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I've been commentating on rugby league for a good few years now. Having covered numerous derbies, Cup finals and internationals, you get to a point where you wonder if you have already seen everything. Friday night at Bellevue dished out a resounding negative to that question. It was one of THE most surreal nights I have had covering the sport. I'd had the Wildcats-Rhinos derby in my diary for some time, and my anticipation of commentating on the contest increased round by round of Super League 12, as Wakefield continued to disprove the doubters, and the Rhinos endured a rocky opening to their latest campaign. Wakey had never beaten the Blue and Amber at Bellevue in Super League. This was just the kind of night where that stat could go up in smoke!
 | | John Kear: "Best coach in Super League" |
My adrenalin rush in the days preceding this tie took an unexpectedly erratic turn in midweek when our sports editor informed me that on the same night I would be also required to present BBC Radio Leeds' flagship sports show, The 6-7 Friday night football chat with Leeds United legend Eddie Gray. Not wanting to deny Eddie the pleasure of an hour in my company, I accepted, with one eye on the clock, wondering how on earth I could fulfil this requirement, and be at Bellevue in time for kick-off. My private jet was being MOT'd so that was a none-starter. The company helicopter in the garage was blocked in by my sporting colleague James Deighton's push-bike so I couldn't use that either. Thus it was a "book a taxi and cross your fingers through rush hour" job... I wasn't hugely confident of making kick-off, given the Wildcats had told me the game was a sell-out, and the M621 early Friday evening is hardly what you'd label a haven of tranquility. Indeed it can often make the Champs Elysees look like the Sahara desert. Step forward West Yorkshire Sport's guardian angel, taxi driver Geoff, grandfather - he tells me - of the former England under-21 player Lee Cosgrove. Big Geoff ensured BBC Radio Leeds would have a match commentator, thanks to his skilful rush-hour manouevring and flagrant disregard for bus lanes! I arrive at Bellevue at twenty to eight, with James Deighton and Hull FC's Richard Agar having already been on-air for 40 minutes. I ponder making our presentation team sweat a little longer by sneaking in a pre-match pint with the locals, but decide I'd better not. The queues outside the ground are stupendous. The locals are high on the feel-good factor instilled by the man I regard as the best coach in Super League, John Kear. I had the pleasure of getting to know John quite well during his time out of work following his departure from Hull FC. You have never met a man who works so hard to get to the top of his profession, studying coaching manuals from NBA basketball and baseball, just to get a gauge on sporting psychology. He even accepted my invitation to the World Championship Snooker last April to get a feel for the psychological warfare involved on the baize. JK's hard work is paying dividends in Wakefield's terrific form. I flash my media pass and bypass the huge queues, and take my seat just in time for the end of a set by X-Factor also-rans "Journey South". I know nothing about these pop wannabes but JD assures me they are popular, while Agar offers me the loan of his CD. Offer declined, we concentrate on the game in hand. | "We become a little concerned for our own safety as one fan in particular takes exception to our commentary and has to be restrained by the steward..." | | George |
I've had no time to build up to this contest but don't really need any. The atmos is unreal, the ground is rammed, the wind howling, the music blaring, the Wildcats Dolls strutting their stuff. Along with The Jungle, Bellevue on derby day is a ground you just have to witness to fully understand the passion of West Yorkshire rugby league. And due to TV's remarkable decision to televise Salford-Wigan, we have the game exclusively live on BBC Radio Leeds, on FM, DAB and online across the world. Due to the magnitude of the game, the boss has allowed us a touchline reporter for the night. For Journey South fan Gareth Jones this is a dream come true, and an opportunity to get that elusive signed copy of the group's debut LP and a photo with the boys. With the teams waiting in the tunnel, we cross live to Gaz. We're a little concerned, as we'd instructed him to hug the near touchline by the tunnel, and cannot see him. Then we notice a rogue figure somehow hopping up and down on the pitch on the Wildcats 20m line. The idiot has somehow slipped the net and got himself in the centre of the pitch! Jones' opportunism provides some superb commentary as the players roar