It is not as important as not finishing in the bottom four though. Playing in that middle 8's will probably see a 6000 reduction on our home crowds for that period compared to playing the top teams. You are looking at £300k plus compared to the top 8's, plus loss of corporates and merchandise. We simply are not going to win a trophy with this squad it is a moot point to compare, but vitally important is not the embarrassment.

Surely you don't think winning a cup round is any way more of a confidence booster than winning regular rounds at the moment?

I take your point about the loss of income, but to say this squad is not capable of winning the cup if they get past Hudds. is ridiculous imo.SL has no great team in it right now and with the likes of McGuire,Ward,Cuthbertson,Hall,Briscoe,Moon back we still have as good a team as any, certainly capable of winning 2 more games against anyone on a given day, which is what the cup is all about, and getting to Wembley.

I don't hold your optimism. I said before the season when it got to the big games we would fail, as we have nothing in it to manage what is required. The injuries are irrelevant to that, as the big games are what matter. It is not so ridiculous at all, especially now we are actually seeing a bit of proof in the pudding. We need to ensure we are not embarrassed, rather than putting all our eggs in one basket in hope. Finishing bottom four is a disaster for this club. Get the points while we can, and Huddersfield away is what matters. Like I said, for me, with both poor teams, whoever wins the league match will also win the cup match IMO.

I don't agree we should choose either Cup or League. We should be going to win every game now on in to build momentum and form. When the injured return they will be fresh and they should inject energy at a time when other sides may be losing theirs.

Yep a good cup run is all we have left. We won't make the top 4, so the top 8 is a waste of time. Likewise, we won't be in the million pound game, so forget the league and let's get back to Wembley

I'd say beating a SL team in any competition is pretty much the same confidence-wise. That's why I want us to perform in the cup and play well. It isn't a case of you can just decide which games you're going to play and which you're not. If you go into the cup game with that attitude it can have a negative effect on the following SL game.

Perform well in the cup game we'll do ok in the league game following it, which is the priority.

Actually it is a case of that, as the question asked was which would you rather win, which by definition is pick and choose.

As the super league game comes first doesn't that completely flip your point on its head?

Ah, I see we've got our wires crossed a bit here, I was meaning really that I don't want us to sack off the cup game as I think doing that has a negative effect on the game after it. Having re-read the OP I can see how my first post was confusing now as if I had to choose I'd choose the 2 points in the league. Just that we can't afford to be "weak" in the cup game.

I think the notion that Leeds are the only team suffering injuries is a fallacy - look at Wigan the other night they were missing:

Tomkins x 2, Manfredi, Williams, McIlorum. O'laughlin, Farrell - that is half a side of key players

I think it will be "break".

We'll probably do a HKR circa 2015....with similar results

What?

Lose 50-0 at Wembley?

I agree entirely with that. Just think the two points this week is vital.

imo the rhinos have two realistic and achievable goals at present as things stand currently

i'm not bothered what so ever about which club has got how many players out injured blah,blah,blah
as it's ultimately up to each and every club to react to the situation that they are in and to deal with it as best they can

however i do want us to win next weeks league game at the giants and to claim the vital two league points on offer as our quest at the moment is to make up ground on the clubs above us and to at least secure a top 8 finish,that is ultimately goal number 1

goal number 2 is to treat each round of the challenge cup as our only realistic chance of winning silverware this season

and has already been alluded to,we will have some of our injured players returning to action during the latter rounds of the challenge cup

so winning this trophy is not impossible so why not treat this competition as this seasons goal ?

at the seasons outset,and as there are only three trophies on offer to each sl club, then surely all sl sides would be very happy to win a trophy and to ultimately keep their super league place intact for the following season would they not?

i would remind everyone that only ONE sl side actually won a trophy last season and that
Warrington Wolves,Catalans Dragons,Wigan Warriors,Hull FC,St Helens,Widnes Vikings,Castleford Tigers,Salford Red Devils,
Wakefield Wildcats,Hull K R and Huddersfield Giants did not

so how bad must they have all felt whilst the rhinos lifted the treble?

I did state 'similar' ...so not 'exactly'.....I'll go for 55-6

So let me get this right.

He doesn't want us to win the Challenge Cup cos we might lose abit of money if we don't make he Super 8s?

Is this really what sport has become? It's even made fans think about money before success and history?

I'm on about this ^

i think you will find the club will make plenty of money from a cup final win

Spot on for me.

If you ask GH which he would prefer - top 8 or cc win guarantee he would go for the former.

The game is about money without it you don't have a professional game.

I agree mostly with Gotcha and Sal. Though if I had the choice of a Cup Final win I'd take that. Anything else and its avoiding the middle 8's.

As you can't guarantee a cup final win I'd say our priority should be the league. Money is vital, the lack of it is why this sport is in the state it is. Plus there is the embarrassment factor and if we finish in the middle 8's don't we have to play an extra cup game the next season?

So priority should be the league in my opinion, but as I said earlier, that doesn't mean you sack off the cup game(s), we need to perform in them to help build performances in the league and of course if we progress in the cup then that's great.

Nothing changes in professional sport, the most important game is your next one ..... always.

Hull KR with a big win. We now have the worst attack in the competition. And they are above us, meaning that within the next fortnight there is a real chance that we will be bottom of the league and out of the Cup.

Or we could be 4 points ahead of bottom club Huddersfield & in the next round of the cup.

I hope you are proved correct.