Given that Leeds have won the last three GFs after being eliminated from the Challenge Cup before the final in each season, I'd say there is some benefit in being able to focusing alone on peaking at the right time in SL, a competition where we already hold the advantage and will be in the hunt come the playoffs.



It takes a special team to sustain a successful run in both competitions in the Summer Era, I don't think we are anywhere near that level yet, so I'm quite happy to accept a narrow defeat in the cup to optimise our chances of winning SL for the first time in more than a decade.

Semi final, although im happy with how we have performed this season



We really need a big performance on sunday, this will give the whole team a huge lift

In the semi final & 4 points behind.

It's nice to have some eggs to put in a basket.

Semi final for me too but being top of the league has softened the blow a touch. Its how you respond to defeats that usually shows how good you really are. Cas on Sunday is massive.



Im still gutted from Saturday, add to that we finished last in the Eurovision song contest and it was a day to forget!

i don't get this 'distraction of the cup' from a saints point of view we've really had it from all the different angles in the last 5 or so years..



2005 beaten in the semi final, didn't make the grand final

2006 we won the cup then went on to win the grand final

2007/2008 we won the cup then beaten gf finalists

2009 didn't reach the final, but still beaten gf finalists



i appreciate leeds didn't make the CC final, and won those, but if saints fans blamed the GF defeats on the CC i think they'd (quite rightly) be laughed at



similarly saints fans understand more than anyone how little finishing top means.. and sadly with the top 8 more than the top 5/6, it means even less.. the sad reality is that finishing first, and losing your first playoff match is worse than finishing 4th and winning your first playoff match, you don't even maintain the home advantage if the 'top winner' picks you in the semis..



still, on a development point of view, if/when wigan finish top, it'll be a good achievement on your part, but sadly i would guess anything less than a grand final victory, would be deemed an unsuccessful season?

Unsuccessful yes but progress at least if we got to the GF. Its a long way off yet though and we need to respond well to that defeat quickly or we could find it hard to recover.

I know Wire where not at there best yesterday but they still won, now go back a few weeks to when they put 60 past hudds

I would take our league position over the cup, the league position shows clearly the turn about within our club...YES it would have been great to be in the hat for the fixed draw on Wednesday but im more than happy with the season overall so far.

I dont think there will be many complaints if we finish top or reach old Trafford TBH



Progress is the most important thing, keep making progress and we will inevitably win a trophy

unlikely to win the GF unless in top 2, and to go to Leeds and be 2 minutes from victory is no mean achievement - a vast improvement from the Noble days

We won quite a few games under Noble at Leeds.