Dave T

Not absurd in the slightest. Let's put a couple of scenarios together. Leeds finish 4th - they win at Wigan, they get through to the major semi at home. 1 game from the final at home. Brilliant. Leeds finish 5th, they beat Crusaders (8th) at home. They then have to play Warrington or Hull away, and then Wigan or Saints away. You honestly think that there isn't a massive difference in those scenarios? There is also the fact that if they lose their first game from 5th they are out, whereas 4th will always get a second chance. The difference is absolutely massive, probably the biggest difference in the playoffs, and it surprised me you actually picked these two places as your example, as there are much better examples to show flaws in the system. By the way - I don't disagree that the top 5 or 5 playoff system may have been better, just focussing on this on point.

4th has a massive advantage over 5th. If Leeds finish 4th and go to Wigan and win, then they go straight through to the major semis and have a week off. They will then get home advantage in that major playoff. Massive difference between 4th and 5th.

So I think the answer to the question is 'no, we can't clear it up!!!'

Don't worry I didn't think you were having a go, just adding some context around my comments. Your final summary is a very fair comment tbh. With the ball I have no issues, I just worry whenever teams target him, and I just hope it doesn't cost us in a big game (next Saturday!!!)

JB, I'm sure you know my posts well enough by now to know that I do not criticise any players lightly, especially players of my team (local ones at that!). I was pleased that he made amends with the two tries, and I like his kick return speed, so I am not against Riley, I am just worried that he is missing more and more one-on-one tackles on a more regular basis now. I made this judgement before looking at the stats which comprehensively backed up my point.

So Riley did everything right then? My post wasn't about Briscoe, but if you think that try was unstoppable, then you are clueless. Briscoe pretty much caught that ball stood still, and should have bene put on his ######. What he did with the ball was very impressive, but if you think Riley did nothing wrong there, then it's not really worth continuing the debate.

I have commented on this issue a few times over the past few months tbh, some of his defencsive work has been poor at best. I don't get to many games at the moment, but I always at least watch the tries back, and more and more tries are the result of an ineffective 1on1 tackle from him. The good work from Briscoe was after the miss, if Riley is going to shoot out of the line and hit his opposite number, then it needs to be a proper hit - it wasn't and it gave Briscoe half a chance which is all he needed! Riley has missed 25 tackles compared to Hicks' 9.

No, it suggests that any final anywhere in the world is more attractive than a bog-standard game. Cup finals are events that get the whole towns involved and always have been. People use the term glory-hunters, and that's up to them, but I don't necessarily agree. We are going in a group of 12 this year, and probably only 2 or 3 of us could be classed as regulars (I don't attend regularly but my Season Ticket does!). People bring their wives, husbands, kids etc who wouldn't normally attend. There is no surprise, and 25k fans at Wembley will never ever equate to 25k at a regular home game.

Yep, I know a few of your Hull FC fans had said that you will never score enough points to win, and tbh after the pressure you had on us in the first 20, you really should have been well ahead. I agree mate, it should have been disallowed, my comment was more on the rules, for mine a double movement should be penalised if a player has been stopped and had another go, but agree that as things stand, it probably should have been disallowed. Yep, as angry as I was with Riley's pathetic effort (more and more regular these days), Briscoe's hands were amazing on getting that down, it's the kind of stuff we rave about when the likes of Inglis does it...

I'm a bit confused by all this 'directing a team round the park' thing. What are people expecting, because tbh I don't think we will ever get that from Myler, he just isn't that kind of player. He is one of two halves, you don't need both halves to be controlling players. He does stuff that many other halves can't do. On top form, I would go with Tomkins and Eastmond, but Myler is certainly not far behind and would do an excellent job. His short passing game and stuff close to the ruck is excellent as oposed to Briers' wide and long passing game. It works brilliantly for us. Wendall - not sure we need trashy thread titles like this.

