I think it's notable that Brian Mac has never pulled any punches when asked about the LLS, he always seems to answer with "it is something we've targeted this year". I think that's a clear difference to other years.

I suspect if you could have asked the players at the start of the season their priorities would have been 1. Win GF 2. LLS 3. Challenge Cup.

I don't think that's a reflection of actual importance more the golden generation wanting to cement their legacy and answer any critics

It would be nice, but nothing more. If we finished second (or for that matter third or fourth) but won the Grand Final I would be delighted as we'd rightly be champions and would have done the double by picking up the only two trophies that really matter.

Are Rhinos academy playing in Catalans too? The picture tweeted by Rhinos this morning appears to show Walters, Golding, Handley and Lilley. It is going to be very tough if all four of them play.

Before we reached the Cup Final and knew we were hot favourites for that I wasn't bothered as long as we were top 2 and a home playoff.

But since then the very real opportunity to achieve a very rare feat of a treble means I'd like to land it. What better way to send Sinfield and Peacock out than doing a treble, our single most successful year in their swansong.

If we don't win the LLS it has to be taken with a pinch of salt anyway. If we got knock out of the Cup in the quarters and Wigan reached and won at Wembley does anybody still think we'd currently be level on points right now?

I don't think since back when Saints did it in 06-08 has the LLS winner even reached and won at Wembley, and two of those years they lost the GF to us.

Team is on official twitter. Sticking with the single halfback tactic. No watkins, Ablett at centre. https://twitter.com/leedsrhinos/status/ ... 89123?s=09

Team is on official twitter. Sticking with the single halfback tactic. No watkins, Ablett at centre. https://twitter.com/leedsrhinos/status/ ... 89123?s=09

I'll never understand that .

The right hand side defense is all over the place so far.

Stupid decisions so far. We need to get the ball back and try get some repeat sets.at least end with a good kick.

This one man up thing is dull, not working and very Wigan like

Still on the plane here. The defense is like a piece of Swiss cheese.

Horrific isn't it. Clueless with the ball and as usual with Sinny at hooker ,poor 5th options

Well, we can't get much worse in the 2nd half.

That's as bad a half as we have put in all year. McGuire is horrendous at the moment, and the whole team very lazy. Hopefully the half time team talk gives them the kick they need.

What a difference Cuthbertson is without Aiton.

Cough cough, choke choke...

That's so passive I can't believe it, forwards are showing no bottle and fight at all. McGuire looks terrible after playing so we'll his season so far. We look like we actually want to lose so we can try to choose our semi final opponents...

I said too that Aiton was going to end up being a bigger loss than many seemed to realise ...

I also said the tactic of one halfback and Sinfield at dummy half had run its course....sadly it is now showing. Last tackle options badly exposed. How much experience does Lilley have at dummy half? He seems to be doing okay and there is some better urgency to what has been a dreadful lazy half.

Worse we are probably going to see Wigan win the hubcap unless Leeds can pull it together next week and Saint Helens do us a favour.

Maybe we can come up with a new solution for the play offs.

Can't see Leeds pulling this back now: they look well off the pace.