Warrington have had a 'patchy' league season by their standards (and they still finished 2nd!) so I wouldn't be too surprised if they turn it on over the next few weeks.

Of all the teams in the 8, I think Leeds and Warrington go into the finals in the best positions.

I thought the difference in the way Leeds and Huddersfield approached the last game of the season said alot. Even though the result didn't really make a jot of difference (it could have been argued a loss was better), Leeds took the game to Wigan and are going into the play-offs on the back of a bit of form and a high intensity performance - clearly stepping up their game ready for the play-offs. Hudds on the other hand rested lots of players and got a hammering - yes they had nothing to play for, but they're now going into the play-offs with no 'practice' or form for the high intensity games. I think that's a clear difference in the mentality of the 2 teams - Leeds know what it takes to perform in the play-offs and are building up nicely - Hudds from the outside appear to have had 2 weeks of patting themselves on the back for finishing top, and are now starting afresh for the play-offs; it will be interesting to see how things pan out and who's approach works best. I know who my money is on.

I can't see beyond the top 3 in SL. Wigan did remarkably well to head the league & fourth is about their level. With O'L injured there is only Tomkins & Charnley who would get a look in at any of the top 3. Farrell is a massively overrated workhorse. JJB showed him how someone of limited size should time his runs, run angles & hit the ball at speed, rather than crab across half paced. And that was after several weeks out. To give them credit, their defence is excellent close to the line. I could easily see Saints beating them in the sudden death.

Leeds and Hudds had different agendas last week. Hudds had nothing to gain and everything to lose. As it is, their first teamers will have been largely unaffected by the Bulls game, so they're still high on form and confidence. If they'd played and done the "after the Lord Mayor's parade" bit, that could have been in their minds for the Wigan game. Right approach by Anderson IMO.

The only concern is that with most of them missing last week, the CC final a couple of weeks ago and a possible week off next week, some of them could be a bit under-done by semi-final time. Possibly.

Huddersfield were also given a ridiculously short turnaround, having to play the first playoff fixture on Thursday. You think they were going to have their first team players play a dead rubber on Saturday with a very meaningful game five days later against a Wigan team with a full weeks rest?