..and those with a memory a little bit longer will remember that actually, the traditional method of deciding champions has been via an end of season playoff.

I still, to this day don't know how people can rabbit on about what an achievment finishing top is when the f*cking fixture list is uneven. Leeds play champions wigan 3 times this season. There's no buying into the hype of the grand final. That is what gives you the tag of champions.

It's always the same. In 2004, when leeds finished top, saints who were then seasoned at winning grand finals rubbished it on here. It's where I first learned the term hub cap. 10 years on roles are reversed. It's always the same. The reality is - yes it's a trophy and it's good for teams who haven't won much recently. But winning it doesn't give you the main prize of champions and as the fixture list is uneven and teams target the grand final more than finishing top it will never recieve the same kind of accolades or attention and rightly so.

Winning the CC is harder?

Wigan had the CC handed on a plate last year. Complete with knife and fork and a napkin. Don't think they played a team inside the top 6 all the way through to winning. Pathetically easy.

I dont recall saints fans rubbishing the LLS, this came from the Wigoons when Saints won it those 3 or 4 years on the trot. During that period the saints fans and club wanted to win everything that was going no matter what the asset value..
The LLS gained value when Newcomers Warrrington and Huddersfield won it.

But the playoffs very rarely have the best teams playing each other, due to how injuries massively effect the playoffs.
Over the course of 4 games injuries can be extremely significant. Over the course of 26 fixtures injuries are more averaged out.
When it comes down to it no coach, coaches to lose a game. There are the odd games where a weaker side will be put out, but there have only been a few of these this year.

Where Wigan desperate to win at Hull KR , did they plan to lose to Bradford because they did not want to finish top. It's natural that someone from Leeds would rubbish the league given how they have profited from the playoff system. But I've always had value in the league. Even when Saints won it over Bradford, I still recall texting a friend at the end that the better team lost on the day.

One game is not what makes a team good or bad.

Leeds lost

Yep

Beating Leeds can be our only focus.

Whether they win or lose, the CC it's going to be tough for them to back it up the next week.

Also their run of form is hardly fearsome.

Spot on. If (very big 'if'!) we could beat Leeds, then they beat the piescum, then I think top spot is ours.

It's in our own hands now. Win 2 out of 3 and it doesn't matter about any other results.

In return for all those losers medals they've given us, fixtures against Leeds in the weekly round are often our most sweetest. Hopefully things will land our way again - if its because of a Wembley hangover, then so be it..

If its a game vs Huddersfield standing in the way of us and the LLS, I'd be confident, but there's three very tough fixtures staring at us, especially the way Wire are playing lately (in the league).

I don't see how Wire's recent league form is seen as a big threat.

Easily beat an understrength and unfocused Cas side.
Beat Catalan by 2 points
Loss to Wakefield
Loss to Widnes

If that was our last 4 matches Saddened would be saying we were ready for relegation.

I believe we are capable of beating all three. We've done it already in the league, and in the case of Leeds it was when we were as depleted as we are going to be this time around - more so if you consider that we will have all our forwards available for this one. We didn't have Walsh or Wilkin available for Leeds at home and I think Shannon is an adequate replacement at fullback for Lomax assuming Brown keeps him there (which IMO he should as we need his attacking threat). If Hohaia returns for Leeds as has been reported then we are no worse off and it's not like we haven't won at Headingley before.

I would be reasonably confident of a win against Leeds but for our unpredictable attitude this season. I can't be sure that our forwards will work hard or that we will work for each other in defence, especially as once again we find ourselves three points ahead. When we have been in this position before this season we have gone on to suffer a massive blow out score against us.

Looking at the remaining fixtures I think it's a case of we have to win 2 out of 3. If we only win one I think Wigan will take top spot after winning all their remaining games. I'm going to be optimistic and say we will beat Warrington and Huddersfield after losing to Leeds and the top 6 will finish up like so:

St Helens - 40 points
Wigan - 39 points
Castleford - 38 points
Leeds - 36 points
Warrington - 34 points
Huddersfield - 34 points

I'd be extremely happy with this as I've lost hope of us competing for the Grand Final with our current injury problems.

