A ban? And who do you suggest banning for that - the whole team? Tony Smith? I suppose it might give you half a chance next week



A fine might be more appropriate (like in football) but I don't agree. If you have worked hard enough to get yourself into a high position in the league and are assured of that position regardless of your results and the results of others, why shouldn't you rest and rotate your squad the week before a cup final?

Mcguire and Burrow missing......"nearly full strength".......I don't think so!

Completely agree Rugby i think AH was being sarcastic!!

Like when he wrong footed Bridge and made a break for Burrow's try against your lot in the play off semi?? That was funny

How did that work out for you?

Smith was very open about his dislike of club call and before the last 4 was finalised he said that he would be picking the lowest placed side whoever that may be. Same as the automatic earlier rounds.

I remember Leeds in 2009 and Saints in 2010 did the exact same thing when they had ClubCall too...........except they actually managed to win

Lost to London resting half the team v pushing hard for a nothing game in deepest France and still getting beat, which one is worse pre Wembley ?
Erm, it's a question by the way.

Travelling to the South of France is worse before Wembley. The results make very little difference. I'm pleased we kept some continuity though and didn't rest half our team.

Erm, Warrington's result by a long way and its laughable that any Wire fans are trying to claim Leeds had a worst weekend than them. Leeds pushed hard because 4th spot was up for grabs and showed good fighting spirit not to throw in the towel at 18-0 down. Whereas Warrington players, especially those who haven't nailed on a place in the 17 for Wembley should of been doing their best to try win a spot for the Final and they didn't even try.

Funny that Wire fans are saying they want to finish 2nd to avoid the 'dreaded' ClubCall pick, shows nothing has been learnt from last year when Tony Smith made such a big fuss about his dislike of ClubCall that it actually put the pressure on him and his team. He/Wire should of just turned up on the day picked Leeds and not give a reason, but no the 'best team' in the league got rattled simply over having to choose their opponents and you can sense the same fear this year with the wanting to finished second.

you do realise that monas(who should've been man of steel last year) broke his shoulder in teh warm up and still played?

he needed 3 operations on it in the off season.

i mean, i knw you wont care but he was like 'The Man' for us last year, s for that to happen, took away the starting point for our attacks.

Is that the excuse he gave after getting a lesson how to be a 9 from Buderus??

I prefered the 'How To Be A Hardman' lesson that Ryan Bailey gave at Wembley in 2010, which involved throwing a last minute hissy tantrum on a 11 stone, wet-through winger, after being made to look like the house he really is for the previous 79....

The whole ClubCall business was a red herring. When its one game away from the Grand Final I doubt the players are that bothered about being motivated by being chosen in the club call, seeing as if you win you get to go to Old Trafford. I can see it being a motivating factor if it happened in a league game but the players are going to be up for it.

I think the more relevant psychological aspect of the playoffs is the same that happens in football league playoffs, if one team has finished 3rd and the other 6th and they are at Wembley in the playoff final, the team finishing 3rd has more to fear as they have more to lose, after a good season just missing out on automatic promotion, where the team finishing 6th has nothing to lose and sees it as a bonus.

In that playoff last year there were two things that hit us:
- Leeds after a disappointing season saw themselves one game away from Old Trafford, so they played without fear, whereas we had the fear that our best season in years could be blown in 80 minutes
- Leeds also knew they had the track record of winning Grand Finals and as well as playing without fear probably played with a lot of belief, we haven't been there and done it yet so still have that hesitance that comes with virginity

In the end the game was in the balance in the last 10 minutes and Leeds took it, we didn't.

If Warrington play Leeds again in the playoffs this year, even without a ClubCall situation, the same issues above will apply so I will be edgy about facing Leeds.

So which is it??

Actually my question is perfectly valid, I wonder if we had lost to Catalans and you had lost to London if there would be any different reaction ?

I would say that you have had the best weekend. Among our fans there is a definate element of doubt in our players since the performance in London.

Personally I think they are better than that and I trust Smith to get them back on track. Should be a hell of a game.

Really??....Most Wire fans I've spoke to have just shrugged and literally laughed it off as the freak result it was....The only doubts would concern players like Evans, Bridge, Williams and Blythe being good enough to hack it at the club in the next few years, though these are players who had no chance of playing at Wembley anyway, so it has no relevance to our confidence for the Wembley game.

Both. Leeds are great in Grand Finals but when it comes to the cauldron of Rugby League's Biggest Occasion, the Challenge Cup Final, the showcase of the sport, you fellas freeze under the pressure whereas the Wire rise to the biggest stage.



I guess that will be bookmarked as one to bring back if you beat us

the challenge cup final bigger than the grand final. really? that because you normally bottle that one?

One thing you cant say is that we bottle Grand Finals..... cos we've never made it that far!

If we lost 62-18 to London I'd be bloody appalled, trust me on that.