This is true. The situations are different. Excepting that the elite sportsmen are (except JP) still human. They do everything to a much higher standard than we do. But, nobody can maintain their highest level of performance all the time. And it's only your performance relative to the other team, also full of elite sportsmen, that matters. I imagine (I haven't checked, I hate golf) that even top golfers have bad rounds. Both mental and physical condition play a party in that.

In many ways though we are a victim of our success. Our players have shown that they are capable of performing on the big stage, with a big game mentality. They have been loyal to the club for 10+ years. The young players are being brought in gradually, but as yet are still not overtaking their more senior colleagues. When JJB was out Walters came in and did a damn fine job, and many questions were raised as to whether JJB would get his spot back, but he has come back and been one of our top performers over that period. Likewise McGuire, who many including myself thought was finished, produced massive performances in the semi and final.
When players have got 10 years of pedigree, and are still capable of top performances its very hard to rotate players into their spot, especially in the pivots where we have forty years worth of top level big game winning experience

The selection may have been wrong for that game, but in the context of the season its still not possible to say.

Leeds ran out of juice last year, and McDermott is slated despite his highest finish (and Leeds' highest for 4 years).

This year he has rotated his squad all season, given increased game time to fringe players, and lost a few games to lower rabble teams. He has however won a trophy, one that the squad desperately wanted. A lower league position was the sacrifice. If we get to the GF, I don't think you can say that two points lost the week before Wembley has any significance.

Point very well made - and I also think that is a major contributor - the fringe/young players do not come in and put in performances that demand they keep their position, and I'd agree, a big reason for that is that even if they did put in those sort of performances, it seems at times it doesn't make a difference. That said, none of them have consistently put in good performances to force McD's hand.

But I do think it's a mixture of both our points, as a fringe players ability to come in and give good performances is made more difficult by playing alongside our senior players who aren't mentally 'up'.

And I can tell you 100% from private conversations with a number of our senior players, they do struggle to get 'up' for those games. As an example, Danny McGuire wrote something on twitter a while ago to a Hudds fan after they'd beaten us in the league that 'it was ok, we'd beat them when it matters'. That absolutely is the mentality!

I don't think we have a team that's capable of competing in cup, league and play offs. Too many players who are simply too old, too knackered and too mentally jaded to contest every game.

Gotcha's point about management of the fringe players holds true, I think. I'm sure there are coaches who'd approach things differently. However, to McDermott's credit, he's come up with a way of playing where we're able to utilise two legendary halves who now lack any pace whatsoever. Inevitably, this reduces our attacking options but a motivated and experienced defence can nullify this limitation - but only when our defence is at the very peak of its game. I'll settle for this - I believe McGuire and Sinfield have given sufficient to this team over the years to be given the chance to retire on their terms.

Can quite understand the views of others who are less than happy with this approach though.

FWIW I'm not as sanguine as some that the side will feature in the top four next season. I simply don't see why the problems in the league that have bedevilled McDermott's tenure should evaporate in the future. If the team was capable of a successful 27 (or however many) game league campaign I think we'd have seen at least some evidence of it.

Being elite players dosnt make them machines

McDermott got slated because he played players like JJB with potentially career ending injuries. If we don't get to OT perhaps the losses to Bradford and London will have had some significance in that? Leeds will have at least two away games against sides they haven't beaten away from home this season. Finishing 6th is definitely a handicap in getting to OT.

The losses to Bradford and London were not because of poor team selections - it was 100% attitude! The team on the park were more than a match for their counterparts, and should really have won both games by plenty (and I mean no disrespect to London or Bradford) - poor attitude kept both teams in those games and ultimately were our downfall. Minds on Wembley is the main excuse thrown up for this, but we lose games like them every year - our senior players (Peacock apart) simply do not generally perform against lower teams in insignificant games.

There's some truth in that. The team against London was good enough to win for 60 minutes. But switched off for the last quarter.

Given the Top 4 looks like finishing up as:

1. Castleford
2. Saints
3. Wigan
4. Warrington

Saints will lose to Wigan, meaning our 2nd week match is an away trip to Saints. Easily winnable with 13 men.

We'll then have a trip to either Wigan or Warrington in the final week. Again, tough but eminently winnable.

Its a harder run of games, that is true, but as has been pointed out over various seasons.

Taking the 7th team out of it (if we don't win that then we have failed), we have an away game against one of the top 4 teams, followed by another.

The differences between that and what top has to do is that its home vs away , which is something that I don't think should worry a champion team. Its certainly something this group of players has shown capable of in the past in games which really matter.

the other difference is that we get a week off in the top 4 if we win the first game. Again, at this stage of the season the jury is out on whether the break is useful or not with regards to momentum or fatigue.

It is harder to win from 6th, but its not as hard as it was back in the day of the 5/6 team playoffs where every spot mattered.

So if Huddersfield win and Cas get League Leaders, it actually turns into an easier situation, than if Saints win and Cas lose.

If Huddersfield win, the likelihood is that we will not meet one of Wigan or Warrington before a final if either got there. And I would imagine that assuming Cas lose first game, should they make a final eliminator they would probably be the call of any team in club call.

Saints and Cas will finish in top 2. Has the top 2 ever looked less threatening? Funny old game.