Huge task to defend our trophy.

Irs never easy to defend any trophies, there to be shot at.

See these off no problem though!

Ah bring it on. If we can beat Saints it gets rid of a main contender early. If we lose then we can focus on the league without distraction.

I’m not holding out expectations of silverware this year. I just want us to build a platform for a real push in 2022. For me our side needs to be a little better yet before we go into a season with real confidence.

Mid-table with some real development time on the youngsters, plus some decisions made on out-of-contract players and a couple of high-quality signings - I’d take that.

Don't think either set of fans will be complaining. From our perspective we could either give it a proper go or rest a few and give some younger players a crack depending on circumstance.

Thought we had RFL in the pocket, and could pick our opponents...?

You don't rest players for CC especially when we are the holders.

It is but Saints wouldn't have picked Leeds so let's go have a real crack at it.

Bad draw thats for sure.

A billy big balls going out for certain.

You mean Saints def going out then

What's the matter, Ploinerhino? So many of your posts betray a contempt towards the club and the players. I'm sure your views are honestly held but sometimes I can't help wonder if you aren't a Cas fan in disguise. I know everything isn't rosy, but if team ran out with your level of negativity they'd ship fifty every week.

seems to be predicting a leeds win

Realistically we should be too undercooked for this one. Having said that if we can get our first choice pack out then we shouldn’t be pushovers. I have nightmares of Regan Grace doing the same thing to us Johnstone did.

We'll beat them

As sad as it is to say, with the late start to the season making the games so compacted this year, we could do without the extra Challenge Cup. How many times will we have to double up and play 2 games in a week? If we lose to Saints and go out in the 1st round it may be a blessing in disguise.

That’s a good point.
We were shot to bits at the end of last season because of the CC.
No disaster if we lose.
We can focus on top 4.

Then you use your full squad.In a months time we should have 4 centres to pick when Lui and Mceland return that's 4 half's Walters Holroyd and King Tindal Handley all still to play. We have a pretty large squad let's use it. I don't mean like last season where we had a first and second string where the second string were on a hiding to nothing. We need to rest players before they get busted.

Dont and cant understand the mentality of wanting to be out of the Cup. As a Leeds fan I want to see us compete for every trophy every season. We are a big club with a big club mentality. Winning silver is our aim each and every season.

Sorry but people saying lets go out of the cup are just talking nonsense.

Yep, let's go for it. No shame in losing. Shameful not to compete.

It's our main chance of silverware. We should go all out for it

This game comes too early for us against a full strength Saint's. We'll give it a go, course we will.... But the back lines are miles apart......

We shouldn't throw the game of course, we'll be putting our best-available side out for sure. Saints are a better side than us right now and we are decimated by injury and lack of pre-season prep this year. If we were to win, great. If we lose, I'm not going to be too upset because my expectations are set to next year. Ask me then and I'll be expecting Leeds to be up there in all competitions regularly again. The club needs to work really hard this season to make good decisions on who we retain and who we can bring in to strengthen. No excuses next year, every other SL club is in the same boat as we are re/ COVID and the difficulty in attracting NRL talent.

We jagged the cup last year on the back of a season-best performance against Wigan. I think we need to be realistic about where the side is still, whilst we can take comfort that progress is being made. With our first-choice 17 available (well, minus Walker), I wouldn't rule us out of silverware but minus Walker, Hurrell, Newman, Handley, Holroyd and with Gale undercooked and Eastmond such an unknown quantity...

A lot to look back on today as we were good today, hopefully 23 have a couple of players back for this week. Myler / Hurrell / Eastmond would be nice. Vuniyayawa into the bench in place for Smith. Happy for Broadbent to be FB if Myler isn’t bad though.

If Eastmond isn’t ready for next week, then Smith must play 6. Liam Sutcliffe isn’t and never will be a Stand-Off...

Typified by his inability to give a short pass to Martin on cas line in the first half where he looked odds on to score, saying that though a centre should have been able to give that ball.

I think Eastmond will play by Agars interview the other day. If he doesn't then yes Smith to 6 both Sutcliffe's at centre Broadbent full back. If Eastmond does start then Smith to start at 13.