Just watching the replay tonight. Wigans defence is so tough. Another 2 tries saved by hoilding up over the line tonight.

they'll be spent by July

That's true, a team has come from outside the top 6 at this stage to win the Grand Final once in 12 seasons.

No-one has ever done it from 9th at this stage though, fortunately for Leeds the Crusaders game was postponed otherwise Leeds could have been 10th tonight.

SL Grand Final Winners' League Position after 9 Rounds:

5 - 1st (St Helens, Bradford, Leeds)
3 - 2nd (Wigan, St Helens, Bradford)
2 - 3rd (Leeds)
1 - 5th (St Helens)
1 - 7th (Bradford)

Odds on winning Grand Final from Betfred (Man Utd fan so don't give him your money!!)
Leeds 5-2
Wigan 3-1
Saints 100/30
Warrington 9/2
Hudds 9-1
Hull 22-1
Bulls 40-1
Wakey 66-1
Hull KR 66-1
Cas 100-1

Quite how their odds compilers can come up with those odds baffles me!
Bulls at 40-1 is a joke, and even I'm tempted on a small wager at those odds.
Hypothetically, if this was the 1st ever season, and no historical form to go on, I'd expect Leeds to be bigger than 20-1 based on current table

I'm still confident Leeds will reach play offs.

leeds will be fine chris. i fail to see how tomkins got man of the match yesterday. a couple of great short kicks apart all he has is a right foot step which defenders have already worked out. i thought eastmond was miles better

I have to say this is spot on. What a clever, and good looking man, you are.

Probably because there wasn't a stand out player who took full control of the game for either side but Sam controlled things when they needed to be. IMO Mossop for us was outstanding and was my man of the match.

I agree re-Mossop i also like J.Tomkins although he is lucky at times not to concede more penalties.

Nice try but its still my turn to be the 'giver' tonight.

There's an added aspect to the earlier post, that one thing that might work into the club's favour from the injury crisis and poor start is there will be less pressure and more importantly it'll be a different type of challenge to win or make the GF this year. That might make it easier mentally.

Arguably the players who have missed games early doors - Peacock being a case in point - may actually feel a real benefit from the enforced rest come the business end of the season too.

quick question.

wigan - professional or cynical?

Professional.

I don't have an issue with any of your post, I follow the logic of all of it. Just giving an historical overview. While it has been rare if something has been done once it can obviously be done again, if something has never been done it can be done for the first time and why not this season.

At the same time should Leeds find themselves having to win a succession of away games at places such as Hull, Huddersfield, Warrington, St Helens or Wigan then that would be a tall order. I have no doubt whatsoever that Leeds will be in the play-offs and while I'd back them to progress from anywhere within the eight I know where I'd rather be playing.

When you look at Leeds' Play-Off record away from Headingley (excluding the Final which is of course at a Neutral venue) then it doesn't make pleasant reading. Played 9, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 8, Pts For 129, Pts Against 274

If the clubs above Leeds can continually take points away from each other then Leeds (if they can hit some form and string some results together) could make steady progress up the table. That remains a 'could' at this stage.

I favour any system that rewards the top two teams (as the current system does) as that helps to protect the integrity of the Regular Rounds. I'm not looking forward to the day a team finishing 8th (having possibly lost more games than they have won over the regular season) becoming Champions of SL.

Leeds only need to finish in the top 4 to stand a good chance of making the grand final. A 2nd bite at the cherry, 2 wins and we're there. If we win the first game away from home we get the eliminator at home.

The problem is though that we'll likely need a win at saints/wigan at some point to get there and in a playoff situation I wouldn't be too confident. As is pointed out our record away from headingly in the playoffs is dire. But if we're in top gear and saints or wigan have fallen off or have injuries we'd stand a good chance. I'd feel good about winning anywhere else bar saints and wigan.

We could still sneak into second but it would need a prolonged run of form and for the top cluster of teams to drop some points against teams outside the playoffs.

I think if we finish outisde the top 4 it would be asking alot to make the grand final.

But you never know.

If ever there was a situation where a team from low down in the playoffs won the title...... then we are it!