We should've played more academy players... Wait, oh.

Are you for a real?

Or are you of the opinion that leeds, should they win next week just opt out of playing the rest of the season, afterall next week is all that matters.

Some weeks they're fit enough, others not. It's not about fitness in the sense as we usually think of it, as in can they run enough etc. Its the physical toll a game takes on the players body. That toll gets greater and greater each season as teams improve and sports science/conditioners/modern coaching gets players to play faster, harder and smarter.

Taking a Friday to Friday game schedule, the players are usually in recovery training up until Wednesday. Obviously that's an average, some weeks they can do more earlier in the week, some weeks less. And obviously some players recover quicker than others and some players have higher game workloads than others. It's actually a coaching objective/guidance for Peacock to reduce his game workload.

The players, especially the forwards, take huge stresses on their bodies during games. In the Wire game at home this year Peacock took 30 impacts each equivalent to a 30 mph car crash. And that wasn't an unheard of figure.
Michael Monaghan is retiring because of too many blows to the head, another aspect to the fitness issue too.

Is it any wonder some need resting after a tough game? Especially those in their 30's?
I'm sure some of them could have played, but surely we want them in as good a physical condition for Wembley as possible?

As for the NRL, it's not an equal comparison as they have bigger squads, a reserves comp, fewer games and bye weeks plus it's a different style of play. And there haven't been many games this season in which Leeds could cruise. As I said on another thread not long ago, there are roughly just as many blowout scorelines in the NRL as in SL.

Add in the cumulative effect of several seasons of large amounts of games, the cumulative effect of games within a season, minor injuries not given chance to recover from and I'm not suprised we have times in the season where 8/9/10 players are injured.

As I said, I'm sure some could have played today, but do we want them to or do they benefit more from a week off and be in much, much better physical condition than they would have been for the final.

Some people see it as disrespecting SL to play a weakened team in that game, well you could also see it as disrespecting the Cup to play a strong team in the London game.

Refund?

People who knew enough about McDermott's Leeds would have taken London at 15-2 and more than paid for their Wembley weekend. You can't say they're not good to you.

I seem to remember us losing at london the week before the 2011 final.

We lost that final too.

And you have no concept of supporting a team. Just because you don't put your hard earned in, and waste your time, doesn't mean the rest of us can't expect to get something for what we are putting in. There wouldn't be a team without supporters going.

Mac has got it seriousley wrong on the last two games , he is accountable , if We win next week and still finish in the top two great If we lose next week and do not make the top two and then do not make the grand final then he has a major problem . Either way it has been his choice and he will be judged this season on whether or not we win silverware

It was a game against London not a SOO match. It wouldn't have a massive effect on a players body. Probably more like a training session than a Super League game.

IF the Rhinos win next weekend at Wembley then imo the recent SL defeats against both Bradford before our semi final and in the penultimate game before Wembley against London won't seem half as bad as it does now as there is some reward gained by winning one of the only 2 worthwhile trophies on offer

However IF we lose next week and IF these losses cost us a top 4 finish, then the imo the pressure is firmly on Brian Mac should we not progress to the GF

Everyone knows that the knives are sharpened for him

Just on that. He gambled and put out a weak squad. He made mistakes with his subs. But at the end of the day we were 22 points up against the worst team in super league history. The players have to take responsibility for this one.

For what it's worth, as a London fan, I agree entirely. Leeds' defence in that last quarter was non-existent - and trust me, as a Broncos fan I know a bit about non-existent defence!

Not sure what you're on about here to be honest pal

No - obviously once we win the CC final we can turn focus to the Grand Final. Today however was an irrelevancy in the grand scheme of things.

Luckily not a mistake we made in the Cup matches is it.

If today's result means leeds finish 4th instead of 2nd and end up playing wigan away instead of for example warrington at home, will you think it's irrelevant then?

If we ignore the fact of having depleted teams, leeds have been in a position to win both games, against relegated teams........one of whom hasn't won a game all season and have blown it.

Is it too much to ask that some professionalism is shown and results are seen out at a crucial time in deciding playoff spots? This isn't april. It's buisness end.

Theres still one more game in the cup to go, so still time.

I doubt any pro club would do 80 minutes of full contact training. They usually only do full contact pre-season.

But then last week was far and away from a training session. As I said the impacts these guys are taking are massive and continuous. It's not surprising it takes them a week to recover to a position to be able to play to a high standard again.

Whilst other issues such as youth production and reserves comps etc all benefit the quality of the NRL, another reason is that they play fewer games. Even with 3 SOO games the NRL top teams are playing 27 games per year. SL's top teams are playing around 34.
Over 5 years our top players have played the equivalent of an extra season.

You're assuming they will go five years without injury in a collision sport.

There's also the assumption that playing a game of rugby is equal regardless. Whether it's the style of play, or the individual players, Leeds have made ~600 tackles and ~1000 metres more than Saints and Wigan so far this season - that's the equivalent workload to 2 extra games in itself.

So I'd say the assumptions balance (broadly speaking)

That's kind of the point though, the collisions are big enough to cause injury and massive stress upon the body.
People on this thread have said players should be able to play once a week. I don't think all can anymore. Some need a rest to recover, especially if you want them to play toward their peak ability.

Players should be able to play once a week.......providing they come out of the previous game without carrying a knock.

If you tweak a hamstring, or bang a shoulder, or twist an ankle, or damage your back then does a 6/7 days turnaround to then play in a Cup final at Wembley sound like fun?

That's WEMBLEY vs SL opposition with 30,000 odd of your fans there......not whatever weekend amateur team somebody played for on here in front of 100 people and their dogs.

These are professional players their training should prepare them for the intensity of what takes place during the gladitorial exchanges.

Players do get injured and that is a valid reason for not playing - fatigue should not be a genuine reason in an elite professional sport for not playing

On the NRL the scores are not an indication of the physicality of the contest. The scoring differential between the top teams in the premiership and the rest and the top teams in the championship and the rest will be similar but the speed and intensity will be very different

You watch the match highlights and tell me that the team wasn't capable of beating London, we were fully capable but we completely switched off. With full team I agree we would have won, but on the other hand our team was completely capable and showed that in parts. The team selection wasn't the issue for me, it was the switch off which in the end is down to the players.
Zak Hardaker, Ryan Hall and Ian Kirke the experience was there to not lose. No question.

Training can never prepare a player fully for a game. Or players would be effectively playing a game in training.
15 years ago pro RL players were playing 1 game per week. That is still the same now. Despite a huge increase in the speed and power of players over those 15 years. Whilst modern training and recovery methods can help alleviate that strain, I don't see it as unreasonable to think that we might have reached the point where some players on some occasions in the season need to be rested even without an injury. Especially when there is a game where you want to get the most out of that player.
That seems obvious as most people on here have called for players to be rested during the year, even when not injured.

As I said, I'm sure most of the Leeds players could have played in the London game, but do you want your key players in as good a condition as possible for a Cup Final?

But games that are close usually aren't cruises for one team. Which was the assertion. The difference between the Premiership and Championship is in quality not in fitness or effort. Leeds United players will work just as hard for a win as Man City players will.