Leeds Rhinos 8 Wigan Warriors 40: Trophy wait goes on after damaging defeat for Brad Arthur's side

They hoped Saturday would be the night when their long Super League trophy drought came to an end.

Instead, a packed Headingley was left to contemplate another missed opportunity as Wigan Warriors demonstrated their class to put one hand on the League Leaders' Shield and leave Leeds facing a very different kind of test in the weeks ahead.

Brad Arthur's side have spent much of the season setting the pace after gradually turning a club that had lost their way into one capable of challenging for silverware.

But the biggest challenge was always going to be psychological. Could Leeds handle the expectation? Could they deliver when the stakes were highest? Could they finally silence the doubts that have lingered through years of frustration? Crucially, could they beat Wigan when it mattered?

They now have to make sure one defeat does not bring doubt back to the surface.

The Shield has gone, barring a shock home defeat for the Warriors against Catalans Dragons next week, and the nine-year wait for Super League silverware goes on.

The bigger prize, however, remains within reach. The play-offs offer Leeds another chance to prove this season's progress is real.

How they respond to this disappointment may ultimately tell us more about Arthur's team than what happened under the Headingley lights.

Wigan delivered a hefty psychological blow, underlining their champion qualities to swipe first place from the Rhinos at the death.

This was a case of the better team winning on the night – and then some.

Some of the questions surrounding Leeds' mentality remain unanswered after being outplayed by their rivals from minute one to minute 80.

The Warriors simply did not allow them to get into their stride.

Wigan were already dominating the early territory battle when Lachie Miller hobbled off, representing a nightmare start for the Rhinos.

It only got worse. Austin Daniel streaked clear down the right and offloaded for Adam Keighran to score his first before making it a quickfire double on the back of a superb 40/20 by Bevan French.

With Chris Hankinson filling in as an emergency full-back and teenage back-rower Zak Lloyd handed a sink-or-swim opportunity, Leeds slowly warmed to the task and raised the volume inside Headingley when Ash Handley timed his jump to perfection to finish Jake Connor's cross-field kick.

The Rhinos went in search of another during a spell of pressure but Wigan carried the greater threat and did not need many invitations.

The Warriors looked dangerous every time they entered Leeds territory and were soon celebrating their third try, Daniel racing in from French's bullet pass.

But for Harry Newman's try-saving tackle on Kaide Ellis, the game may well have been over by half-time.

Connor's penalty reduced the deficit to eight points but there was a sense that the Rhinos were simply clinging on.

That feeling was only amplified when Harry Smith's sweeping pass gave Liam Marshall all the time he needed to touch down in the corner.

Leeds needed to score next but the Warriors were at their indefatigable best defensively.

Handley twice sensed an opening, only to be crowded out by Wigan's rock-solid right edge.

French delivered the killer blow 14 minutes from time, racing through to finish Smith's classy improvised kick and claim the try his performance merited.

Jai Field streaked over from French's drop-off and Keighran completed his hat-trick to round off the most emphatic of wins for the irrepressible Warriors.

In a League Leaders' Shield decider between two teams that were only separated by points difference before kick-off, it was worryingly one-sided from a Leeds perspective in front of a partisan sell-out crowd.

The question now is: who can stop Wigan? Matt Peet's side have won 15 games in a row, starting with their Challenge Cup success against Hull KR at Wembley in May. They could well end the season with 18 straight victories, bookended by claiming the sport's biggest prizes.

The Rhinos are best placed to threaten the Warriors despite this damaging defeat.

Leeds, who still have Maika Sivo, James McDonnell and Keenan Palasia waiting to return, will enjoy a weekend off following their final regular season game against Hull FC before hosting a semi-final.

In each of the last three seasons, the top two have faced off at Old Trafford.

The Rhinos must lick their wounds, dust themselves down and throw everything into their Grand Final bid.

For now, this one will sting.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Hall, Bird, Handley, Newman, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, O'Connor, Jenkins, Watkins, Hankinson, Cassell. Substitutes: Holroyd, Smith, Lloyd, Lodge.

Tries: Handley (16).

Goals: Connor 2/2.

Wigan Warriors: Field, Daniel, Keighran, Eckersley, Marshall, French, Smith, Havard, O'Neill, Thompson, Partington, McDermott, Ellis. Substitutes: Mago, Walters, Nsemba, Kerr.

Tries: Keighran (8, 12, 77), Daniel (28), Marshall (44), French (66), Field (71).

Goals: Keighran 6/7.

Referee: Liam Moore.