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!

Didn't Paramatta finish 8th and reach the NRL final t'other year?

I have the feeling that they need a breather. These days with the cap you can't maintain what Wigan could with unlimited wage bills. We also have some players reaching veteran stage now and it would be good to see a few guys come through this year and not worry too much about results. It's such a shame for Watkins but hopefully he will make a full recovery.

The short history of SL shows that clubs can't maintain it continualy. Saints have had a good run at it but even they only have one win in the last 7-8 years and have had the odd "breather" season. We have been Grand Finalists 5 out of the last 6, won 4 and finished in the top 2 what? 6 times out of 7?

On paper we looked like we would be difficult to beat, but as everyone says you don't win anything on paper.
Wigan have a real desire at the moment and have consistancy. They are dominating the tackle area both with ball (all the Wigan players seemed to go down on knees and elbows against Saints and Saints had to resort to the hand on the ball trick to slow them down) and without it (even if you think their technique is similar to the one Leeds had penalised to extinction last year). Credit to them.

Top 4 these days looks to be the target. There is less advantage from top 2 IMO. Based on the transient form some teams above us have demonstrated (the only consistant thing about some teams is their lack of consistancy), top 4 is a reasonable target even with the slow start.

For me the biggest danger is that the focus for Leeds becomes reaching the top four as players regain fitness and the weather/pitches improve. Then, once (if!) this is achieved there us a feeling of 'job done' and the focus is lost a little for the playoffs.

I reckon if we get top 4 and are in form for the play offs we can beat anyone away from home, Wigan as us and Saints have shown in these 3 years of "dominance" will not be able to maintain this high level of quality throughout the year. When Eastwood, Donald, Peacock etc get back we'll hit form, I've got no doubt about that.

Spot on.

Why is it other posters can not realise this? Playing at the intensity some of these guys play at and have been playing at for a number of years now, you will only have a certain length of career, regardless of age. Just because they have winners rings behind them, does not mean they are going to continue that form going forward.

It is quite obvious some of these players have reached that stage, and we need to accept it, and more importantly so does the club. Hopefully there is still enough within them this season to see us through.

I think there is a lot of mental fatigue this year as well as age catching up, Sinny hinted as much after the Bulls game and so has Bluey when he talked about hunger. I could see this squad with a couple of fresh face coming through being menatlly fired up again next year. But we'll see. Maybe a crap first half of the year will be enough to get the fire burning again?