You'd love it if that happened wouldn't you? That'd keep you busy all winter.

Anyway, whilst you're dreaming of Leeds fluffing the LLS and missing out on Grand Final victory please don't forget to PM me some kind of proof that you've covered your bet.

Thanks

Probably all of them.
Speed, power, strength, tackling ferocity, tackling technique, passing accuracy, fitness, lines of running, kicking accuracy etc etc

Name a measurement and I'm 99.9% certain it'll be better today.

It's not seriously up for debate is it?

The simplest thing is to have a look at old clips on that video site. Watching cup finals from the 70s you can see how small almost all backs were, how ragged defences were and its simply not the same game at all. The 80s and even 90s look similarly outdated. Its entertaining to watch, but seeing defensive lines all over the place (including in the NRL in the 90s) its clear that teams from today would physically demolish those from other eras.

Anyone old enough will remember Wally Lewis amazing everyone with his ability to fire a long spinning pass over 20+ yards. Now there are probably 3/4 players in every team who can do that (albeit not as accurately in most cases).

The other problem for Leeds now is that teams seem to be more focused on beating Leeds rather than trying to do something for themselves. You see the media interviews this week, and it is all about stopping Leeds, not whether they will replace them.

Surely beating Leeds will be helping themselves - especially Saints who could drop out of the four if they don't start winning soon. Beating the best side in the competition should be every team's objective. My worry would be injuries incurred from foul play - fortunately Leeds have already played Wigan!!

It's nothing to do with individual players - there's not many Ellery Hanley's in SL ATM - but the conditioning, preparation, coaching, fitness, physical & mental strength are light years ahead. I know most inbred hillbillies like to pretend all teams were professional during that period, but they weren't. It was 1.5 to 2 hours flogging yourself until you were on the edge of puking on Tuesday & Thursday nights, followed by a couple of pints & a gallon more & a curry on Friday. Preparation for a game was not going out on a Saturday night.
As regards Skerrett, I did play against him, he scored a hat-trick in about the first 30 minutes then was taken off. The barsteward.

That is what I am talking about. Their focus appears to be to beat Leeds, probably at all costs, rather than what they end up with. Saints are not going to drop out of the top four, a defeat or win against Leeds this week, is not going to define their season. A win against Leeds in a play off game would.

Wigan were the same in the media. Rather than talk about themselves and what they are doing, it was about beating Leeds.

I agree with this!

Manly ended the Warriors season in one tackle.

Saints are in that position where they need to kick start the super 8s somehow - a win against Leeds would help their confidence no end - bet to go down all guns blazing than disappear with a whimper?

Saints are unlikely to drop out of the 8 as the only team capable of displacing them are Cas who will struggle to win another game this season.

You meant to type 4 I'd guess.
& you're correct it seems to me based on how the sides are currently playing that the top 4 will be Leeds, Wigan, Huddersfield & either Saints or Cas. My money would always be on Saints in that situation. Now is no different.
Leeds
Wigan
Huddersfield
St Helens
The above is most likely to be the final position.

Saints desperately need to claw back some sort of mental edge against Leeds. They have been beaten three times by Leeds this season, two of those convincing victories.

They have to be able, for their own peace of mind if nothing else, to remind themselves that they are capable of beating Leeds when it comes to the big games. What better way to do that than to pick up a win on Friday?

Saints have had a good a record at our place in recent years. With Wilkin back and being fresh and determined to get out of the slump (you would assume) then they are more than capable of beating us on friday. Imo if we get them in the play off semi at home, as seems very likely, they have a far better chance at beating us at Headingley than at OT.

If I interpret your use of major here correctly - Leeds nilled Dewsbury in the Challenge Cup Final 2nd leg of 1942/43 while Leeds themselves were nilled in the 1929/30 Championship Final replay by Huddersfield and by Widnes in the 1991/92 Regal Trophy Final.

If you were then to look at the Yorkshire Cup - required as many wins as this year's CC ie 4 - Leeds nilled Featherstone, Wakefield, Wakefield and York in 1929, 1933, 1935 and 1936 respectfully.

Apart from Jonathan Davies et al destroying Leeds at Central Park I suspect only Juan on here will remember seeing these games.

Thanks

All before my time aside from the regal trophy game which I attended. God that was awful (but then there were so many awful days back in the 90s and in those days -unlike now ironically- I barely missed a game offiahs 10 tries, that OT stuffing by wigan and the 95 cc final always particularly stick in the memory)