The "game plan" was obviously designed to stop Cas getting any momentum with the ball. It worked superbly in that regard because the players worked tirelessly and Leeds kicked to the left corner and boxed Luke Dorn in. The Cas kicking game was shocking by contrast. Kicking straight down the field and allowing Briscoe, Haradker and Hall to get Leeds to the 40 nearly every set after 2 tackles. However the main difference was Leeds dominance in the collision. You can say the game plan was "dour" on attack but the easy metres were there on offer every set for Leeds - particularly the first half where the stats were rediculously unballanced. So why not take them?

I think you have to give credit to Cas for Leeds not scoring more points. We did make half breaks and we did look dangerous on both flanks but Cas are a good side and they worked really hard to cover defrend those. What Leeds players didn't do in those situations is force the play and make mistakes - so in that respect maybe Leeds were a little conservative.



As for the subs, maybe Achurch or Singleton would have been more useful on Saturday on the bench instead of Sutcliffe, but I guess the thinking was that Sutcliffe was there for a situation that never occured, where we had to chase the game from behind, or perhaps a situation where Cas were not as comitted defensively.



I also thought Powell made mistakes. Huby was poor selection. He may have not made any glaring errors but the number of times he was left on the floor clearly in pain after a tackle leaving only one marker made him a real liability IMO. Clarke also had too much defence to do, good tactics by Leeds but Powell must have realised Leeds would try and target Clarke to make him defend. However, they did shut down Ablett on the left near the line and they did very carefuly watch Hardaker linking on the right.



In the end we got a dominant perfromance that got the result. Against a less committed defence Leeds could have posted 40 points or more but Cas did defend their line tremendously well.

By the way, what a winey little b**ch Luke Dorn is. Tried to maake up for his lack of metres running with the ball and being dominated in every collision by crawling along the floor after every tackle, bitc**g to the ref and trying to milk a penalty. A headbutt would have been well deserved.

Totally agree Brisbane/DHM.

I've got to say I disagree the tactics were "dour" it was a clear game plan executed to almost perfection resulting in ending a nightmare 15yr wait to get the CC.

Just as in the semi v Wire and ST's earlier in the comp the game-plan was spot on imo and proves the Coach does have plans and structures to implement which btw is very reassuring to see when you consider some of the past efforts but as has been suggested that was then this now and we celebrate an extremely job well done.

FWIW DA/Printer I have no problem at all admitting I was cheering loudly when MC lifted the cup & would never wish a player or coach to fail at our club.

If he's not crawling he's falling over, forwards, after the PTB or pushing and shoving the defender. Proper ****house tactics but Leeds were in his face from the very first tackle and he knew it. He bottled that kick, nothing to do with the sun.

Well I for one know that already.





I only have issues with those that consistently seek out individuals as scapegoats or bleat and moan about what it costs them when the team loses.



Its a team game and they succeed or fail as such. Be part of the team and enjoy the highs and the lows will look after themselves.

DA-Fair point well put!

Do you really think TVOC takes the game [i[uthat[/u[/i seriously?



All the self righteous gloating does not detract from the now validated oberservations that there have been some pish poor performances that were deserving of criticism at the time. Again the team has performed "when it matters" but for the club's sake you have to hope that not [utoo[/u many [ifloating[/i paying spectators will realise this.



I am very pleased for this core group of very special players who have done the club proud in winning achievements; McDermott and Hetherington too deserve their moments of glory. We might not perhaps see this level of success for quite some time and I do feel privelleged to watch them succeed in so many fabulous cup/grand final performances (I started watching Leeds after the 1977 cup final success !!!). It won't last forever and of course some more than other have been prematurely predicting that - maybe I too have been a little too critical about the apparent lack of foresight in anticipating this cyclical fact of a club's rise and fall (something we might even now be seeing in the success model that was Manchester Utd).



For now it is good to see the club and its staff continue to revel in its glory. Long may it continue. Take a salute Sinfield, Burrow, JJB, Peacock, McGuire, Lleualai et all. It is fabulous to have such a winning team (being the operative word) to watch and enjoy.

They've been deserving of criticism maybe but definitely not deserving of the constant, self righteous slagging off and writing off of the team & coach that you and several others have been guilty of for most of the season. Like I said in a different thread a few weeks ago, some of you have very short memories.



I really hope we go on and do the double then cruise to a WCC win but even then you'd still all be moaning and calling for the coach's head if we lose to Wakefield next summer.

In beating the wire and cas, Macs tactics proved to be clinically efficient . Neither Smith or Powell could anything to change the outcome of these games.

Judging by the amount of effort he puts into scapegoating the coach and then arguing the toss when challenged then I think maybe he does.

You have a point. Up to a point. Obviously, an all-conquering team, playing scintillating rugby, is high on everyone's wish list. And criticism can be justified whenever the team plays well below its potential. But I'd argue that winning trophies is the best way the club can sell itself. Our average gate is, what, 15k-ish? But we take a hell of a lot more to OT and Wembley. Presumably a proportion of the extra is encouraged to take a more active interest? And besides, it's not as if we've been dire week in, week out. Everyone admits there have been games where we've been below par but OTOH we've still managed some notable successes against our title rivals.