Hull KR and Salford have the experience from last season but it's a whole new ball game for Huddersfield and especially Leeds. While I can't see either of them making a real mess of it, I wouldn't be shocked if one was to sleepwalk into the MPG by underestimating the championship opposition and sheer pressure. In the middle eights it's more about not losing than winning if you get what I mean.

My prediction? Huddersfield at home to London with Huddersfield just pipping them.

Bradford and Batley with Catalan winning the SL grand Final, and the Cougars gaining promotion. I will also win the Euromillions jackpot, Lotto jackpot and rule the world.

Next years SL teams will be the same as this years SL teams and the same as last year.

I honestly feel that if we get a bad start we could be in trouble!, we don't look like we have much of a fight in us as the regular rounds have shown.

Wow what sort of attendance will that game attract?

179 I reckon!

You're logic is flawed. Your job isn't on the line if you lose a CCup games, only your reputation - and every team loses that from time to time in the CCup.

There is nothing I'd like to see more than a Championship side getting promoted - it gives aloe seer SL teams hope that should one of us fall we can get back in eventually - just don't see it that's all.

Well with Leigh qualifying and Hull KR finishing sixth I can just about see that happening.

There are full time teams in the Championship! Their jobs on the line also.

An additional back up to that. Leigh beat both Wakefield and Salford in last year's Challenge Cup. Didn't fare so well when it came to the middle 8's though.

Leigh should have beaten Wakefield and got pipped by a point. Hardly a foregone conclusion when you play crap against higher league opposition and just lose.

Leigh just need to concentrate on the championship teams and fo with the flow when they play SL opposition.

And if the club hasn't bankrupted itself in stupid promotion gamble then they will still be full time players in the Championship next year - again flawed logic.

If for example HKR go down some will stay in SL with other clubs, some will stay F/T on reduced deals at HKR but many will not have a new club to go to and will at best end up part time.

Yes but none of the teams in the bottom four are anywhere near as bad as we were. Last year was probably the best chnce for any Championship clubs to win and IMHO will be for a while (unless we self destruct as a club again!)

I completely agree, and the championship aides should not get a sniff. In fact, there could be some embarrassing scorelines.

But... That's what we all think and there could be a twist in the tail. Leigh have a good pack this year and play a more conservative and structured type of rugby.

I can see them giving Huddersfield a game should it be played at the LSV

As has been mentioned last year was probably the best chance a Championship team had and the best team which was Leigh fell apart when it came to it. This season besides Leigh the other top 4 teams will be weaker than their counterparts last season and there seems to have been a drop in quality in the Championship this year overall, or if not a drop in quality more of a levelling off of quality. Leigh are our best hope obviously but when comparing the teams that they have to hope to replace they do not look anywhere near. The good thing is though that they should get a 1 off game to try and clinch promotion and anything could happen in that.