YEP Jury give their verdicts on ‘that’ Warrington try and preview Leeds Rhinos v Castleford

KATIE BURROWS

After a solid performance against Hull on Thursday, I thought we’d turned a corner and genuinely started to get a bit excited about our hopes for the play-offs becoming a reality.

We put in a strong second-half performance, something we’ve definitely struggled with in recent weeks, improved our discipline and started to look really confident.

But in classic Leeds style we followed it up with a frustrating performance on Sunday. We could (and should) have beaten Warrington – losing out to a drop goal is always hard to take, but we failed to take our chances when it mattered, and let’s not even talk about that Josh Charnley ‘try’.

I did say two wins from the next three games would be a good achievement, and we’re still on track for that.

We welcome Castleford to Headingley on Friday, and I think we have a good chance. Cas have been hit hard by injuries and Covid since the Cup final, so will likely be forced to field a weakened team.

Fingers crossed we can take advantage of that and secure another win.

CHRISTINE KIDD

Playing two games in four days is not ideal but it was disappointing to lose Sunday’s game against Warrington.

A good result against Hull FC on Thursday meant that the players were confident going into the Warrington game.

When the game against Hull needed to go up a gear we had Brad Dwyer on the bench to up the pace and Kruise Leeming moved into the halves as Callum McLelland left the field.

This enabled the Rhinos to take hold of the game and come away with a comfortable victory.

The game against Warrington Wolves on Sunday was a lot closer as both teams were playing their second game in three to four days. This led to a number of unforced errors from both teams. Although there was a controversial try for Warrington the Rhinos could and should still have won. There were some really good performances from a number of players but mistakes were costly.

Next up for the Rhinos are Castleford Tigers. They are struggling at the minute but they are always up for a game against Leeds. Hopefully another win will be on the cards.

ADAM ANDERSON

Another two games down in the past week and we’ve come out with a win and a loss.

The win was a superb turn of fortune against Hull FC with great performances from Brad Dwyer, Richie Myler and Kruise Leeming.

The loss was very unlucky against Warrington Wolves. Aside from the controversial call from the video referee, we had a six-point lead with five minutes to go and should have kept hold of that.

The game management for that final five minutes wasn’t there which was disappointing.

This week we go against Castleford Tigers, who themselves haven’t had any luck, with just one Super League win since May.

Hopefully we can keep the pressure on them and get the two points on Friday.

Luckily, due to Hull KRs loss against Catalans Dragons on Monday, we moved into the play-off spots and hopefully that’s where we can stay now.

GAVIN MILLER

A week of two halves for Leeds. I enjoyed my first away game since 2019 at Hull on Thursday night.

There’s nothing better than getting hugged by strangers as Leeds go over the line and seeing off a decent Hull side away from home. Brad Dwyer by the way… game changer.

Fast forward to Sunday, an exciting, albeit pretty sloppy, game by two teams backing up from big midweek matches.

I thought it was pretty evenly matched, although Warrington were that little quicker at the play the ball and ultimately saw the game out.

It’s a game of fine margins though. If the video ref does his job properly, Tom Briscoe doesn’t inexplicably throw a forward pass and Warrington don’t score whilst down to 12 men, then Leeds win.

Interesting Warrington’s last tackle play before the drop goal was Chris Hill driving the ball down the middle to put them in position.

Leeds in the previous set had Luke Gale – ultimately our one point specialist – running the ball out wide and getting tackled, so Leeds were all over the place.

I think Blake Austin will bring some calm and fluidity to our game management next season, and you could see different results.

On to Cas, not in form, with injuries, so I fully expect to see them raise their game for their cup final on Friday!

MATT FOWLER

One win and one loss. Like most of our season we have seen some real reasons to be optimistic and then some real frustration with errors and game management.

Against Hull we saw the game out very well with real control and looked very good in the second half on the back of great defence in the first half.

The Warrington game was up a level in intensity and great credit to both teams after such a short turnaround.

Warrington fed off our mistakes, we lacked composure in crucial parts of the game and really should have seen the game out given they only had 12 men near the end.

It was a sense of frustration knowing what we can do when we are really focused. Newman’s try was special and should have won us the game.

The video referee call was a huge talking point. In isolation it didn’t cost us the game but those kinds of errors by officials should not be happening.

Up next is Castleford in their Grand Final, who appear to be saving up their players ready for Friday.

It is our fourth game in 15 days and Castleford’s second in five weeks. That’s rugby league in 2021 right there, farcical.

IAN SHARP

Heartbreak on Yorkshire Day and worst of all to be beaten by a side from the dark side of the Pennines.

After a gruelling game last Thursday night over in Hull where we were defending for our lives for long periods of the game, to come away with a win was a tremendous effort, but at the same time, to have to back up three days later is a big ask.

Sunday’s game against Warrington was great to watch, but again included some appalling decisions by the merry whistle-blower.

I get that they can’t get everything 100 per cent right, but the video referee gave a try that clearly was not a try.

All the ground saw that, all the people watching on TV saw it, yet it was not overruled.

The RFL really need to get a grip on this ‘sending up a try or no try’.

I thought the send-off for Sir Kev OBE was very low key and a bit of an insult to be honest.

Castleford Tigers are next up on Friday night – we are all on to make the top-six now I think.

We need to get back to winning ways.

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