I like Cooper, but would expect him to miss out for Carvell, who was outstanding in the semi last week, and is ahead of Cooper at the moment. There are at least two players who will miss out from last night.

Decent win in the end. I expected a tough one like this, but we certainly helped keep it close with poor ball retention. Defence generally heldup well, just a horrendous miss by Riley (personally if Bridge is back next week, I would have Riley out of the team), and a lucky bounce off the knee caught us out. There was plenty of good fortune for us I think it's fair to say, it would have been interesting had Westwood's try been referred. I think it would have been disallowed, although personally feel it would have been harsh as his momentum was nowhere near stopped. Thought Riley's first try was forward but tbh, had we been more clinical it could have been a frightening score. Atkins still has some development, but his running with the ball is outstanding, and at times he was terrorising the Hull defence. With Briers, I'd like to think that we would have been much slicker and ruthless.

You can get them priced relatively reasonably on ebay (or you certainly could in previous years). I think you just get access to a couple of nicer bars and toilets and maybe a free programme. Maybe they have different levels...

I believe that can and does happen, and I agree that it is frustrating, especially when thousands of fans have had to sit up in the Gods because these prime seats aren't being used.

To be fair, these people/companies have paid for the tickets, if they want to decide at the last minute, then they are well within their rights to. Trakl makes a good point, technically these tickets have been sold, surely we could announce a full house, although it doesn't seem too honest.

Agreed, but the point is the same. Clubs may get around 10k for a regular game in Union, but put them in a final and the whole town will get behind it. I was addressing this from the point of view of the two finalists sets of fans rather than the RL community...

There is a huge difference between a regular game against a lower league team in an early round, or even a Semi at somewhere as lacklustre as Widnes or Hudds. Both Leeds and Wire had good followings at their respective semi finals, but this will always double/treble when it comes to a final.

Absolutely agree. Always had a soft spot for Wales, as some of my favourite players in the early 90's were from there. Allan Bateman, Kevin Ellis and Jonathan Davies were brilliant and served Wire and Wales RL very well. I even remember Wire putting a coach on for the Wales v Australia game in Cardiff in 1994! How can we have blown so many opportunities after that 1995 WC? We had 30k for an England v Wales game at Old Trafford! I have always found Welsh people to be appreciative of RL, and it was really good seeing so many genuine Wrexham people watching the Crusaders at the Racecourse Ground. It would be nicer if there were more, but hey, that's for next season now.

That was proved last year. The simple fact is that Hudds took fewer than Leeds will, and I reckon there will have been fewer neutrals for a game between two clubs not known for appearing in finals.

They can be resold, although think you may have to go through official channels (although they do just appear on ebay). I would think that this game would be pretty attractive to neutrals, and would hope that take up on these seats will be pretty high. Can't wait now, ages since I've been to a live match, can't even make tonight's last home one of the season!

Don't think there was any need for this comment tbh. The only sport that will attract fewer fans from each team for a final than a regular game is football, and that is down to Wembley's capacity if a couple of big teams get there. I'm not going to turn this into a Union thread, but that sport is exactly the same.

I think that Hull will be tougher to beat than that, however I am hopeful of a good performance due to the reasons you state above. We have a pretty healthy squad at the moment, meaning that some major players will probably miss out on Wembley, so I would expect the players to be well up for it.

IMHO it wouldn't increase the crowd by much, if at all. You could get 7 games for

I think you are perhaps being a touch harsh on Peacock there, he has certainly taken the game to the Aussies and Kiwis each time he has played them. I do agree that it may be a blessing in disguise though and a chance to bring in some fresh blood in that position. Graham and Morley will make solid yards all day for you and it would be good to have a bit of change of pace and energy to come into those positions and possibly step up the tempo. As a Wire fan I am slightly biased but Paul Wood has been outstanding so far this year, and it is gutting to see how his potential International career has been ruined by injuries, including a broken arm (IIRC) in his one GB game. The likes of Lynch, Crabtree, Fielden as well as a few others would do a good job IMHO.