William Eve

Bitches about the CC not being the treasured competition it once was and people not caring about it and only being concerned about Sooper Dooper League instead.

Cries then when Leeds rest players in the league to give them a better chance of winning CC, and people celebrate it over league placings.

Priceless

What is the point of comparing SL to football, a sport where top of the league are champions?

Which four clubs have consistently been in and around the top 5 circa 2011-2014 during McDermott's tenure at Leeds?

Previous playoff results are rendered meaningless if the club is no longer capable of qualifying for them under the regime and strategy employed by the incumbent coach.

Maybe you have just highlighted why even more than ever the team decided this season they had their best and last chance to win the CC [iwithout[/i having to worry about their final positioning in the league.

Out of interest as it is apparently excusable, how many teams over last few years that have won the challenge cup have finished outside top four in the league?

And I also ask again, had we lost that cup final, is it still regarded as an acceptable season, even just based on one match?

Actually top four qualify for the champions league, which they place more importance on, and which is of more relevance here.

The use of football and the likes of Man Utd and West Brom is a ridiculous comparison due to the the salary cap nature of our sport compared to theirs.

And my argument was never about resources and physical playing ability.....it was about focus and mindset. You can be the best players in the country yet if you don't have your head right then tough to succeed. The argument that they get paid to play is a pretty weak one too in terms of the mental side of the game. Paul Gascoigne was paid to play at the highest level in football.....ability is one thing, the mind is another.

Thankfully now that you've pointed it out hopefully Mcdermott will read your post and realise things need to change next season.

He wouldn't have realised otherwise.

Had we lost the CC Final but won those games against London, Bradford and Wakey to be in with a chance of finishing top do we think those currently moaning would say losing the CC was fine as the Hubcap was more important?

I think we know they'd be flipping their views around as to which was more significant then don't we

So mentioning close losses is spinning things but mentioning close wins isn't?



Leeds wins
Hull KR away - 34-6
Warrington home - 18-12
Catalans away - 40-12
Widnes home - 38-4
London home - 54-6
Wakefield home - 42-6
Bradford away - 46-6
Salford home - 32-4
Wigan home - 28-12
Cas away - 22-14
Hull FC home - 20-6
Widnes away - 28-38
Catalans home - 32-31
Hull KR home - 30-6
Salford away - 22-18

3 close (6 points or less) wins compared to 7 close losses.



By some difference is 5.5 points per game? Those games would still have been close. Hence why, despite being 6th Leeds are only 4 points Cas and 3 behind the highest scoring team in the country.
Our defence is also the best in the league.


I'd have been gutted at losing another Cup final. I would also have still thought we'd done pretty well over the season. Because we have.

Last season 6th placed Hull were 13 points off 2nd. Not 4 like we are.
In 2013, despite finishing in the top 4, we were still 4 points off 2nd place.
In 2010, when finishing 4th, we were 5 points off 2nd place.

Just taking the league position whilst not recognising the increased competition in this years comp is a bit silly and reactionary in my opinion. As is ignoring the achievement of winning the Cup, and minimising the excellent performances, on and off the field, by Castleford this year.
Since Cas are currently above both Wire and Wigan, presumably they should both be ashamed of their league performances this year?

Ah, can't you do us another league table instead like last time? I'm sure Leeds will be bottom. Like they were in 2011 & 2012...

While you're at it, can you do us a league table for all play off & challenge cup games since 2004? See how that compares eh.

And as if Leeds will treat next season the way they have the last few.

Our record in playoff matches is not meaningless as they are the games that really count. If we are playing against other top 5 teams in regular round games that are the difference between qualifying for the top 4 and missing out, who knows how we would get on.
We have coasted through regular rounds in the past under McDermott i would agree, but the rules have allowed that. When we have had to perform in games that count our record is pretty good.

And top 8 qualify for the playoffs, which we have always done.

Shamelessly stolen from the Wire board so any inaccuracies then take it up with the author. Apparently based on results against each other with a round to go. Not as bad as I thought.

Completing the double over the two whipping boy SL rabble clubs on that ladder is about as awe-inspiring as it gets from a McDermott-inspired regular season campaign perspective.