McDermott: We showed great resilience

Leeds coach Brian McDermott was happy his side held on against a high-flying Wigan Warriors.

“To get over a good team like Wigan who didn’t roll over and while we may have been better in that second half they just went for it as well. A little bit of what we can do,” McDermott told Sky Sports.

“There are some exchanges where the referee gave them a penalty or we turned the ball over and you just don’t get through games without having to defend those moments.

“It is pointless moaning about it. You have just got to get on with it. There were some try line defence that we had to come up with.

“I don’t Wigan were brilliant at the same time but where we have been this year that’s big for us. We’re improving as a team but clearly from that 2nd half we still have a bit to go.”

McDermott also urged his players to stay focused until the end of the Middle 8s, wary of the calibre of teams in that stage of the competition.

“It has been a crazy, crazy journey this year and everybody has stuck really tight. It has just been one of those moments where I don’t know if you’re glad that you’ve been through it but we’re going to be great for it for next year.

“The job is not done, we are only just two thirds of the way through the year so we have a fair bit to go.

“We are going to come up against some very different challenges in those Middle 8s and we need to get our head round that.

“There are some very good teams in that Championship. For us along the journey let’s learn from this one.”