If Warrington play to the form they can do, thenLeeds could have their best performance of the season and they would still be comfortably beat, Wire are a level above Leeds this season.

For Leeds to win, they will need Warrington to play poorly, and Leeds to put in their best performance of the season, and then you may scrape a win.

This Leeds team isn't the greatest. Warrington are the better team, no doubts. But I'm affraid what you've just said is a load of bollox, dare I say very arrogant? If Leeds put in their best performance of the season and Warrington are only a little off the pace then we have a very good chance.

Warrington are clear and deserved favourites, but don't completely write Leeds off. There is a lot of big game experience in this set of players, a point made earlier in the season when in shocking form. Can Leeds win, yes. Will Leeds win, probably not, but don't be too surprised if they do.

They have already exceeded my low levels of expectation this season, just.

I have to agree with rhinoneil and batleyrhino above. One thing I have learned about this Leeds side is that they are at their most dangerous when everyone (bar the leeds fans) are writing them off. Warington would be well advised to remember this come next Friday evening!

The impression I get from here is that the Leeds fans were the first to write them off this season.

Warrington won't be nor will Tony Smith, neither will 99% of our fans

To an extent that is true, but if you had witnessed the ovation that the team, and more significantly Brian McDermott, got from the Leeds supporters at Huddersfield last Friday night, it's seemed clear to me that the mood among the supporters has changed with the change in form late season. There is a new belief among the squad and supporters that hasn't been there all year, thus far.

To be honest ( being a wire through and through this could and may come back and bite you on the backside )
you need to respect this leeds outfit if they play to there full potential and we become unstuck they will beat us.

But i am hopefull given the circumstances we may just be ok.

Good luck anyway to both teams

I did witness it and my first thought was "what a bunch of hypocrties". Another example of Keith Senior syndrome?

Anyway, the more important point is that the players have confidence at the moment; Wire and more importantly Tony Smith represent a further psychological barrier that may be one hurdle too far - if not it will be an epic away play off win to match those of 2005 and 2010.

This is a better pick for us. If we are to get into the Grand Final I would rather we played a Saints side haunted by the traumas of four consecutive losses at Old Trafford, than a Leeds team that is full of players who are familiar with winning. I fancy playing Leeds at the HJ now more than had they sneaked through in the other semi and having to play them in the final.

If Leeds beat us I can actually see them winning the GF particularly if it is against Saints. That would have to be the most bizarre story ever, if Leeds were to become champions this year, having played their worst rugby since the Dean Lance era for most of the season, but it's actually fairly close to being a reality now.

Could be a dangerous game ahead for us.

Bit like 2006. A team out of form and looking nothing like contenders going into the playoffs, comes up against Tony Smiths all conquering juggernaut of glory.

It's a one off game. ANYTHING can happen. No true wire fan is expecting an easy win.

I said before your game with Hudds on the Wire board that i fear playing Leeds, they have a big game in them waiting to come out, i'm just hoping it isn't against us.

I don't think Leeds will win, but either way this is the season-defining game. If we get beaten then we'll have to look at how badly we've done all year until the last month or so.

Even our run of 'form' over the last ten games has consisted of playing really poor sides with the exception of Wigan at Wembley (I'm definitely of the view that Hudds ran out of steam some time ago).

In fact our run to Wembley and our 'run' to get to play Wire have been the easiest possible routes. Whilst its true to a degree that you can only 'beat what's in front of you', we really have played some poor rugby this year and have not done enough yet for this to be qualified as in any way a good season.

If we win then I'll admit we've had a good season, win or lose the GF. Otherwise I'm very much of the view that we've been aided by good fortune as much as anything else.

I wouldn't worry about Leeds too much. They've produced big games (relatively speaking) against Wigan on 3 occasions and it's not been enough. Defence is not up to scratch, still too much indiscipline and it's an ageing, weary squad with a fair number of players struggling on their last career legs.

I'd worry about Warrington instead. They've had it way too easy of late, they've not been tested for a while (not since the CC QF loss against Wigan) and it's possible that over-confidence might have set in. I'd be very interested to see how they will react if Leeds did manage to get out of the blocks quickly with a couple of early tries and built up an early lead of say 10 to 12 points? That's the only negative I can envisage as I still expect them to beat Leeds on Friday without too many worries.

Winning it from 5th ... I can see the letters from the assorted muppets and know-nowts in League Express already.

On the other hand, given that under a play off system of some sort, the RFL has merely reverted to the traditional system of selecting its champions that has done for around 75% of all champion teams crowned during the history of our sport.

In 1973, Dewsbury beat Leeds in the Championship (Grand) Final to win it from 8th ....

Whether he is trolling or not I fear Jeff is correct. All things point to a significant Wire win but that is the beauty of sport I suppose, you never know.

Don't know who Jeff is but if you're referring to Keith (me) then I've called it all season as I've seen it based on evidence of performances, a squad in decline and a dollop of gut instinct... Leeds not making the Top 4, Leeds making the CC Final (given an easy draw against the likes of Crusaders, Quins, Hull and Cas) and then losing in the CC Final against real (superior) opposition, and I've called the play off games against Hull and Huddersfield as wins too with a defeat against real (superior) opposition again. I've seen no evidence recently to make me change my mind.

Someone used Salford at the HJ as an example and i'm not trundling back to quote it but you do realise that was 2 days after the Exiles game in which we had the majority of the team backing up and 'in camp' for the whole week previous.

2007 I knew we were going to beat saints,we lost 10-8 at KR ,but t was STs who walked off the more worried.In 2008 I thought Saints would win ,but our team proved the were a great side,2009 I thought we would win,it was very tense ,but the boys once again demonstrated what a fine team they were.They are that bit older now ,but they have been there and done it ,when they have their talk amongst themselves like JP mentioned in his book it seemed to work.I dont fancy us again like in 2008 ,but I'm not going bet against us.

It wouldn't be worth it as the odds are crap betting against Leeds.

Warrington are only paying 2/9 on Friday. One bookies odds are an even skinnier 1/6.

That was the last time Warrington were 1st in the table...

when I said bet it was meant as I wouldnt be surprise if we won.I dont gamble on anything stupid thing to do with a persons money ,couldnt careless bout betting odds

Hudds season ended when Luke O'Donnell got injured - one man team.

Leeds can win on Friday, regardless of what the form book, or statistics say.

I don't think Leeds are solid enough defensively to stop Warrington scoring points. That's the main issue we have to deal with. If it's tight then we have enough players used to such situations to possibly get us past them (a bit like the CC win against Wigan last year in the downpour), but I don't think Warrington will allow us to get close. I think they'll be relaxed and confident and too much for us in the first half.
But I'll have everything crossed and hoping the boys can do it - like I'm sure everyone is. Really.