Lowest since Sky demanded its latest purchase perform the role of submissive buttplug and fill that gaping hole in their summer schedules during the soccer off-season.

That'll be 1996 when Leeds finished 10th out of 12 ahead of Paris St Germain and Workington courtesy of 6 wins (including the double over the aforementioned two plus against Sheffield and Castleford) and 16 losses.

Finishing 6th in 2014 is another testament to Leeds utter contempt for regular season league placings under the current ludicrous structure as they fully understand the rewards of deliberate, tossing-it-off mediocrity. The sight of McDermott last night during his post-match Sky interview feigning disappointment at his teams failure to finish much higher on the ladder was to be expected. What else can he say?

The game owes Leeds and McDermott a huge debt of gratitude as their utter contempt for the regular season has been mirrored by other SL clubs in recent times which has played a crucial role in effecting structural change in order to render the regular season as meaningful once again. I'm not convinced that every minute will count next season but some minutes counting is better than the current 'none'.

Wake me up for the Semi Final after Leeds have disposed of whipping boy SL rabble at home in week 1 (French Surrender Monkeys or Widnes) followed by whipped/bruised/injury-decimated SL rabble (St Helens probably) in week 2.

Finishing 5th or 6th by plenty! (Won't be able to say that next season, thankfully)

Can we have another 'Leeds easy route to the grand final' thread from yours truly? The last time you did that we won! Could do with a pick me up.

Or talk about how the team who finish 4th are at such a disadvantage in the playoffs, that was a popular theory until Wigan won from there last year.

Well actually, due to huddersfield finishing top that wasn't the case last year, and Mr Eve pointed this out after we beat wigan and finished 3rd.

The point about defence is a valid one - Leeds have shown more commitment in that area than in the past.

The problem is you have to score more than your opponents to win and this is where Leeds are now beginning to struggle. An ageing captain who is a pale shadow of the player he was - no wonder he has given up international rugby. A half back partner who sadly has lost that edge of pace he had who can see the gap he just can't get through it. If the attack doesn't start to function Leeds will struggle in the play offs to score enough to win games against the better sides - Leeds haven't beat a top six side in SL since May!!.

Thought I'd leave that to you this time around.

It might make a pleasant change from your tiresome reverse woof offerings.

The club threw everything ito the CC this year and it showed as soon as the CC campaign began

Leigh must have been bloody brilliant in the QF then.

No they haven't in SL competition but they have beaten both Cas and Wire in knockout rugby in recent weeks. The playoff games are more often played in that pattern than regular season games.

The points thing, well yes we don't score loads that is clear. But again the pattern of those knockout games doesn't equate to needing to score plenty of points. We scored 4 tries to 3 in 2008 GF, likewise in 2012. The GF's of 2004 (2 tries after being a points machine for the year), 2009 (3 tries). Cut to the games in the CC this year when all on the line, 4 tries vs both Cas and Wire and 5 vs Saints......we won all games by at least a 2 score advantage.

2011 Warrington were a similar points machine to the 2004 Leeds side......we went there and matched them 4 tries apiece. We went to Wigan in the 2012 playoffs and won by only scoring 13 points and 1 try.

Look at all the games we've played vs Saints/Wigan/Wire/Cas/Hudds this year then the points have gone....

Vs Saints 54-39
Vs Wigan 48-51
Vs Wire 48-52
Vs Cas 69-48
Vs Hudds 34-36

Total = 253-226

Better indicator than the fact we didn't wallop the "whipping boys" by the same big scorelines as some of the other did to bump up our Points For column. We don't have loads of points in us, but we do have enough to possibly beat our challengers in the playoffs.

Correct, and finishing 6th could well be an easier route than from 5th this season given who is finishing top.

I'm sure that the team would prefer to be top four but under the present format it's not essential. We have as good a chance of getting to OT as any of the other top 6 imo.
I think this season has been much closer at the top and although this maybe our lowest finish for years it doesn't reflect how well we have competed with the other top sides. Indeed we could finish closer to the top team on points than we have done since 09, only 4points if we were to win next week and Saints lose. If we had gone out of the CC in April im sure we would have been top 2 now. Winning the cup was a price worth paying for a slightly more difficult route to OT.

So long as Wigan and Wire are kept apart in the first round, we will walk to the semi final.

Home to .. Catalan? Away at Cas? Yes please. Stop worrying, we'll walk the double this year.

If Cas and Hudds win like you'd expect tomorrow then the table looks like, with us being confirmed for 6th

Saints - 38
Cas - 36
Wigan - 35
Wire - 35
Hudds - 35

I'll go for next weekend Hudds to beat Saints, Wire to beat Wigan, Cas to beat Catalans

So a finish of IMO

Cas
Saints
Wire
Hudds
Wigan

Think Widnes with get 7th so them first up for us.

wigan finishing 5th would definitly be better for us, means we are guaranteed to avoid them in the final semi should we get that far.

It would be better for Leeds to face Wigan in the semi final rather than the final surely?