out of the tunnel for 80 minutes of blood and thunder. Leeds are first out, with Keith Senior strutting past the on-field imposter with bewilderment. Wakefield make Leeds wait, until led out by Jason Demetriou we are ready to go. It has the makings of the game of the season, and we have the best seat in the house. Or so we think. Tonight's referee is Ashley Klein, who proceeds to have what we refer to as a "Barry Crocker" - a shocker. It is often the easy option to criticise the official - but tonight Klein doesn't help himself. Decision after decision goes against the Wildcats, some justly, some unjustly, and as that happens, remarkably the crowd turns on us. Every decision that goes against the home fans, sees the Wakefield supporters in front of us stand up, turn round and yell abuse our way, clearly audible on air! Quite how they believe it is the commentators' fault is unfathomable, but as they can't get on the pitch to confront the ref, it appears we will do for them to vent their fury instead! Leeds take full advantage as Wakefield self-destruct. Four unanswered tries from Donald, Senior, McGuire and a cracker from Jordan Tansey has Leeds seemingly out of sight at 24-0. Senior and Olivier Elima are sinbinned for fighting, and Wakey then lose March for peristent infringement and its 12 versus 11! Chants of "cheat, cheat, cheat" are directed towards the referee as the Wildcats fans lose their heads. And we become a little concerned for our own safety as one fan in particular takes exception to our commentary and has to be restrained by the steward. "Give them the penalty count, not the b****y score!," he blasts at me. "I am a commentator, not a referee, sit down and leave me alone," I say, glancing sideways at the steward as if to say, "Come on help me out here mate!" As I said on the night, Klein had a bad game. But from the first minute he made it clear he would be a fussy ref, and Wakefield didn't help themselves. If you have a boss at work who you know wants to fire you, you ensure you are on your best behaviour so he has no reason to do so. This is the approach I feel Wakefield should have taken.
 | | George Riley: The man in the 'cans'! |
We breathe a huge sigh of relief on the stroke of half-time as Wakefield score the try of the game...Skipper Demetriou's break, Jamie Rooney's support, Ben Jeffries' finish. The half-time hooter sounds at 6-24 and Wakey have a lifeline. And so do we! That try seems to have taken some of the sting out of the home fans ire. I pop to the loo and on the way back have a word with steward Gary. "Keep an eye on us mate," I plead. "I'll look after you if you say hello to my mum Carol," is his reply. "She always listens and loves the show." Deal struck I return to my seat for the second half. And what a second half! Wakefield emerge a different side. Whatever John Kear put in their mid-match beverage works wonders, as the Wildcats overpower Leeds and haul themselves back to just two points behind with a superbly gutsy riposte. The home side's comeback has made the nearby fans forget their grievances with us. Funny that...! Wakefield winger Semi Tadulala then goes off injured. We exclusively learn from Gareth on the touchline that Semi has broken his arm in two places. Ouch!! With 20 to go, both myself and Agar agree we fancy Wakefield to pull off a stunning win. Then within the space of 60 seconds, Ryan Bailey scores for Leeds against the run of play, Richard Moore becomes the fourth man sinbinned for clattering into Danny McGuire off the ball, and all the momentum suddenly evaporates from the Wildcats' fightback. Sub Ryan Atkins powers through for his second try with two minutes to go, but Leeds hold on to win an incredible game 32-26. Ten tries, four sin-binnings, a referee in need of a police-escort home, and three very relieved commentators at the full-time whistle. You go through every emotion possible covering rugby league for BBC Radio Leeds. Before we go off air there's time to go live to the tunnel where Gaz is talking to the Wildcats coach John Kear. "A wise man once told me not to talk about the referee, so I am not going to," says Kear. "I like my money too much!" We wrap up the show, shake hands with the stewards, find the car park jammed, so head to the Wildcats' bar for a much-merited post-match beer. Jason Golden, Matty Blaymire, Keith Senior and Gaz Ellis emerge, battered and bruised, and still talking to any fans who want to meet them. True gents in a sport of blood, sweat and tears.
LISTEN BACK TO GEORGE, JAMES AND RICHARD AGAR'S MEMORABLE COMMENTARY FROM WAKEFIELD WILDCATS V LEEDS RHINOS RIGHT HERE. IT'S A NIGHT THAT WON'T BE FORGOTTEN IN A HURRY!
 Commentary: Wakefield v Leeds (16/03/07) >
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