According to Eddie Hemmings on the commentary on Thursday, if Wigan hadn't had their recent run of form they would have comfortably won the league leaders shield. Almost suggesting it wasn't their fault they went out and lost lots of games?

Oooo! That's below the belt. My scrotum pulled itself up tight when I read that.

I do agree about Warrington though, I just think they make too many mistakes. The style of rugby they play is open and risk taking but they need to tighten up at playoff time. Smith had Leeds doing the same thing, score lots of points in the regular rounds then cut all the mistakes out and play a controlled game plan in the big games. However, the Warrington squad isn't the same as the Leeds squad Smith had and they don't seem capable of cutting out the errors. Leeds were comfortable winners last years GF, I was more confident about that final than any of the other 5 we won.

The thing about a Tony Smith in big games is that you can't rule out them turning on the style and winning big...
2007 GF
2010 CCF
2005 WCC (before almost being pegged back)
2012 CCF (had Leeds not allowed the no try incident affect them and stay close I reckon we'd found a way to win going into the last 20)
2010/12 CC semis
2007 playoff vs wigan

In close tight games when they don't get to do their normal stuff his record isn't great....
2013 CC Semi
2012 GF
2011 Playoff semi
2010 Playoff vs Hudds
2011 CC vs Wigan
2005 GF
2005 CCF
2006 Playoff vs Wire
2006 CC semi
2004 Playoff vs Bulls
2007 playoff vs Saints (although many say this laid the platform for 2 weeks later)

The one notable exception was the 2004 GF.

This ludicrous idea that 5th is better than a top 4 place came about by the sore loser supporters of the top four clubs that we rolled over in the last 2 years. This argument gave them the comfort of 'knowing' they were the best team(s) anyway.

This argument was also taken up by those factions closer to home who claim such 'high' standards that nothing is ever good enough for them so there had to be a reason for their negative predictions being wrong and the "easy 5th" was just the idea to show everyone they were also 'right' all along. The same goes for that other group who had campaigned on an anti-McDermott ticket who also grasped this wizzo idea that Leeds had and unfair advantage from 5th and so the last 2 championships don't really count and McDermott should be sacked.

Although the odds are against a hat trick of Championships and despite the fact that we could do with keeping on a roll of the form shown against Wigan, I would really like to see Leeds beat Warrington in the first round, enjoy a nice week off and go onto the final by that route just to show that the best team can win it whatever.

If we fail to win at OT or get knocked out in the rounds it will be nothing to do with our finishing position but rather that the better (or luckier) team beat us on the day.

Assuming leeds get to the grand final, who do you think are the most likely opponents? Very unlikely to be warrington as they are in the same side of the draw. So i guess that would leave huddersfield and wigan, but i think huddersfield will fall at the final hurdle. Which leaves wigan? Somehow i don't see them in the final with their recent form.

Saints v leeds grand final.

Warrington have had a 'patchy' league season by their standards (and they still finished 2nd!) so I wouldn't be too surprised if they turn it on over the next few weeks.

Of all the teams in the 8, I think Leeds and Warrington go into the finals in the best positions.

I thought the difference in the way Leeds and Huddersfield approached the last game of the season said alot. Even though the result didn't really make a jot of difference (it could have been argued a loss was better), Leeds took the game to Wigan and are going into the play-offs on the back of a bit of form and a high intensity performance - clearly stepping up their game ready for the play-offs. Hudds on the other hand rested lots of players and got a hammering - yes they had nothing to play for, but they're now going into the play-offs with no 'practice' or form for the high intensity games. I think that's a clear difference in the mentality of the 2 teams - Leeds know what it takes to perform in the play-offs and are building up nicely - Hudds from the outside appear to have had 2 weeks of patting themselves on the back for finishing top, and are now starting afresh for the play-offs; it will be interesting to see how things pan out and who's approach works best. I know who my money is on.

I can't see beyond the top 3 in SL. Wigan did remarkably well to head the league & fourth is about their level. With O'L injured there is only Tomkins & Charnley who would get a look in at any of the top 3. Farrell is a massively overrated workhorse. JJB showed him how someone of limited size should time his runs, run angles & hit the ball at speed, rather than crab across half paced. And that was after several weeks out. To give them credit, their defence is excellent close to the line. I could easily see Saints beating them in the sudden death.

Leeds and Hudds had different agendas last week. Hudds had nothing to gain and everything to lose. As it is, their first teamers will have been largely unaffected by the Bulls game, so they're still high on form and confidence. If they'd played and done the "after the Lord Mayor's parade" bit, that could have been in their minds for the Wigan game. Right approach by Anderson IMO.

The only concern is that with most of them missing last week, the CC final a couple of weeks ago and a possible week off next week, some of them could be a bit under-done by semi-final time. Possibly.

Huddersfield were also given a ridiculously short turnaround, having to play the first playoff fixture on Thursday. You think they were going to have their first team players play a dead rubber on Saturday with a very meaningful game five days later against a Wigan team with a full weeks rest?