I don't think anyone was saying at any point that 5th is better than 1st or 2nd, or even top four, but I do think at the moment, Brian Mcdermott has weighted up his squad and decided that given the current league placings Leeds have more chance of winning silverware by not going flat out between now and the Challenge cup final and settling for 5th spot to give them the best possible chance of winning one or both competitions.
By the same token, I doubt Tony Smith would be too fussed about whether his team catches Wigan or not. It's certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that they will but they could also decide to rest half a team before the challenge cup final if they thought second place was a certainty.
The recurring theme here is that with the current system there just isn't enough incentive to battle away to the end to get as high as place as possible because the rewards of finishing higher in the table don't really justify the effort involved. Under the top 5 system it did in that every league placing had significant advantages over the one below it.

There speaks a very bitter Wigan fan who can't bring himself to admit that his team was beaten by the better side on the day.

My point still stands up does yours?

Interesting thread given last nights result, although the Challenge Cup Final showed its not simply a case of Leeds turning up when they want but what this side does have is the mindset that when knockout rugby starts they more then most make the final and give themselves a great chance.

Difference between the cup final and the playoffs IMO is Leeds start building gradually from the start of September and try to peak in the last 2 weeks of the playoffs. The cup final is more of a 1 off game that comes when Leeds are still coasting. When Leeds turn up a notch defensively, as they always seem to do in the playoffs, no team apart from Wigan 2 years ago has been able to live with them. You can moan about finishing top being more important and all that but Leeds play the system we have and I do believe they would be pushing Wigan and Warrington at the top if it was a 1st past the post finish to the season.