Saturday 16 July 2016 08:50, UK
Leeds coach Brian McDermott was delighted to see his club climb off the bottom of the Super League table with a thrilling 18-16 win over title-chasing Wigan.
A fourth win in five games has come too late for the champions to retain their crown, but the Rhinos now have their sights set on finishing outside the bottom two, which would give them an extra home game in the Super 8s Qualifiers.
More importantly for McDermott, swerving a last-place finish at the end of the season would mean avoiding an unwanted record for his squad.
"Leeds have never finished bottom in their 136-year history, so of course it means a lot," McDermott said. "The job is not done yet, but we're really pleased to be off the bottom, let's hope we can finish ninth."
Leeds looked to have had the game sewn up when tries from Kallum Watkins, Adam Cuthbertson and Brett Ferres, all converted by Liam Sutcliffe, put them into an 18-4 lead after 65 minutes.
But a George Williams-inspired Wigan roared back to close the gap to two points and force the Rhinos to hang on desperately at the end.
"We got a bit erratic in the second half, but we're still improving as a team," McDermott said. "This group is still learning some things together and overall I thought it was just a great night.
"We've been through some tough moments this year and we toughed that one out against Wigan, who wouldn't roll over.
"I thought we defended really well. It got a bit emotional in the second half. We've thrown a few games away this year so for a few reasons that was beneficial for us going forward."
McDermott condemned a "cannonball" tackle by Wigan forward Taulima Tautai on prop Adam Cuthbertson that went unpunished but incensed the Leeds players.
"If those things are not punished in the right way, your silence encourages them," he said. "The only way to get rid of that tackle is to highlight, penalise it and get rid of it.
"If you continue with those type of tackles, someone will end up with a leg snap. I don't know why the game is accepting that type of tackle. Stop running in with your shoulder aimed at people's joints of knees.
"Everybody I speak to wants that tackle out of the game. They are trying to pin ankles together and they call it a pin tackle, but there is a danger that, if it goes wrong, it snaps people's limbs."
Wigan, who were without nine senior players through injury and suspension, missed the chance to go back to the top of the table, but coach Shaun Wane, a former Leeds player who was presented with his heritage number before kick-off, had no complaints over the result.
"To lose any game is disappointing," he said. "I thought the effort was good, but our game management could have been better.
"You can't afford to turn over easy ball against a side like Leeds.
"We weren't at the races in the first half so to go in at half-time so close, there were more positives for us. It was a great effort to get back in the game.
"We showed lots of desire, but we got beaten on the floor, they butchered us with quick play-the-balls.
"Leeds were the better team, you wouldn't have thought they were resigned to the middle eights."
Wane was encouraged by the cameo display of former New Zealand prop Frank Paul Nuuausala, who went on for his debut 10 minutes before half-time for what was his first game for three months.
"He will improve massively when he gets some game time under his belt," he said. "It would have been nice to get a win for him."
