My take, not that I'd agree, is Wire genuinely think Hudds are the weaker of the two on the field.

If you had to do man for man with both Leeds and Huddersfield's available squad I think Leeds would have the better squad

Leeds backs with the exception of McGuire for Danny Brough are all better for a start.

I figure it's all a matter of form, both of Wire's recent demolitions of Huddersfield and of their recent inability to turn up in the playoffs.

We've put ourselves in a corner now of really having to win, to avoid looking like the worlds biggest willys. That's my main fear. However, if we'd have lost to Leeds, we'd still look like idiots. I just don't feel the same threat from the Giants, and I guess at a club level, the feeling is the same, in that its the "easier" route to OT.

I think if we lose to Huddersfield, we'll know we could have never beaten Leeds and feel a bit better about it. However, if we'd have chosen Leeds and lost, every single one of us would have been like "...Should probably have gone for Hudds"

Hudds have little playoff experience this will be their biggest ever game. Leeds have loads of playoff pedigree, our win over them means nothing now

I don't think picking Huddersfield had a lot to do with them, despite being called arrogant & disrespectful by some of the posters on their forum. I think its more of a case of letting Leeds & Wigan smash the hell out of each other, leaving them in a worse state for the GF. It just leave Wire in a better position should we win Thursday night.

We think they'll be easier to beat. Simple as that.

We'll find out on Thursday whether we were right or not, but that's obviously why we've picked them.

The board will want a full house at OT should the Wire get there, and a game against the more fashionable and better supported Leeds & Wigan will give that, a game against Huddersfield possibly might not.

To win the trophy the Wire and going to have to beat two teams, and it doesn't really matter who they are as all the teams left in are capable of winning a match against any other team. It's down to who plays better on the night(s).

I'd still have picked the lowest ranked team though, as this club call is a load of kak.

I still think it was somewhat of a commercial decision. If TS said he wasn't bothered who was picked, then surely from a business side its better to offer a different fixture rather than a repeat of one from a fortnight ago.

I think Dropkick is right, but probably an estimate that overall we have (in the board's view) a better chance of winning the whole thing by taking on Huddersfield and then whichever of Leeds and Wigan survives their battle (which it surely will be). I wouldn't be surprised if our game is a bit of a one-sided affair, but I'm not sure which way...

We've shown all year we have the squad and the game plans to beat Hudds or Leeds (and Saints or Wigan come to that), so it didn't matter which team we picked ...... This time of the season you have to be on your game, and Wire at 100% v any of the others at 100%, I'd back Wire.

By going for the team who had won on Thursday (turned out to be Hudds) it gave TS an extra day to prepare the squad physically & mentally for their opponents. The players probably already knew in Fridays training sessions what they were preparing to face this Thursday.

I strongly suspect had Leeds/Saints played Thursday, we'd have picked them instead.

Coz they have to some team. Why not at least give pies and Leeds a toughie before a final against wire?

Just to make Yed show his on canal street.

Because Huddersfield is the "easier" game.

I agree with the Warrington decision, makes sense to me.

That said, I don't think there is as much to it as some are making out. Leeds looked shot in the last 20 vs Stains and could run out of fuel. That said, they are undoubtably the masters of playoff football and will be a tough nut to crack.

Conversely Warrington have been turned over in one semi final this year, and Hudderfield are a much better outfit than Hull.

Overall though, on balance, Huddersfield was the right call by you. Not arrogant or disrespectful, just right.

I was going to joke "to keep Briers and Ablett apart", but I think there might actually be a little bit of that too. I think that there is some baggage between Leeds and us from the first game which could well have spilled over. Hudds do seem a les physical team to me and I do feel there'll be less chance of incidents sparking off which could get guys into trouble.

A good point and one I hadn't considered.

great shout.... hadn't thought of that.

Not sure that Hudds is the easier game, but our recent record against them is good. Whoever had the club call would have put two tough teams together and hope they could beat the team they chose. I think our forwards are better and their backs are quicker. This game will swing on who's half backs and hookers run the show. Briers versus Brough and Higham/Maons versus Robinson/Lunt/Wood, what battles they could be!!

All this 'let leeds and wigan soften each other up for the final'. I don't think hudds will be tiddlywinks and that logic could backfire if one of leeds or wigan crumble.

One team are the current SL Champions, the other team was Huddersfield
One team has proven pedigree in the playoff competition, the other team was Huddersfield
One team beat us in last years final, the other team was Huddersfield

Not exactly rocket science this.

Compare and contrast Leeds' and Huddersfield's playoff records. There-in lies the answer.

I think Huddersfield is the correct pick, but I was very surprised we went for them, as I’d convinced myself we’d take Leeds all day long. Common sense has prevailed, but it’s still a very tough game.
I still don’t believe a word that Broomhead, Smith or the players have said before, during or after the announcement, though. It’s all a load of hot air.

For one thing, I suspect the players would have wanted to play Huddersfield and they’d have definitely been consulted. In the past, it appears we’ve won games against Huddersfield when lining up in the tunnel beforehand, and when Morley, Hill and Westwood are eyeballing them backstage again this Thursday, they’ll do well not to look down at their feet with their recent record against us. I suspect this, as much as anything else, is why we picked them.

All this “Hudds will be extra motivated” or “Smith has done Anderson’s team-talk for him” is the biggest load of tosh imaginable. If Anderson’s only team-talk is to beat his chest, throw teacups about and boom out Henry V to get his team up for a semi, then they’ve got no chance and he’s a crap coach - and neither of these things is true. He’s got to be focusing on how he gets on top on Warrington’s pack and how he can protect Brough sufficiently to let him orchestrate the game for 80 minutes and not just 20.

Warrington will be ready and waiting; it’s up to Huddersfield to ensure they are as well. I’m sure they will be.

I just hope it doesn’t rain.

Stop using common sense please. Everyone knows the pick was simply down to arrogance, the Huddersfield fans said so.

The easiest route to the final given the choice of the 2 teams is Leeds, they are carrying injuries and have just had a humdinger of a game.

However if you want to make the final easier to win, you let Leeds go and take Huddersfield on home turf, were 90% of the crowd will be backing you and giving the ref greif and applying pressure to the away side.



Ref's may try to be neutral, but come on home advantage does have an impact on the odd call. Even if it's just persuading them to make the right call on a forward, rather than letting it go.



Take your biggest threat on home turf, rather than in a final where it's pretty even.



I think Saints made this mistake a few years back when we had club call. We took Huddersfield as it was clearly the easier route to the final. But for me we should have took Wigan. In the final Wigan won the game in minutes on a wide open pitch with our players flagging we did not stand a chance. Had we taken them at home, the very last game at KR, with fans pressurising the ref and players on a narrower pitch it would not have been so easy for them.



For me the question is about the team picking, is making the final the achivement or do you want to win the thing.