Don't disagree regarding Wilkin - it still doesn't excuse Bailey's behaviour, as I said earlier the game is tough enough and I don't see the likes of Buderus, Peacock, Sinfield descending to this type of cheap stuff? One of the best things about Leeds over the past few weeks is the their respect for both the official and their opposition - Wigan apart.



At junior level this behaviour is understandable - these are young immature kids with hormones wizzing round their bodies. Rugby is an outlet for their natural aggression, plus they have a host a mothers on the sideline encouraging this type of behaviour. No coach would be able to stop it - if they subbed all the players who did it there would be no players left on the field.

Leeds and Bailey are good enough without the need to resort to childish behaviour - he is the only player Leeds who does this stuff, if it were such an important element of winning the game the senior players would be at it too!!

Excellent post. Says it all.

He's still scampering after Rob's dummy

The old "role model" argument. Look up to those that are, sure, but the game would be immensely poorer if it wasn't played by many who aren't.

Wilkin would be better off adapting the Wigan technique and apply a press-blackout on himself for the week after Grand Finals.

I quite like Wilkin as a player, but you can't do that sort of cry-baby act every year and then start talking about commanding respect.



Or, actually, you can, but I'll point and laugh at you. Because I'm childish like that.



By the way, watching the Sky coverage back yesterday, they showed a shot of Leon Pryce on the bench, which I believe was the first sighting of him at a Grand Final since 2005.

He did have a shocked "so this is a grand final?" look on his face too.

Your own players weren't impressed with him either. There was just no context to it. Had Jammer been crying to the ref and had players been giving verbals and lashing out after it went your way I could understand it. But there was none of that, it was a fairly contested final played in a good spirit.

I agree with Sal on many points. Bailey is immature and his behaviour at times compared to that of Peacock, Kylie,Sinny and the rest is poor.His arm waving when Sinny was lining up the kick was as much to rile Saints players as it was to get the Leeds fans celebrating IMO. My only grumble is that the complaint comes from Wilkin. A player who once commented that if you get stuck into the Leeds pack they usually run away or words to that effect. I dont agree with Baileys actions at times but Wilkin is the last Saints player to feel sorry for.

Agree with this, but unless I missed something, Baileys celebrations were all at the Leeds fans. I didn't see him rubbing it in the faces of the Saints players. I just saw a young bloke who was ecstatic at winning the most unlikely of Championships with his mates, playing for his hometown team. Just a pretty normal 'human' reaction for mine. Not all players can be as calm and considered as the likes of Sinfield and Peacock.

Fair enough.





No, it's not understandable at all and should not be countenanced. If these lads do have aggression then it needs to be controlled by the coach. That's his job. That kid of behaviour is actually more acceptable at pro level where players are paid to win, not at junior level where the priorities should only be enjoyment and player development. It is the coaches job to stop his team acting like idiots. If a player does it sub him, punish him in training or drop him for next week. If it's a bigger problem than 1 or 2 lads then the entire team should be punished in training or even better set up a meeting with the parents and set out what is and isn't acceptable from both players and parents.

It's the only way it will change and the coach is responsible for his team.



I like to see the very top level of RL played at the highest intensity and competitive nature, so I quite like a bit of biff every now and again or any other way of gaining an advantage over the opposition. I do not want that kind of attitude anywhere close to any part of the amateur game at youth, junior or even senior level.