2017 Challenge Cup Semi Final Draw The draw for the semi finals of the 2017 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup took place at the KCOM Stadium in Hull and included the remaining four sides who made it through their quarter final ties this weekend, made up with two sides from either side of the Pennines. The draw was broadcast live on BBC2 and across other BBC media, with the teams being drawn out by rugby league favourites Danny Brough and Barry Johnson. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

2017 Challenge Cup Semi Final Draw The draw for the semi finals of the 2017 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup took place at the KCOM Stadium in Hull and included the remaining four sides who made it through their quarter final ties this weekend, made up with two sides from either side of the Pennines. The draw was broadcast live on BBC2 and across other BBC media, with the teams being drawn out by rugby league favourites Danny Brough and Barry Johnson. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Great draw for Castleford. Three of the top 4 will bash each other in a semi-final whilst Castleford have a week off.

A great draw for Castleford would've been for them to still be in it

Think I'm in an minority of one, and it feels wrong, but I didn't want to win today. It's so difficult to win the cup and the league, I'm happy for us to focus on one competition.
If we didn't stand a chance of making the grand final I'd be disappointed to have lost our chance of going to Wembley. However, we should be one home game away from Old Trafford this year, and I'd rather we focus on that.

Are you Alistair Campbell?

I'm absolutely gutted not to be playing Leeds in the semis but Hull totally outmuscled us up front and got the quick play the balls which won them the game.

Never mind. Hopefully be back on it in the league where we have a healthy advantage with 12 to play.

You didn't want to win today ? Extraordinary comment. Understandable though after all the silverware we have won recently.

Aye better to give up 2 games away from a CC Final and concentrate on the 13 or so games to get to the GF!

Obviously Cas have enjoyed so much silverware recently the can dismiss winning a Challenge Cup. Should be concerned that they failed to show for their biggest game of the season, hardly bodes well for the playoffs.

Try telling the Irish fella on sky that he described them as the all conquering Castleford Tigers in reference to their upcoming league game at Leeds.

I think it is so difficult to win both trophies. Hull won the cup last year and folded in league.
Wigan won the grand final after going out of the cup in the semis.
Given our position in the league at the moment, I consider going out of the cup to increase our chances of winning the grand final.

Perhaps. But still. Saying you didn't want us to win today I still can't apprehend. I want Cas to win every game they play.

I want to win a trophy. I think today's result gives us more chance of doing so.

Yes and win today and we are 2 games away from winning a trophy. Not that it's a lifelong dream to see Cas win at Wembley

But we should be one game away from a grand final.
I also remember 2014. We just ran out of energy in the final few games, losing a game that would have seen us finish top and going out of the play-offs with a whimper.

Two of your potential playoff rivals are going to go out at the semi final stage so how does that increase your chances of playoff success?

With the gap you currently have at the top you could've even had the LLS wrapped before Wembley and rested players between then and the playoffs. Whereas Hull last year only had a 1 point gap post Wembley.

Having the experience of big occasions like a cup semi and a final and winning them would help your playoff chances, missing out on them is valuable experience lost when it comes to playoff rugby which is on a different level to regular league games.

You could have been 1 game away from a final today. Surely been 1 game away from a final twice, gives you a better chance of winning a trophy than been only 1 game away from a final once.

History suggests otherwise. Very few teams who play at Wembley win the grand final.

But two of our potential rivals will be playing two intense games whilst we have a week off.

Although I cannot disagree with this comment, you have to understand the significance of the cup win at Wembley for Hull FC as a club. The players were let off their leads for a good few days after that win due to the impact it had on the club.

I doubt that would happen, should Hull be good enough to win the cup again.

Would be interesting to know where is being thought of as venues

Twice in the last 4 seasons it's happened, not only play at Wembley but win.

You might get to put your feet up for a week but at the cost of major big game experience. History would suggest teams with the big match experience reach or win Grand Finals.

Twice in the last four seasons. But how often overall?
There are different perspectives. I'd rather not play every possible week of the season given our strong position in the league. I think it cost us in 2014.

Leeds v Hull at the Keepmoat.
Wigan v Salford at Leigh.

Since the first Grand Final in 1998, there's been 12 Wembley finals, of which 5 eventual Grand Final Winners have been present. If we include the non-Wembley finals in that (2000-2006) then 9 of 19 Grand Final winners have played in the Cup final the same year.

Breaking it down further and looking at how each Grand Final Winner has done in the Cup:
Cup Winners - 4
Cup Runners Up - 5
Cup Semi - 2
Cup Quarter Final - 1
Cup Round of 16 - 6
Cup Round 4 - 1

So Cas losing in the Quarter Finals isn't looking promising for you really....