Being Champions is and always has been the bigger achievement but in the nations mind it was the Challenge Cup that got the sport noticed and an audience. The Grand Final has righted that wrong to some extent (although it's still restricted from the majority of the population by subscription) by raising the profile of becoming the Champions.

The Cup has always been secondary but it's still something every club and probably every true supporter wants to be involved in and win if at all possible.

The current timing of the comp in the modern game remains a problem for the sport though IMO as it's just much too close to the Play-Offs commencing.

But it was changed I believe at the request of the clubs because it was previously too near the start of the season.
I agree, though, that now it's too near the playoffs which can (for the successful clubs & their fans) turn into an extremely expensive few weeks.
The problem is I guess other events in the sporting calendar.

Pre SL the Challenge Cup final was in early May and the 'Premiership' play off final in late May, so there's in fact a bigger gap between the two finals now than there was in that era.

And to those posters giving many a reason as to why the GF is more important: I agree with you, but the thread only asks if the Cup is [iimportant [/i- and there is absolutely no doubt that it is.

I was talking specifically about the Superleague era.
Previously the premiership was almost an afterthought, the league leadership seemed to be more important at least in my eyes.
The cup was almost on a par with that too.

The Premiership didn't quite carry the same prestige as the SL Champions Trophy that culminates the modern era season. Leeds won it twice and while it's always nice to pick up a trophy it didn't rescue otherwise disappointing seasons anymore than an early season Yorkshire Cup would. On occassions there were two days between rounds of the competition as happened to Leeds in '75 or a round would be played the week before the Challenge Cup Final with teams choosing to field a scratchy side with eyes elsewhere.

Agreed.

CC cup every time, the true champions are the team who finish top after 28 rounds.

100% wrong for many reasons but if you followed the whole SL and play-off concept you'd know that.

A heck of a lot of people can't seem to get used to the Champions being based on the Grand Final.

For me the CC is clearly a major trophy and second to being Champions. I wouldn't claim it as meaningless, although I suspect that early-round knockouts are not the tragedy they were 15 or 20 years ago - either financially or for the fans.

I would give up winning on Sat if it means we can win at OT in October. GF is the No1 IMO followed by the CC and then the League leaders shield.

I'd rather take the CC on Saturday and go into the play offs with all to play for...

Leeds have never done the double in their history ..... that's ever.

The players and coach Challenge Cup winning experience, the new venue, injuries and the amount of strapping holding some players knees together are all concerns.

Underdogs but it's all on the day.