We've lost a bit too much ground in the opening 2 months of the season to be competing for 2 trophies. Even more so if we lose at wigan next week.

Time to prioritise.

As good as leeds are at getting it right at the business end it's always been built from the foundation of a top 2 finish. That is still a must.

A CC run will only hinder that target. Besides, history shows that when leeds exit the CC early, leeds make grand finals.

And i'll be damned if we're going to stumble into 3rd/4th as one of the decent but inconsistent also rans, think we can make it then fall at the final eliminator, like all the other chumps in recent seasons (wigan). We need to make old trafford to defend our run of titles. If we're going down, it's at the theatre of dreams, trying to the last, to the death, to defend our titles.

Thank god we drew hull, away no less, and we have the opportunity for an honourable exit.

Then, all our energies can be fixated on that top 2 finish and old trafford, while wigan/warrington/saints get f*cked in the CC. (notice how last years cc finalists had f*ck all impact in the playoffs, one didn't make it, the other played sh*t)

So heres hoping hull dump us out.

I never want Leeds to lose @ Hull.

I hope we dump hull out, win the cc AND the gf. We have potentially the best squad in years and are capable of winning both, so thts what we should aim for, regardless of this poor injury stricken start.

Believe.

Why would anyone want their team to lose?
I'm with southstander dave on this.
KEEP THE FAITH.

The ends justify the means.

Honestly these people that say ''WE CAN WIN BOTH!'' are living in a dream world.

With the quality of teams in super league and the positioning of the CC no one is going to win both.

''BUT WHAT ABOUT SAINTS IN 06???'' - Saints were pretty much the only top quality team.

Save the hassle of maybe....possibly winning it, go out early and let's make another grand final.

Surely common sense dictates that it's better to be in both competitions rather than one, that way you have more chance of lifting a trophy. Saints have defied your reasoning by being in the CC as well as competing for the SL title, yes they may have eventually lost in the final but that's down to being beat by a better team, nothing else.

There are a few teams who with a kind draw and lack of late season injuries are more than capable of doing both and we are one of them.
Going out of the CC early doesn't guarantee anything with regards the GF other than a couple of free weekends but a favourable draw can be counted in pretty much the same way.
Iirc no-one had won 3 GF's in a row,no coach had won back to back GF's nor had any team won a WCC and GF in the same season,this squad is full of history making players and staff like i said KEEP THE FAITH.

very poor attitude wanting to be knocked out of the challenge cup, or is it that you are very worried you are are going to be knocked out anyway. the great sides do not talk in that way, they just take it in their stride and do the business, no matter what is front of them. the thing is you have taken advantage over the last couple of seasons that certain sides have gone off the boil, but it seems things are changing again, and you are going to find it harder to achieve anything, so get ready to be disappointed. come on old faithful, stuff the whinos.

wi'll sither owld cock

Saints prove my reasoning.

They've gone all out for the CC in recent seasons, where did the titles go?

The nature of the CC being a knock-out competition some of the other GF contenders will also get breaks throughout the season as they can't all make the final, so how much Leeds' 'wished for' 5th round defeat (which I find bizarre) will gain in comparison to the other contenders is also not guaranteed.

The notion that it's impossible to complete for both is also false IMO. Not only has it been done successfully twice already in the SL Era, Leeds also reached both finals in 2005.

If Leeds really want to protect their SL title perhaps a logical starting point would be to attain a good finishing position on the table and to that end perhaps avoiding defeats at home to Castleford and Hull KR (first such loss in almost 25 years) and Wakefield away (likewise in 18 years) would have been a a more sensible approach.

The Challenge Cup may even prove to be Leeds' best opportunity for silverwear this year, so I'd hope they'd make every best effort to stay in the competition as long as possible.

Double post

Ja know what – I’ve always thought that Gareth was just being (or ‘been’ if Damo is reading this) a little extreme when he says we have the most fekkwitted fans in the Super League – after reading the OP I’m starting to think he’s right.

I for one hope we don't lose in the CC. It's an important competition and should be treated as such.
If we'd won it in the last 11 years I don't think there would be this attitude towards one of the few pieces of tradition rugby league has left.