As each year passes the odds must go against more repeat Championships so we must go into games with hope and confidence but not arrogance. To have produced this result against Wigan was quite remarkable considering recent form and injuries. More important than the result was the manner of our performance and the form of the returning injured and of our key playmakers.

These indeed are a special group of senior players backed up by special medical and fitness coaches and last but not least an outstanding British head coach who has been moulding the newer players, in what has been a transional squad, into the club's ethics and mental toughness.

The newer additions are being dropped in, being around and learning how to win big games.

BJB and Ward last year.

Hopefully Singleton, Sutcliffe this year will pick up on that too.

Seems a nice cycle at present, allbeit one that we can improve and tinker with certain members needing to be planned to be replaced etc.

Careful, that won't go down with some of the 'fans' on here

Amen brother.

I'm really not sure the burden of expectation will be a big deal. Nobody was going to write us off for the play-offs this year. Hudds and Wire will be pretty confident. It's all about them finding the next level.

The more concerned team might be Wigan. I've been thinking for a while that they were holding something back for the play-offs, but I do start to wonder whether they're just shot. Time will tell. They've clearly got the players (although the halves are relatively un-tested in the real high pressure games). O'Loughlin's a huge loss for them going into these big matches. Of course it could be that they've got it spot on and are ready to catch fire next week.

It's going to be very interesting seeing how all this plays out this year.

Huddersfield are not our peers yet. You have to bring more than one dinner plate to the table to dine with us.

I don't think so.

How many super league winners rings does this group have between them?

They have nothing to prove to anybody. Neither Hudds or warrington have claimed a championship in some time so theres pressure on them to end the drought. Warrington have pressure to go one better than last year, hudds have pressure to back up their regular season dominance.

My bad.

We'll know inside the next few weeks if Fartown can 'bring it'.

Over the last few years, the benefit of the week off for winning in Week 1 of the playoffs hasn't looked as significant as you might expect.

Last year, Wigan and Saints both won their Week 1 games but neither made the GF.

In 2011, it was Warrington and Saints and only one of those made the GF.

2010 Leeds and Saints had the week off, only one made the GF.

Under the eight team play-off system, the week off seems to be something of a poisoned chalice with only two out of six teams winning the following week.

Even if Huddersfield come out on top against Wigan next week, it remains to be seen how well they cope with both the expectation and the enforced layoff that success in Week 1 brings.

Defensively I thought Wigan looked good until we simply ground them down & offensively how different it could have been had Thornley not been so greedy?
But the Wigan fans must now rue last week's wholesale resting of their stars, unless of course they prefer to play away against the Giants rather than the Wolves.
So we shouldn't be getting too carried away, the Giants given how they've performed all season & with a full or virtually fully fit squad should still be the favourites.

We've finished third. There is no expectation. There is hope and desire, but I think expectation is over doing it a bit. In terms of expectation, I would say there is more on Huddersfield shoulders. Having won the league and looked strong they will have some pressure. To end such a positive season with just a hub cap would be a massive disappointment for them, and hey may not be able to take the pressure.

Leeds have applied the pressure last night. They have shown they have another level, and they have shown what you will have to beat if you want to take the spoils at Old Trafford. Can Huddersfield go up another notch, and have Warrington got something left in the tank.

No pressure just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I think Wigan will get beat by Huddersfield and struggle to a win the next week, whoever gets them in the semis will put 30 minimum on them.

Hudds have to turn up now. It's been rare for the team finishing top to massively bottle, however, they could have two very losable big games to play before they get to OT. I think this year could be the hardest to predict of any - IMO any of the top 4 are perfectly capable of winning it and I couldn't pick . I would also say that Saints are capable of causing some shocks, maybe even making OT themselves (and if they do that then they have a chance as well).

I've always said that the only thing more difficult to deal with than losing in the CC final is winning it.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a Leeds V Wigan final this year.Both clubs are very competitive at this end of the season.

It might sound strange but i wouldnt want to be in hudds shoes at all. They have no playoff pedigree, losing 7 from 9 i believe yet they finished top and everyone expects them to at least make old trafford, and blitz their opposition like they have done during the regular season. I just think it's a bad cocktail of circumstances.

I just don't think they'll make old trafford. I think they'll win in week 1 but when it get's to that final crucial 80 minutes they'll falter.

I would,if results go our way,I would expect Leeds to pick Wigan in the club call,them being the lowest ranking team.

How would leeds pick wigan in the club call?

For leeds to even get the club call, would mean huddersfield and warrington both losing, and if huddersfield lose to wigan, wigan won't even be an option in the club call.

the giants have had a great season and have been the best side in the weekly rounds
however they need to back up their excellent season's form and at least make the final before anyone will give them the respect they fully deserve
could they win it?
yes they could but i don't think they will

imo warrington are the team to beat and i believe that we will have possibly 2 play off games against them in order to make the gf

i'll go for a giants v rhinos or warrington final

Two more weeks of meaningless fixtures after this weekend is completed until the season kicks off for real on Thursday 26 September.

Do Leeds want a week off? And would it benefit them if they did earn a week off? Recent success has been built on building momentum playing every week in the play-off's while those earning a week off haven't fared too well when it really counts in the proper semi final.

My personal view? Leeds may well be better off losing at Warrington next week. Continue building momentum a week later at home to whipping boy SL rabble, then turn it on in the proper semi final the week after... probably away at Warrington... where they'll bottle it under pressure and wonder what the actual point was of winning 2 weeks earlier.

Lots to happen before this could happen, but a VERY interesting scenario would be a Leeds loss and a Wigan win next week...giving ClubCall to Warrington.

Then Leeds and Huddersfield wins in week two - who would Warrington pick?? Surely then the 'automatically pick the lowest ranked team' approach would be ditched given their recent record against Huddersfield?

Are you really classing Saints as 'whipping boy SL rabble' these days?



There would be a chance that we would face them at Headingley in week two?

I concur. The week off will not do leeds any good IMO.

No it wouldn't because Tony Smith's opinion of club call isn't exactly positive and he doesn't strike me as the type of person to change his mind by agreeing to polish turds to order. He doesn't even bother turning up for the non-event, instead leaving the club call announcement to someone else at the club - which is always "lowest ranked team selected" whoever it might be.