First time in a 11 seasons we have failed to reach a GF 2 years running. Lowest league placing since Superleague 1 in 1996 and our lowest ever place under the playoff system, lowest number of points scored since 1998 (where we scored 662 compared to this years 685 - but with four less games in '9icon_cool.gif.

On the plus side, we conceded our lowest number of points since 2008 and won the CC for the first time since 1999.

OK, I could go on about Leeds' mid season form for the past few seasons before coming good in the final quarter but I won't....

I give in, you never stop

It wouldn't be relevant.

In your opinion of course.

It wouldn't be relevant to your argument because they still made the CC final in some of those seasons.

...and lost badly

So leeds played poorly for the entire second half of the season because of 1 game?

No, they played poorly in the league for the last 1/4 of the season due to 2 games, do keep up. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why, with the semi & final only 2 weeks apart during that time.

Such pessimism, but then again you were shouting from the rooftops at the start of the season that Leeds would win nothing this year only for them to go on and put in one of the most dominant CC final performances in years and in reality (despite what you'll try and claim next), weren't far off winning the LLS and having a good shot at reaching the GF.

I refer you to my previously posted fact: worst league position since SL 1 in 1996 and we went out at home to a team below us in the league who pretty much every journalist, bookie or pundit had us down to beat comfortably. That is reality.

The Challenge Cup influenced team selections in the Bradford and London games. Those team selections influenced those results.

Would you not agree with the above?

As stated several times by many people its highly likely had we been knocked out by Saints in the cup earlier in the year or even Warrington in the semi for that matter, we would have gone on to lift the Hub cap and be sat with our feet up primed for next week right now.

No doubt in my mind those games were lost/thrown away due to the pure focus on wining the CC this year.

I've said it once and i'll say it again i can more than live with that and am still happy with the season and happy for the players who it seems have achieved their ultimate goal for this year.

The Bradford game maybe but as for London, the team that was sent down was more than capable of beating the Broncos.

I'll be honest, I'm not that bothered about the end to this season. The sight of Kylie and JP sat in wheelie bins full of ice on Boots n' all today was so funny I can't feel bad about it anymore.

It was, but add 3/4 players if we have the next weekend off then we win that (and the Bradford game, and probably the Hull game too if it isn't as dead rubber). If we'd been lingering around 6th all year then fair does, but REALITY is we were top 2 for most of the year until we made big sacrifices for the CC. With that 'burden' now out of the way not dominating thoughts then it still looks ok for next year with the odd tweak here and there IMO.