Quote: Roy Haggerty "One of the league's hardy perennials is that every year, someone connected to the team finishing top after the weekly rounds, will claim that achievement is more important than winning the grand final. They'll usually use words like 'consistency' and 'endurance'.
Tragically, I see Darryl Powell hasn't been able to resist that siren call. The problem for him is that in making this laughable claim, he's sending out a huge signal to the other clubs that he doesn't think Cas are going to be able to stand the pressure of the finals series.
Because that's the reason our champions are crowned at the Grand Final. The regular season puts clubs in contention. All qualifying clubs have to demonstrate a degree of consistency and endurance in order to be in the hunt. But the finals series also demonstrates an ability to compete when the pressure is on, when there are no easy games against weaker clubs, and when all professional coaches - hopefully including Powell - have prepared their teams to peak.
To state that the hubcapis more important than the grand final is an admission of defeat. Getting ones excuses in early in case it all collapses when the pressure is really on.
I have enormous respect for Powell's talent spotting and development skills. He's done a great job at Castleford. But you don't get to decide you've won when the competition isn't over. We all knew the score when the season started. If he wants to be coach of a champion side, he needs to win at Old Trafford. Anything less, and his protestations will just be the sour grapes of a defeated man.
Certainly I imagine the coaches of the other competing clubs have taken great heart from his comments today.'"
Whether the hubcap is more important or not (and it clearly isn't), surely any coach wanting to go on and win the GF should be talking it down, just to keep his players focused on the "big" prize.
IF his players actually believe that they already have the most important trophy, there is a risk, however small, that they may go a little bit soft.
Having said that, for Cas to finish top of the pile for the first time in their history, is a big deal for them and no doubt, sales of KFC and Pomagne will go through the roof if they are presented with the Hubcap tomorrow.