: Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:03 pm  

McLaren_Field wrote:

Presumably Batley would be Colleen Nolan then, the one that everyone votes right through to the semi-final but with zero chance of winning ?

Relatively speaking.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:51 pm  

tvoc wrote:

This year's competition more or less ended on Sunday.

I'd liken what's left of the comp to Ray Quinn in Dancing On Ice. A series of exhibitions round after round. Not a pretty sight.

That wouldn't have been the case had Leeds won.

How so TVOC?

The winners of Sunday's game were always going to be strong favourites for the Cup.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:58 pm  

Are Leeds fans now Catalans supporters for the next round, and if they lose, will they support the team at the other side of ' v St Helens' ?

Probably

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:10 pm  

McLaren_Field wrote:

I can't even raise a yawn at those ties, hopefully one of them will attract more than a 5000 crowd.

Me too fella, and not only that, but the crowds will now be down now that the Rhinos and Hull and to a much lesser degree the Bulls are now all out of the competition

As long as the scousers don't have a very bad day at the office, it's clearly them against "one of the others"

Would be a refreshing change to see either Cas, Shudds, or Wakey winning it for a change <especially if they beat the Saints as well>

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:56 pm  

Badwanger wrote:

How so TVOC?

The winners of Sunday's game were always going to be strong favourites for the Cup.

Strong favourites yes but unbeatable (had Leeds progressed) no.

I don't see anyone troubling St Helens, all things being equal, in quite the same way as they could with Leeds.

Warrington and Wigan V St Helens is currently on a par with a bye whereas Leeds generally struggle with any team coached by Noble and do actually lose to Warrington now and again..... Saints simply don't.

Huddersfield, Castleford or Hull KR away is the only hope for a contest before the inevitable crowning.

Good luck to them, they earned the right last Sunday.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:15 am  

tvoc wrote:

Strong favourites yes but unbeatable (had Leeds progressed) no.

I don't see anyone troubling St Helens, all things being equal, in quite the same way as they could with Leeds.

Warrington and Wigan V St Helens is currently on a par with a bye whereas Leeds generally struggle with any team coached by Noble and do actually lose to Warrington now and again..... Saints simply don't.

Huddersfield, Castleford or Hull KR away is the only hope for a contest before the inevitable crowning.

Good luck to them, they earned the right last Sunday.

I wouldn't have seen anyone troubling Leeds had they been the victors on Sunday. You are *deliberately* being too hard on Leeds and are building Saints up to be some kind of unbeatable supermen which they clearly are not. Hull KR showed that with the bounce of the ball in their favour and a couple of 50/50 calls, Saints are beatable. Heck, in atrocious conditions, Celtic Crusaders made Saints struggle for the win and they are *supposed* to be the weakest team in the Comp!

Had Leeds won, they would have had the same one-hand on the trophy which Saints seemingly have now. On their day (or even at 85%), there is only one team which can match Leeds and unfortunately for them, they met that team on Sunday.

Whichever way you dress it up, Sunday's game was effectively the CC final and it was always going to be the winners trophy to lose after that.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:22 am  

Badwanger wrote:

Whichever way you dress it up, Sunday's game was effectively the CC final and it was always going to be the winners trophy to lose after that.

I agree that either winner were going to be the clear favourites and have dais so by tagging last Sunday as the 'virtual' final. I still maintain though that there are more clubs left in the comp that were capable of upsetting Leeds than there are that are capable of upsetting St Helens.

That was my point made after the 5th round draw had been announced.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:31 am  

tvoc wrote:

This year's competition more or less ended on Sunday.

I'd liken what's left of the comp to Ray Quinn in Dancing On Ice. A series of exhibitions round after round. Not a pretty sight.

That wouldn't have been the case had Leeds won.

At least your team can now concentrate on Super League.