There will always be surprise results in fixtures that don't count for a real lot, particularly early season.

What is guaranteed is that only the credible SL teams who are the genuine contenders for silverware will be there or thereabouts when it really does count.

SL is a five team competition between Wigan, Warrington, St Helens, Leeds and Huddersfield. This isn't a controversial opinion... it is one shared by all the bookmakers in the land.

The rest of the SL teams are garbage and just making up the numbers.

The CC draw this season has been unkind to the whipping boy clubs this year because the genuine contenders have all managed to avoid each other up to the QF's. Therefore the Semi Finals this season will contain four genuine contenders and not a single whipping boy SL club.

Wow.

He's got a point hasn't he?

i agree with Keith

I agree with Nick.

Generally, yes.

Specifically with regards to the semi final line-ups, Leeds fans will be hoping so.

Lets hope this post comes back to haunt you mate, not exactly putting the fear up other teams are you???

is it nice having your ar*e handed to you like that?

Shows how far you lot have fallen though - all FC fans will be more than happy with that draw. Home tie is a must and then avoid one of the real top sides like wire and wigan.

And the last time you won the challenge cup was ? CC is different to the consistency of the league.

...and you last won it when, and I quote the mentally challenged cod-ed who confronted us on exiting the stadium you "absolutely thrashed" us!!!

Was actually thinking along the lines of "Wow. You sound like a Wigan fan". But thought I would leave it there!

Good draw I think. Anyone else see de ja vu and see Saints Semi, Wire final?

No. I only see a difficult Quarter Final tie at Hull. I don't see anything beyond that.




Leeds: 1999, before that 1978, 1977, 1968, 1957, 1942, 1941, 1936, 1932, 1923, 1910

Hull: 2005, 1982, 1914

With the final being back at Wembley Hull won't be expecting to change the habit of a club lifetime ...... will they?



Hull's last 8 results V Leeds: =#FF0000L, L, L, =#FF0000L, L, =#FF0000L, =#FF0000L, =#FF0000L and 5 of those (marked in red) were at the KC Stadium where overall Leeds have come away with the points on 10 of their 12 visits. That sequence of results (from Hull's POV) L, L, L, L, L, W, W, L, L, L, L, L does give FC a crumb of comfort though.

Should be a good game and one to look forward to, just a pity there's such a long wait now for the Quarter Final ties now.

I think Wigan will beat Warrington in this one and should Leeds win meet them in the semis.

Forgot about that! Good job you highlighted it TVOC. "Oooooooooools faaaaithful - you'll never win at Wembley!"

I can see Wire's fairytale dream of a hat-trick ending in the quarters. My mystic ball says Wigan Semi and Hudds Final.

Judging by that record of results, I clearly overestimated Hull FC by referring to them as SL whipping boys.

Leeds will beat them with Bailey and Kirke starting in the front row.

The quote in my Sig particularly made me LOL



I suppose being 3 points off the top of the table after missing half the side all year means we have been poor though. Who knows?

You sure they were meaning you were poor? Or meaning that if you can't beat anyone at home in the QF then you don't deserve to go on?

The common thinking was that Leeds are an easy opposition and a good draw because we "stuggled" to beat Crusaders. Is it 8 weeks until the quarters though? We could have a full team back by then and as it stands even at the mo I think we will run Wire and Saints close over the next 2 weeks. With a pretty full team I think we will be a match for anyone again. You dont become a poor team over night. We still have the talent to beat anyone in this squad.

Think it is around 8 weeks, yes.

And I am not denying anything that you said, however I too think that if we don't win our home QF draw then we don't deserve to be in the Semi. Regardless of who it's against. Surely then you will finally have one true deserved winner at the end?

The way it's panned out if Hull win the next 3 games then they do deserve to win the comp because they will be all against "big 4" teams (and/or Huddersfield) more than likely. Regardless of who wins between us I think the other 3 semi teams will be Wigan, Hudds and Saints. Out of those 3 I think Huddersfield will be in the final.

We'll play Hull in consecutive weeks (the game before the QF is at Headingley)

would that be the wire side we have already beaten at their ground, and the wigan side we were denied a draw with at their ground due to a last minute missed penalty

Déjà vu