Maybe so - but the Cup semi and Final are clearly more important games than fixtures against Bradford and London. You might not care about winning the Cup, but the players and club clearly do. And for what it's worth, I think this is the year they finally will do it too. All worth it then, even if they don't manage a top two finish. It's so tight in the race for the GF this year anyway, I'm not sure finishing position means very much at all.

In any case - resting players was not the reason the game was lost yesterday. It was the inability of the team selected to get the job done when in a winning position.

You genuinely care more about the game yesterday than the final next week?

At least next year resting people at this stage will not be an option as it's a top 4 playoff. The cup needs to go back to May though. It's cheapened the finish to the season even more than usual this time.

And if the final was moved back to May (I agree on this point) teams would still rest players before the final.

Genuinely!

For me the cup is a day out for the fans. It doesn't make you the best.

Finishing strong and getting a home tie by finishing in the top 2 is a lot more important to me because it gives you a better chance of making and winning the grand final. To me this should be the number 1 priority every year.

The Cup is a sideshow.

And Im not saying we can't win it from 6th. Im just saying we'd have a better chance from 1st or second.

Yes, they probably would. It has slighty less of an effect at the start of the year though compared to a vital run in in August. I know losing 4 points at any time means the same outcome but at the same time it is different.

Why is the cup just a "day out for the fans" and a "sideshow"

We are all entitled to our own opinions and I've said since 2009ish that I would rather win the cup considering the success we have had in the GF

Because it just isn't as important as being crowned Champions. It's a trip away from the North to contest a game for a trophy that doesn't really mean anything.

I've always felt a damn sight more disappointed to lose a cup final than dropping points to the Bulls, the Broncos or the Wildcats.

That's not an answer, it's just your opinion.

See, that's the thing. I walked out of Wembley in '99 pleased with how we played but not overjoyed. It was another game that we just happened to get a Trophy out of. I had to hold back tears when McGuire scored in '04 at OT!

At the same time I walked out of Cardiff in '05 after losing to Hull laughing and joking and telling Hull fans to cheer up. I walked out of OT the same year more disappointed than any other game of RL I had been to because I honestly thought we were better than Bradford and it hurt.

It's just my personal priorities as a fan though. I know others want that cup win but to me, it will never really matter.

Yes, it is my opinion, but at the same time are you really saying the cup is more important than being crowned champions?

Where did I say that?, London were not crowned champions yesterday

Personally the cup and title are very close for mine and as I said earlier I would prefer to win the cup considering the success we have had recently in the league

You disagreed with my opinion. My opinion was that the cup is a comp that doesnt really mean anything and that the SL Title is more important and was the one we should be aiming for every year.

I'm sure both will be very much in the clubs sights this year.

And there is a case to say that we are actually in a better position to win both than we ever have been before. That's why the OTT reaction to yesterday is even more frustrating.

We are already in the Cup Final - and without wanting to disrespect Castleford, who have been sensational this year, I think we'd have all taken that option as opposed to a Final against say Wigan or Warrington before a ball was kicked this year.

Yes the LLS has probably gone now after yesterday, but seriously does that even matter? We are still very much in the race for 2nd, and the difference between those positions is minimal. In recent seasons we haven't always finished in the top four, but I think we will be somewhere in there - I think the Cup, win or lose, will scupper Cas's hopes of top four, and I don't think we will end up below all of Wigan, Warrington and Huddersfield.

Get in the top four and as I've already said today, the teams contesting those games will be so evenly matched that anyone could win any game.

And yes, it could all go wrong, we could end up sixth and losing on Saturday - but equally we could sweep to victory at Wembley, and build the momentum to earn a first ever Cup and SL double; carried there by big game players that haven't been flogged in other, less meaningful, games in the run in (like yesterday).