but will we for sure? Smith has said he has nothing to do with call as he doesn't advocate it, he has said it will be left in the hands of someone else.
Dunno if it was morleys call or whether it was a ballet last time.
I recon it maybe that we choose hudds this time.
But on the other hand would it be better to play them in the semi?

Play Leeds at HJ in the semi is preferable to the GF for me, it'll be tough but at least we have some advantage.

Nail hit on head, there. You can almost always guarantee that we lose both of those matches. The only time we won them both in the same year was in 2011, which takes me back to the same old trite point that this was the season in which we should have won it. Leeds nobbed us off then, too.

Facing Leeds in week three is a nauseating prospect, so ordinarily you'd think that perhaps it'd be best for us to win in week one, then hope that Wigan turned over Hudds and we could then actually make decent use of the much-maligned club call and not have to face Leeds in the semis. On the face of it, we could then pick our supposed bunnies, Huddersfield, and have a decent shot at getting to OT. However, I'd always have a lingering fear that Saints would then turn over Hudds in the elimination round, leaving us with the choice of picking Leeds or Saints in the semis. On the face of it, that is no choice at all - it's Saints all the way, then you see their record of 15/16 wins at our place and it makes me cringe. I still think for the purposes of devil and deep blue sea, Saints at home would have to be the call.

Even if that scenario did play out and we got club call and picked Hudds/Saints and beat them, does anyone fancy Wigan beating Leeds in the other semi? Not really.

Then does anyone fancy playing Leeds at OT? Not really.

I think the stars need to align for us to win it this year and, try as I might, I just cannot see us doing it. As Dropkick says, we need to win next week and hope that someone else takes care of Leeds in the subsequent elimination round. If not (and it’s pretty unlikely it will happen), then I reckon it'll be Leeds, Leeds, Leeds yet again.

I agree, who ever takes out Leeds will very very likely win the GF anyways.
I think wire will blow any other team out of sight on that day

Playing Leeds twice in the playoffs is my idea of hell.

Even if us and Wigan both win, giving us club call, I think we'll choose Leeds if them and Huddersfield are the options. If we choose Huddersfield we'll be accused of running scared of a team that finished below us, and at the same time disrespecting a team that finished above us. It will fire them both up.

Whoever has club call will, in my opinion, stick to form and pick the lowest ranked team left, and this will continue every year until the gimmick is dropped altogether.

The main problem I have at the moment is that I find it very hard to imagine us beating Leeds twice in the space of a fortnight, especially at "their" time of year. Even if we win in week one I'll be dreading week three.

This is playoff rugby league!!!

The season is over, now it is all about winning the grand final, and to do that you have to beat the best.
We are unlucky to face Leeds in week one, however, recent history tells us that if you want to win the grand final, you are going to have to beat Leeds in either week 3 or at old trafford!!!!

These nerves and worries and fears, are what the playoffs are all about.
Everyone has spent the entire year complaining about how little the regular season means, and now that we get to the stage where it means something, we are remembering, that with that comes the nerves and the emotions!!!!

When we lost to Leeds at home in the semi the other year, it was heartbreaking but that was still one of the best games I ever saw because it was such a rollercoaster of emotions which is what sport is supposed to be all about.

We need to stop panicking about Leeds (and Saints actually). They're a great side and deserve our respect, but we're a good side and deserve theirs too. We can beat them in big games, and have already proved it.

your right. At full strengh we can beat anyone. Problem is Myler out means we ain't at full strength.

as a Rhinos fans I'm expecting

Wire v LEEDS
HUDDERSFIELD v Wigan
HULL FC v Hull KR
ST HELENS v Catalans

Wigan v HULL FC
WIRE v St Helens

LEEDS v Wire
HUDDERSFIELD v Hull FC

strange...?
I was expecting quite the opposite!

I wouldn't write off Wigan just yet. So they decided they can't be bothered playing the 2nd half as they would rather finish 4th and face Huddersfield than us, I still think they will be a threat in the playoffs.

And before anyone says Hudds haven't lost to Wigan yet this season, blah blah blah, it makes no difference. Huddersfield's playoff credentials are not great, losing 7 of 9 playoff games.

Stressing about all the different scenarios is pointless. The bottom line is getting to, and winning the grand final is very hard, you have to beat the best to win it, theres no easy route or lucky draw.

So you play who you play and see how it plays out.

As a leeds fan I don't really relish the prospect of facing warrington potentially twice in 3 weeks. BUt then we shouldn't fear anyone, just like warrington shouldn't.

My personal thought is that if warrington and leeds do end up facing off in week 3 as well as week 1 then it'll be one win a piece and whoever wins in week 3 instead of week 1 will go to OT.

I'm inclined to agree, and we've seen that before with Wigan and Leeds in 2010 and us and Saints last year. I obviously want us to win next week, but this "hunch" is definitely what I'll be using as consolation if we don't, and what will give me a fortnight of worry if we do!

Nope - that'd be losing a GF to Widnes ......