last night it was only when Mose arrived in his first spell and actually began targeting Leeds' props that we finally began to wake up. It really is frustrating seeing so many fans obsessing over Leeds' first twenty minutes when it is patently obvious that it's impossible for them to keep up such a pace.



Leeds know Saints' big forwards burn fuel quickly. But they also know we are not a high-scoring team. Their entire strategy is entirely dependent on focusing enormous energy early on to get two or three scores ahead. At that point they know we aren't likely to score four or five tries on the bounce. Other Saints' sides could. But not this one.



To be fair, Saints seemed to cope much better last night and our scrambling defence prevented them from going out of sight. But the one thing we couldn't overcome was our walking 14-point handicap.



But if I were Cunningham I'd have a serious word with Walmsley, Amor, Masoe and company about their ridiculous reverence for Peacock and KL. The Aussies never show any respect for age. Just look at some of the treatment dished out to guys like Wille Mason as the years rolled by.



If Peacock isn't leaving the pitch feeling his age and four score years then something is going wrong.

Contrast that with Tony Smiths post match interview.

Peacock isn't just another forward in his mid 30's, he's a modern legend of the game both for club and country. An inspirational leader who is 'still' head and shoulders above most forwards in SL.



You have to be gracious in victory, but you should also be gracious in defeat. Leeds are better than us this season. That doesn't mean we can't beat them but you have to acknowledge they are a fantastic side.



It's up to Cunningham and co to come up with a game plan to beat them.

A couple of years ago Wigan had beaten Leeds in the Superleague semi final at Wigan on a Friday. The next day Wigan were playing their u19's Grand Final v Leeds at Headingley. As we were walking onto the ground Shaun Wane was talking to Peacock. "How are you Jamie"? "Sore Waney" replied Peacock. "Good, we did our job" said Wane. They then put their arms around one another and laughed.

No one beats old Father Time. If Peacock could he wouldn't be retiring.

True, but they're hardly carrying him like we're carrying one or two of ours. He's leading from the front and he could still go out with a challenge cup and league winners medal yet.

He's being ALLOWED to lead from the front. Whereas Leeds have worked hard to execute a tactical plan which keeps the ball in play for as much as possible - thus tiring out our big guys we really have done very little to pick apart the weaknesses in their side.



We know they exist because other sides have exploited them (Warrington being the most obvious example). It's saying something when our forwards are tiring quicker than guys who are close to TEN YEARS older than them.



I certainly think we've shown their forwards far too much respect. We have a big and powerful pack which really should be concentrating on smashing the opposition on or behind the advantage line. Standing back and allowing guys like Peacock to run onto our defensive line is crazy. We should be making them FEEL their age.



Why Walsh wasn't kicking for territory instead of down Hardaker's throat is a complete mystery.

Our pack is very big like you say but 3 times this season against Leeds they've failed to overawe them. That's no coincidence unfortunately.



It's difficult to win week in week out in SL with injuries, form etc I'm not convinced that Wire have their number. In a Play off game or a final, Leeds would tear them a new one.



I'm not downbeat though mate. They're an ageing team and yet we've got Walmsley, Savelio and a few other who will be around for a long time yet

Our pack has come secound best many times this year and isn't as good as some make it out to be. It's a good pack but by no means what some say it is. We've struggled to get out of our own half Many times this year.