Grand Final Qualifier - Wigan Warriors 12-13 Leeds Rhinos

[LeedsRhinos]

What a game, what an effort again by the Rhinos to get back to the Grand Final from 5th for the 2nd year in a row.

Great game played in terrible rainy conditions, Sinfield superb again and what defence from the guys!

MARCHING ON TOGETHER, can't wait for the Grand Final! :crazy::crazy:

 

[Captain BF]

Wow! What an exciting game.

Should the ESL page have it's own Paul Cariage thread? The bomb the Wigan fullback dropped combined with the penalty given away by the red-haired 2nd rower just beside the posts. Then to top things off Finchy misses what would have been a score levelling field goal 10-15metres out right in front.

 

[LeedsRhinos]

If St Helens win tommorow against Warrington they have a chance to lose 6 grand finals in a row and 5 of them to the same team

I hope St Helens do win, they've proven they can't win the big game.

 

[nzwarriorskuz]

If St Helens win tommorow against Warrington they have a chance to lose 6 grand finals in a row and 5 of them to the same team

I hope St Helens do win, they've proven they can't win the big game.

Challenge Cup final replay if Warrington wins..

 

[JasonE]

All i can say is, WHAT A GAME !

That was awesome to watch, i really feel for young Jack Murphy who was playing ok before he dropped those two bombs.

 

[LeedsStorm]

There was an article in foxsports saying how the involvement of Graham and Widdop has heightened interest in the NRL grand final in the UK. Fantastic, but with respect, I'm not sure it will match the entertainment served up by two of the biggest clubs in League last night. It had everything for me - the behind the scenes secrecy of Tomkins injury, verbals in the press about McGuire's ban, on top of a rich history of fierce battles and controversy (the game almost mirrored another 1 point leeds win in the playoffs in 2010). Then you had tension created by errors, great play, monumental defence, bucket loads of controversy and huge amounts of aggression, channelled within the boundaries of fair play.

Great game - it's a privilege to watch Sinfield in his prime. Best ever Leeds player in my opinion

 

[East Coast Tiger]

In front of 8,000 people. That's right, 8,000 for a grand final qualifier between the two biggest clubs in the UK. That's about the same crowd that was at the Newcastle RL grand final last week. And less than was at the Qld Cup grand final. The ROFL need to find a way to only play a grand final and a challenge cup final and forget the rest. It's an embarrassment.

 

[nzwarriorskuz]

In front of 8,000 people. That's right, 8,000 for a grand final qualifier between the two biggest clubs in the UK. That's about the same crowd that was at the Newcastle RL grand final last week. And less than was at the Qld Cup grand final. The ROFL need to find a way to only play a grand final and a challenge cup final and forget the rest. It's an embarrassment.

surprised that Wigan vs Leeds only got 8,000 and a semi final! was wondering why the stadium wouldn't be packed. If I remember a few years back Wigan would have bigger crowds?

 

[Johnny_L_O]

There wasn't 8000. There was 12,500. I know it's still poor for a qualifier though. Leeds took over 2k aswell.

 

[Evil Homer]

surprised that Wigan vs Leeds only got 8,000 and a semi final! was wondering why the stadium wouldn't be packed. If I remember a few years back Wigan would have bigger crowds?

Wigan's average crowd in 2012 was 16,043.

The shocking attendances for all the play-off matches are just totally bizarre and confusing to me.

 

[roughyedspud]

i can't get my head round it either???

how much are adult tickets?? i know kids tickets are only £5

 

[Paullyboy]

I saw you can get tickets for the GF next week for £21, so it can't have been more than that - so prices surely aren't the reason.

Either way - go the Rhino's next week! Hoping the pubs in Leeds are fun to watch them in.

 

[deluded pom?]

I can't figure out why people are willing to ardently attend every home, run of the mill, regular season league game yet stay at home when the business end of the season comes around. Bizarre.

 

[fanatique]

Is it that the English fans see play offs as an Australian invention designed simply to prolong a season? The English fans are not used to them.

Hail rain or shine the two biggest clubs in England - and Wigan and Leeds are unarguably the two biggest - getting 12,000 to such a game is amazing. it should be a 25,000 lock out.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The excuse a couple of weeks back was that no one bothers with the qualifying finals because they don't mean much. Well, grand final qualifiers are probably the equal third biggest games of the year. That's why the likes of Souths and Bulldogs got 70,000 instead of 25,000. Even the Storm got 25,000 instead of their usual 12 or 14k.

 

[geordiesaint]

It's the ticket pricing. English RL fans have got used to paying for cheap season tickets i.e. £200 max for 13 home games; some clubs are even cheaper. They simple won't pay £25 for a play off match... It's ridiclous but the reason. There have been some great matches in this play off series so far; the fans are missing out due to their tightness.

 

[roughyedspud]

Is it that the English fans see play offs as an Australian invention designed simply to prolong a season? The English fans are not used to them.

well no...cos our championship was decided by play offs since before the aussies where playing the game lol

iirc we had play offs between 1904-5 to the mid 70's....then brought them back in 1998 i think.so if people are'nt attending cos they think its a aussie invention then they need a uppercut.



i think the real issue is ticket pricing.....

it needs to be £10 adults & £5 kids or if your a season ticket holder £8 adults & kids free

 

[deluded pom?]

well no...cos our championship was decided by play offs since before the aussies where playing the game lol

iirc we had play offs between 1904-5 to the mid 70's....then brought them back in 1998 i think.so if people are'nt attending cos they think its a aussie invention then they need a uppercut.



i think the real issue is ticket pricing.....

it needs to be £10 adults & £5 kids or if your a season ticket holder £8 adults & kids free

I bet the Aussie playoff games aren't cut price. What next, free entry for all? We shouldn't be underselling the game.

 

[roughyedspud]

i listen to 2gb in sydney practically everyday...trust me fans whinged about the price of tickets for their playoffs..


and ok smart arse...you come up with a idea to get fans to attend play off games...

 

[geordiesaint]

it needs to be £10 adults & £5 kids or if your a season ticket holder £8 adults & kids free

It's a catch 22 situation sadly; people complain the game doesn't bring in enough money so by cutting ticket prices, you reduce the revenue streams despite having probably more people in the ground. Tickets are currently £25-ish and £15 respectively (well last night anyway).