With the old GF play-off format, the 1st team to qualify had a two week gap before the final which appeared to be a disadvantage. I'm hoping this isn't the case for Leeds as losing the semi would not us out of the cup and have brought all our rivals nearer to us in the league.

I wasnt too happy tbh, with the bulls out the league Wigan is the match I look forward to most now and to just throw it away seemed a bit disrespectful to the fans.
If we win the cup then its justifiable, but if we loose on Saturday or drop down the league and loose the cc final then Mac will rightly be hammered for it

lets just hope this was the rest we needed to put a big run together in league and cup

I predict whoever wins on Saturday, will lose on 31st August.

Looks like we've finally sold out as well as no more tickets are available online.

I can't see Leeds getting beat on Saturday - Hull just seem to flatter to deceive.

If Hull have a really hot day then they have the quality but this seems to happen so infrequently that Leeds would be unlucky to come up against a hot Hull side.

Facing a full strength Wigan in the final - can't see Salford turning them over - would be a different proposition though.

Last year and this year with beating Cas last round they do look a different proposition when it comes to the cup than their league form which I agree has been a bit hit and miss.

Drop the word rightly from your post and I'm sure no-one would disagree. As it stands you're ignoring the possibility of Hull playing to a standard that would beat us whether we'd rested players or not. IMO the current Leeds side isn't of such quality that it can take beating any of the top sides for granted.

I think that win or lose at the weekend, the week off will do us good. With the business end of the season coming up, fresher players is a good thing

I'm with clearwing in thinking we shouldn't overestimate how good we are. With the gap between us and Cas I would think that the focus is almost entirely on the Cup. Its clearly our best chance at some farewell silverware for Burrow and McGuire. I'm not at all sure we'll prosper in the playoffs regardless of the cup though. If the top 4 remains as is we'd have a good chance at getting to the GF, but if Hull, Sts or even Wigan come home strongly I wouldn't really fancy our chances TBH.

We'd beat any team if we made it to the GF.

With a leader like Sinfield I would agree but these days?

Depends who gets there for me.

A team that has played in that cauldron knows what is required to win, the mentality needed etc. We saw with HKR at Wembley that emotion will only take you so far and they let the occasion totally overwhelm them. Would Leeds's "big game" experience be enough to get the job done? I would say that it would be a definite advantage.

This is a great & very valid point but even those left with such experience know that at certain times they were able to rely on Sinfield & JP to both lead & do something special at the hardest moments in those GF's.
Having both those 2 also gave the likes of Mags & Burrow more freedom to produce such special memories & moments but now i am weary that when the players look around that Leadership & Big Game management isn't there.

All the expected lot back in, of those that have been out a while, Ferres and Sutcliffe return to the 19, Burrow and Delaney don't. Josh Jordan Roberts makes the 19 too

Golding
Briscoe
Watkins
Keinhorst
Hall
McGuire
Moon
Cuthbertson
Parcell
Singleton
Ward
Ablett
JJB

Mullally
Garbutt
Lilley
Ferres/Sutcliffe

JJR

Out of the missing players only really Burrow and Galloway would get in the 17.
Lilley for me is doing well enough to cover Burrow`s place.
For me Galloway will be the biggest miss even though Mullalley isn`t playing too badly.
The experience Burrow and Galloway bring is what we will miss the most.