put out out an announcement stating 'we will play the lowest ranked team in the semi finals' (should we qualify) to avoid the choice been made when we know the teams - therefore choosing who we perceive to be the weaker and setting ourselves up for a fall?

I don't see why you are fretting about this so much? It's only a choice out of two, so it would be daft to allege that you were putting the other side down. The teams you pick from will have to be one of the weakest sides in the play offs anyway.

And to answer your question. No, of course they shouldn't release the decision early. What happens if the lowest ranked team are full strength and the other side you choose from, although ranked higher, has 9 injuries and 3 players suspended?

You pick the team you consider easiest for you to beat. That, IMO, doesn't mean you are arrogantly sure of a win, just means you think you would do better against them.

no

I haven't given myself time to look af the play off structures properly but should we get to the semi finals, and if the remaining teams were Saints, Huddersfield & Wigan I would think we would have a better chance of beating Huddersfield than the other two.

I don't know if it's possible that those are the remaining 4 teams.

I probably wouldn't. What would they do if, for example, they had a choice of Hull KR or Wigan; Wigan were full strength and showing real form but Hull KR have lost 6 first teamers (eg. Dobson, Cooke, Briscoe, Vella, Newton, Galea). They'd probably prefer to play rovers in that case but would they then look silly to go back on their word?

Please don't shoot me down if there's no possibility of Leeds having those teams to choose from...just using it as an example...

Beat me to it...

A saints fan on the leeds board.








No suprises there!

They're obsessed with us.

All this "it gives the team picked added incentive" business is crap!

If a team needs added incentive in a major semi final then they shouldnt be there in the 1st place so in answer to your question I believe NO.

People assume the team Leeds decide to pick will feel disrespected and which in turn will make them more dangerous.

But do people not think that the team we play will be one week away from the Super League Grand Final - Is that not already a big enough incentive and worth lacing your boots up for? Could they get anymore fired up than they already will be?

Lets worry about HKR first.

Agreed.

Get the cameras at HQ get Sinfield to flip a coin, job done.

It won't be an issue if Leeds lose to Hull KR on Friday.

At this stage you have to go with home advantage being the most prominent determining factor (although there has always been at least one away win in every previous SL play off series) so If Leeds were to beat Hull KR in week 1 why wouldn't they chose to play them again in week 3?

You're at home, you've already beaten them in the play offs, they haven't won at Headingley since 1985 and left defeated on the last thirteen visits.

Agreed.

Who knows,after FRiday we might not even have to worry about that scenario