put out out an announcement stating 'we will play the lowest ranked team in the semi finals' (should we qualify) to avoid the choice been made when we know the teams - therefore choosing who we perceive to be the weaker and setting ourselves up for a fall?

I don't see why you are fretting about this so much? It's only a choice out of two, so it would be daft to allege that you were putting the other side down. The teams you pick from will have to be one of the weakest sides in the play offs anyway.

And to answer your question. No, of course they shouldn't release the decision early. What happens if the lowest ranked team are full strength and the other side you choose from, although ranked higher, has 9 injuries and 3 players suspended?

You pick the team you consider easiest for you to beat. That, IMO, doesn't mean you are arrogantly sure of a win, just means you think you would do better against them.

no

I haven't given myself time to look af the play off structures properly but should we get to the semi finals, and if the remaining teams were Saints, Huddersfield & Wigan I would think we would have a better chance of beating Huddersfield than the other two.

I don't know if it's possible that those are the remaining 4 teams.

I probably wouldn't. What would they do if, for example, they had a choice of Hull KR or Wigan; Wigan were full strength and showing real form but Hull KR have lost 6 first teamers (eg. Dobson, Cooke, Briscoe, Vella, Newton, Galea). They'd probably prefer to play rovers in that case but would they then look silly to go back on their word?

Please don't shoot me down if there's no possibility of Leeds having those teams to choose from...just using it as an example...

Beat me to it...

A saints fan on the leeds board.








No suprises there!

They're obsessed with us.

All this "it gives the team picked added incentive" business is crap!

If a team needs added incentive in a major semi final then they shouldnt be there in the 1st place so in answer to your question I believe NO.

People assume the team Leeds decide to pick will feel disrespected and which in turn will make them more dangerous.

But do people not think that the team we play will be one week away from the Super League Grand Final - Is that not already a big enough incentive and worth lacing your boots up for? Could they get anymore fired up than they already will be?

Lets worry about HKR first.

Agreed.

Get the cameras at HQ get Sinfield to flip a coin, job done.

It won't be an issue if Leeds lose to Hull KR on Friday.

At this stage you have to go with home advantage being the most prominent determining factor (although there has always been at least one away win in every previous SL play off series) so If Leeds were to beat Hull KR in week 1 why wouldn't they chose to play them again in week 3?

You're at home, you've already beaten them in the play offs, they haven't won at Headingley since 1985 and left defeated on the last thirteen visits.

Agreed.

Who knows,after FRiday we might not even have to worry about that scenario

Whatever Leeds decide to do, they should make the announcement as late as possible to give their potential opponent a little less time to plan.

Isnt it a set time that they have to announce it? Lunchtime monday before the game springs to mind.

There is a press conference, but i think it is on the sunday after the games have been played in week 2!!!

Why can't it be left until the morning of the game?
Think how the tension would build just like going on a mystery tour.
The 2 top finishers know when & where they'll be playing so Sky know where to take their cameras.
Let the others sweat right to the last minute giving the top finishing side the advantage right till the last moment.

I of course think no also, but as I have posted previously it might not be a selection based solely on whom the team picking (not tempting fate either) wants to play, but one also based on whom you are going to send to the other home drawn semi-finalist. All circumstance taken into consideration about injuries etc, I would consider sending Wigan to Saints, rather than play Wigan?

Exactly. That's the only scenario where you pick the higher-placed club.

1) Would rather play HKR or Hudds than Wigan/Noble anyway.

2) Wigan and Saints would beat each other up and weaken the winner for the final.

The whole idea's a silly and unnecessary distraction which adds nothing at all to the play-offs IMO.

Of the sides in the comp I'd suggest that apart from Sts, Leeds would probably have most difficulty with Wigan.

Completely agree.

It’s as if the RFL devised the new 8 team play-off system then, when they sat back – arms folded, someone realised that there was absolutely no advantage finishing first so they bolted on this ‘Club Call’ bolox as an after-thought.

A lad at work had heard that the Rhinos had finished top of SL and said that I must be happy. I replied “I’d be happier if we won the GF”, my colleague didn’t really understand so I explained that the top 8 teams went through a play-off system to reach the grand final where the winner is crowned Champions.

“How do the play-offs work” he asked.

I replied “f*cked if I know pal”

I agree that its an unneccssary distraction but with my Leeds tinted specs on I think it could come in handy if we get the chance to send Wigan to Stains for the elimination play-off

If that does happen I'd be up for adding a further gimick to the playoffs by allowing Hock and Newton to return to Wigan on a one-off basis

don't leeds have to win tonight to choose?
if we lose and saints win don't they get to choose?