indeed. plenty of good and bad areas in both places.
I expect a tight game. if both sides are at full strength I'm hoping leeds by 8 maximum. other games nip and tuck too. I think Wigan night target the cup as the Gf could be just out of reach

Hull are very well supported. There is no question about that. There is also no denying that Leeds ticket sales for the semi final is nothing short of abysmal. But the question is why? Gradually since the 2003 semi vs Saints (sell out at Huddersfield) our ticket sales have dwindled. Even the 2015 CC final had a poor atmosphere. Yes it's on tv just like every other semi final, it's not all that expensive, Doncaster is a decent venue for Leeds-Hull, there isn't any football on. Has the novelty just warn off and people are happy with watching at home/pub?

Have you been?

Very little of it left!

Exactly.

Many who have never been, throw out Bransholme of a place of deprivation based on something they saw on telly which dates back 30+ years. I wouldn't mind but it wasnt even the worst part of Hull even then.

That said, many I know in Leeds take a certain amount of satisfaction in telling none Leeds folk that Taxi drivers won't stop in Chapeltown!!

Hi my name is Rob Williams, I am in charge of the official match programmes for both Challenge Cup Semi Finals For the first time we are allowing outside advertisers the chance to promote themselves in the programmes if you are a local business and would be interested in going into the programme, please give me a call 020 7121 5033 or email rob@pml.media and I will explain what we can offer you Thank you

Hi my name is Rob Williams, I am in charge of the official match programmes for both Challenge Cup Semi Finals For the first time we are allowing outside advertisers the chance to promote themselves in the programmes if you are a local business and would be interested in going into the programme, please give me a call 020 7121 5033 or email rob@pml.media and I will explain what we can offer you Thank you

500 tickets left for this game.

Albert Kelly seemed to do his calf in the dying minutes last night so possibly a doubt for this game now as well as next weeks league game at Headingley.

Hull prop Josh Bowden goes under the radar but he's impressed me this year.

So with the players that missed the game last night I reckon everyone will return.

Golding Briscoe Watkins Moon Hall McGuire Parcell Cuthbertson Ablett JJB Ward Singleton Garbutt Keinhorst Mullally Baldwinson Ormondroyd Lilley Walker

I was suprised just how many you rested last night. By all means rest players with a niggle or wrap a few key players in cotton wool, but is it such a good thing to have that many sat out at once? I guess the proof will be next weekend.

Much less confident about next week than I was when the draw was made. We just cant hold on to the ball lately. On the plus side our defence has been pretty exceptional in recent weeks (it kind of has to be when you keep dropping it in your own 30). Hoping for warm and dry conditions which maybe just gives us the edge (you seem to handle wet conditions much better tham we do), but there is nothing between the sides really. I can see it being decided either by one peice of brilliance or one moment of controversy (hopefully not the latter).

Yes, gentrification seems to be hitting the most unlikely areas. I was in Alfred bar last night when a fella walked in who looked like he'd crawled from under the rubble of the long demolished white Council houses. When he saw the price of a pint he fainted and was stretchered back to the 1970's.

I think it was the right decision as we are not in a position to lose any more key players at this stage but like you say the absolute proof of that will be at the weekend.

Im anticipating a great cup semi, the ingredients are there. full ground, two sides in pretty good nick and i do hope it is dry and warm i think both sides would be better for that. Hopefully it will be a classic and the best team wins on the day.

Think it will be a good one and a good chance it'll be one score in it at the end. Hoping Salford are saving a performance for the cup and we have two good semi finals. Us getting swept aside by Wigan last night was understandable and expected, Salford getting niled by Leigh with a strong team out is poor.

I can see the arguement for it, and I know you have the points on the board to be able to do it, but I just think its better to try to carry some momentum into these games. Having most of the team on the bench isnt the approach I would take personally.

I agree personally I wouldn't do it but wrt momentum it is only one game. We did similar before the SF & F in 2014 and lost both league games to Bradford & London (the bottom two). If Cas do it for 3/4/5 games once they've wrapped up the LLS it's more questionable.

Thing is, if we win vs Hull it's justified. If we lose then I can't see us NOT finishing 2nd with no Wembley distraction and Hull as our nearest challengers in the league for 2nd would have the Wembley distraction.

I agree with that. With how many were out with genuine injurys, and the absolute need for Wigan to win, the likelyhood of winning that game was slim anyway. On that basis you may as well also rest key players to limit any risk of further injuries.

The time to really rest was the double weekends and the easy cup ties, but what effect they had on current Injurys we don't really know. So we were in the position we were anyway.

For me, Bowden is more of a threat at breaking the line than Taylor despite the meters made. That said, it would appear most Hull players have been playing with Teflon gloves lately.

Really looking forward to this game. Neutral venue games are usually a great atmosphere. Hoping for decent weather and tight contest.

With the old GF play-off format, the 1st team to qualify had a two week gap before the final which appeared to be a disadvantage. I'm hoping this isn't the case for Leeds as losing the semi would not us out of the cup and have brought all our rivals nearer to us in the league.

I wasnt too happy tbh, with the bulls out the league Wigan is the match I look forward to most now and to just throw it away seemed a bit disrespectful to the fans.
If we win the cup then its justifiable, but if we loose on Saturday or drop down the league and loose the cc final then Mac will rightly be hammered for it

lets just hope this was the rest we needed to put a big run together in league and cup

I predict whoever wins on Saturday, will lose on 31st August.

Looks like we've finally sold out as well as no more tickets are available online.

I can't see Leeds getting beat on Saturday - Hull just seem to flatter to deceive.

If Hull have a really hot day then they have the quality but this seems to happen so infrequently that Leeds would be unlucky to come up against a hot Hull side.

Facing a full strength Wigan in the final - can't see Salford turning them over - would be a different proposition though.

Last year and this year with beating Cas last round they do look a different proposition when it comes to the cup than their league form which I agree has been a bit hit and miss.

Drop the word rightly from your post and I'm sure no-one would disagree. As it stands you're ignoring the possibility of Hull playing to a standard that would beat us whether we'd rested players or not. IMO the current Leeds side isn't of such quality that it can take beating any of the top sides for granted.