Surely history says we stand a chance next week at Leeds? No team backs a challenge cup final up well.

That is true and there is a chance they make take the foot of the gas somewhat to hold something back for the playoffs. Going through a CC final win, 3 intense games for the LLS, the playoffs and possibly a Grand Final without any let up is a good way to burn yourself out both physically and mentally.

Leeds play ourselves, Wigan and Hull so there's no 'easy' games there, despite Hull's poor performance this year.

You should beat Leeds as their cup win will have them happy and relaxed and not in the mood for a head on battle. Also think you'll beat Wire at home.
Just can't see you winning at Hudds though. A game too far I'd imagine.

As for Wigan, a lot will hinge on the team Shaun Wane selects. He usually sends a weakened squad to Widnes which last season saw us win by 1 point and the previous season lose by the same margin. Then it's Leeds and Wire at home. So no certainties there though.
With three games to go it's a good end to the season.

We could still finish top with one win over Warrington, the scenario would be Wigan to beat Leeds, Warrington to beat Wigan, Catalan to beat Castleford, Huddersfield could win all there games but could lose out on points difference.

Hull KR, Widnes, Catalan and Wakefield are also battling for a top 8 spot, so I think it won,t become clear until the last game.

This weekend is a bit of a difficult one to predict in terms of who will win what game.

Bradford have had a hot run of form recently and Cas are on the back of a CC loss. Bradford are rested and Cas will be going from 70K watching to 7K watching. There are plenty of factors there that could lead to an upset.

Widnes v Wigan - You would imagine again 2 points to wigan, but given Widnes' need to pick up points or risk dropping from the 8 and the fact that Wigan only snatched a draw previously from the team below Widnes. It's not a certainty.

Warrington v Huddersfield is a win win for Saints. Someone is going to lose points on us.

I think our game is the only thing we can control. Personally I hope we go out to hit them hard early on in the game. They should not have the same energy for a long hard game and if we rock them early, the mindset of winning the challenge cup may come in.

If we give them an early lead however, they may keep a roll on from this week.

One of the tougher weeks to predict in SL.

Leeds followed the CC final in 2011 by going unbeaten the rest of the season and winning the grand final.

I think he meant backing up a winning cup final appearance.

They lost that one though and so only had the GF to go for as they were also out of the reckoning for the LLS.

Think saint leeds will be a dead rubber on friday judging by the celebrating leeds have done since saturday. The leeds players had the CC as number one priority this season and know they can come again from just about any position in the playoffs. Cant see saints nott winning on friday and no finishing top now.

I cant see us losing on Friday if we go in with the right mindset and attitude.

If we get into them early on, with some tough and fast defence we should win comfortably. However, if we go in with the attitude we have shown on too many occasions this year (Catalans, Hull KR), we will get beaten.

According to all reports coming out of Headingley Hetherington wants all out shot to finish top so maybe it will be tougher than you think

Well if he wants people to turn up to watch then he will certainly want the Rhinos to aim to finish top.

The way people devalue the league just baffles me as it's almost saying don't bother watching the first set of rounds, which is what the clubs live and breath their income from.

I think all Saints fans believe it will be tough. We have three of our key players missing, possibly Lance too (he may be back from injury for Leeds, we don't know). We've got a scratch halfback pairing and we don't even know if Robes will be fit following the cut he got to his leg that needed stitching.

Leeds is the only team that can do the treble, something Saints did in 2006, so I would imagine the club will want to put that in their history books too. Can't say I blame them. It was great fun when we did it.

Regardless of what some think I do think teams take it seriously but the timing of the CC so late in the year impacts greatly on a team's focus.

Had Saints beaten Leeds in Round 5 then I reckon it'd be Leeds with a bit of a points cushion at top of the league right now. We saw similar with Wigan in 2013. In fact no LLS winner has even reached Wembley let alone won there since Saints in 2008 and when push came to shove in the GF of that year they didn't have enough to win.....identical story in 2007. They did manage it in 2006 but they were clearly head and shoulders above all competition that year.

Trying to fight on all three fronts, apart from 2006.....usually a crack happens somewhere.