Huddersfield lost their first three games after coming into the season cold having played no preseason warm up games. Since then they've been pretty good, having the best defence and showing some real attacking flair.

They've got some genuine top class players in their line up who can make the game changing plays that Champion teams come up with when needed. Brough, McGilveray, Tai, Huby,Wardle with the likes of Ferres due back in the next fixture.

They've flown under the radar a bit but their next fixture against Leeds could see them finish as League leaders despite that horrible start to the season.

It would be refreshing to see a different name on the trophy and do the game a lot of good by breaking the Leeds/Wigan/Sts cartel.

For me Brough needs to keep his cool as he has appeared to do in the super 8s so far. Think Huddersfield can do it and finally get over the line whereas in previous years they always fell short. And I don't think they've had a better chance to do it imo, Leeds seem to be faltering, and Saints and Wigan are unconvincing ATM.

I'd like to see them get there fo variety too, but based on what I saw last night and in other weeks they are just a solid side who get the job done and not Champion material.

They can.You still wouldn't back them,or i wouldn't anyway, as the side they will face will be a side that is used to going to OT and knows what it takes to win there.

All of the top 4 are fairly evenly matched and have a decent chance of lifting the trophy

Experience counts when it comes to Grand Finals.

Leeds & Saints have it. Wigan slightly less so. Huddersfield have none.

Tough hurdle to overcome.

Hudds are playing the best of the Top 4, that's not saying much at the moment though. The reason those other teams win GF's and CC's is because they find another level come the time. I suspect at least one of the three will find that level. As for Hudds they never have, they'd gotten over that horrible start to the season by the time the cup came around and promptly got thrashed by Leeds.

Hudds fans might not like to hear it, but until they've been there and done it, people will have to have their doubts. I mean it's not like they keep narrowly missing out in the playoffs, they'd taken some real beatings and saved some of their worst showings for that time of year.

On the "you've got to be in it to win it" line of thinking then yes i think they could reach Old Trafford if they land themselves a home semi final, but I don't think they'll win if they get there.

Saints have plenty of experience of losing grand finals.

If Huddersfield make it to the final they will be in a similar position to Hull when they faced Saints at Old Trafford.

Lack of experience was a massive factor in that game. I'm not saying it's impossible for them to win. But without knowledge of what it's like in the 50th minute when the pressure is jacked up to breaking point it's difficult.

Would you back Danny Brough in such circumstances?

I'm with a lot of others, I want to see them go on and win, or at least reach the grand final just to have a different team involved. In the 19 years of the Super League 4 teams have won it and a total of 6 have been in the final; in the same 19 year period in the NRL, 10 different teams have won it and a total of 13 teams have been involved. Just wanted to highlight that.

Also should be pointed out, Hudds record vs Wigan/Saints/Leeds this season in all competitions.

P9
W1
D1
L7

we have a good chance, as much as the other 3, we are the form team with some players running hot at the moment. however, what we don't have is that experience of winning the crucial do or die games, we have the players and a head coach who have done it, but not the experience of a team.

there's only one way to get that experience though!
and yes we have gone under the radar, as we do most years, but i like that, while the media bang on about how Leeds are gonna dominate everything, how wigan are doing everything right with the kids, how you never write off the saints etc, we have just been winning games, and, apart from last night, winning games well and it's almost as if people, or rather the media have just realised Huddersfield are in there too.
.

it's taken the rest of the RL world years to see what a cracking player McGillvary is, and also despite Brough been our main man,Ellis has been a very good foil for Broughy this year, and taken a lot of pressure off him.

so yes we can get to a grand final and win it,no pressure on us at all, i don't think many expected us to be in this position, i certainly didn't, i thought maybe 5th or 6th, but for a club like ours with a small but loyal fanbase and certainly unable to match the other 3 in terms of finances, sponsorship, attendances and coverage, and to to be competing for the top 4 every year now is a remarkable achievement in my eyes.

i agree with that and it something that we will have to live with, like leeds, always being seen as the bridesmaids in the 80's and 90's.
it's particularly galling because apart from warrington (although that's changed this year) we have usually had the measure of the teams we are falling to in the regular season.

but things have to change and maybe this year we will have to balls to win a big game?

In answer to the original questions, Yes & Yes.

Will they?

I doubt it, unless they quickly learn to curtail "the elephant in the room" of their team.

Surprisingly there are players in other teams who at this stage who know what to do and unless things change rapidly there will be minimal chance of of silver in the cabinet.

we're saving them up, false sense of security n all that

Problem is, you can't go under the radar in a GF or Playoff semi.

The Arsenal of the Superleague?

not really, Arsenal have always been a top,succesful team with big crowds and star players

Giants are definitely the form team going into the semis. The question isn't about their ability on the field, but their mental toughness when it comes down to the semi and final.

What would be interesting would be a poll of Leeds/Wigan/Saints fans asking them which of the other three teams they'd like to meet in the semi. I reckon a fairly large majority would want to meet Huddersfield rather than one of the traditional 'big three'. Maybe they're wrong though ...

That would surely have been the case in the last couple of seasons, but as you imply, Roy, it may not be so clear-cut now.

Some close finishes in those 7 losses

true,
v Wigan A 16-24
v Leeds A 24-28
v saints H 8-11
v Leeds H 24-24
v Wigan H 18-32
v saints A 34-35

but close defeats don't win grand finals, and that's been our problem.

If Huddersfield win Friday then yes, if they don't then no.

What makes you say that?