It's been a tough ask to go over there and win this season, think only 3 teams have done so. It'll still be in the high 20s, maybe pushing 30 degrees. If Cas can pull off this big last test they deserve the LLS, not that many of the Leeds fans will give them credit. The devaluation of the LLS certainly came from the Leeds corner of West Yorkshire and has built momentum the more they have a lethargic end to the regular season combined with 'champion' performances in the play offs. Just look at the last 2 fixtures on Sky. Warrington, Wigan, Saints and Huddersfield all wanted to end the season with wins and finish as high up the table as they could. They provided two games of massive quality despite their injuries and it being the last game of the regular season. Leeds on the other hand have lost 5 out of their last 6 league games. Even Brian Mac said in his post match interview, "It all starts next Saturday." If that's the case, maybe Leeds can enter the league next year at the play-offs stage as the league seems to be an unwanted hindrance for him and the rest of the teams are just peeing in the wind.

I know one thing, when you're turning up week in week out not knowing what the future holds for your team, you'd be shouting from the rooftops that you'd won the LLS.

It pains me to say it but I hope Cas give it their all tonight and we end up with a thriller. Then we can all go on the VT and read posts from Leeds fans of how Cas have failed because the 'hubcap' means absolutely nothing.

It's a kind of bizarre self delusion. Those of us like you and me who've been around a while know that even the supposed most reasonable Cas fan on earth would not reciprocate the sentiments on here.

You could argue it shows we are better than them, but I just don't buy it.

Whilst in no way do I feel the desire to congratulate Cas, I can acknowledge they are fully deserving of any reward that comes their way after an excellent season. It does give hope to the smaller clubs that if they get the right mix on and off the field they can complete with the richer clubs.

Cas' success is in no way good for us. They are getting much more coverage which means sponsors are going to be getting better value for money and these companies like to be associated with success. When we are both competing for the pounds of the local businesses it makes our job all the much harder. Their crowds are up and the prize money they get us considerably higher so the extra revenue gained gives them chance to outbid us on players from the best local juniors through to the first team. The floating rugby fan with no real allegiance is also going to gravitate towards them rather than ourselves. Cas may well deserve their success, no doubt about that, but it is bad news for us.

I can see what you are saying but I cant agree with much of it to be honest with you. with regards to the floating support as you put it, how many of those do you think there are I would be surprised if it was a 3 figure amount, with the sponsors I don't see that either I think most of our sponsors are Castleford based or have close links with Castleford and as for the youth development well without being patronising that seems to have been your achilies heel going back over a number of years. I think there is room in the district for both teams to do well and Webster looks like he could do good things next year based on the end of this season. but apart from that, thanks for wishing us well.

Oh good, another thread about Cas!

This 100%. It makes you wonder where WTW would be if the people of Wakefield city backed the team and the club.

I say good luck to them not because of who they are but what they stand for. They have finally burst the bubble that states no one other than the big 4/5 can succeed.

To be honest it's the Powell bit I don't get and it's got to be where it all goes wrong if it does

Powell has been coaching since 2001 and has been unexceptional wherever he went even in RU. He had a little cup run with Fev which was great but it happens. Where did he suddenly make this leap to super coach? I grant you that he may have learned as he's gone along but still it seems to good to be true to me.

On a personal note I've met the gut twice. Both times he struck me as astonishingly ordinary. Nothing wrong with that in most jobs but as a coach mmm. On the second occasion I met him he was with Gary Hetherington - I asked them both to join SWAG for Thornes Park. Hetherington did it straight away but Powell turned around and asked Hetherington if he could. Gary said yes but Powell was still unsure and asked me to grab him later. Not willing to let him off as a big name at the time I copped him later where after more procrastination he grudgingly signed the dotted line. Remember this was just a signature of support for the idea, it wasn't even a complaint at the time as everyone was up for it - so what exactly was there to think about - make of that what you will.

For me it certainly didn't show a great leader of men or a visionary for the game. Maybe I'm wrong and got a wrong impression or he's changed and grown, hell we all do. However it left me unimpressed and whenever his name was mentioned as a coach for us it immediately put me against him as a choice.

Maybe I'm wrong, in fact on current form I'm way off but next year will be the key for me - some key players leaving Cas with Clark an almost irreplaceable - we'll see.

I think they’d be better off losing today.

Finishing fourth gives them a game at St’s, who seem to be running out of troops.

Finish top & they would host Huddersfield who, whilst not the finished article, look a tougher prospect.

But hey, they may just want to finish top, history and all that, but since it went to top six, followed by top eight, the relevance was lost in relation to getting to the Final.

Also the LLS looks like a piece of tat. Why can’t they have something like the NRL one?

You jinxed us

The distinct lack of hubcaps in Cas continues then.