I don't know how Wigan keep putting in those performances, one of the weakest Wigan teams I can remember.

They are awful. So little skill which they try to compensate for with tactics in the tackle from the early 80's.
Still they could kid end up winning it if we can't find a solution at 9 and re-charge our vintage pack.

In terms of the LLS it looks a lot rosier. Am I alone in thinking in 90 minutes the pressure's been lifted from Leeds and now lies squarely on Huddersfield's shoulders?

Not really because if Wigan win they can't win it anyway - the chances of Wigan losing at home are slim.

The pressure is really on Leeds - if they lose they will finish 4th and an away game at Wigan, win and they will have a home game against the Giants.

If the pressure isn't on you are not going to win anything.

So a win away and at home against the Giants and a win at OT against Wigan and we win the treble.
Simple.
Or we lose away to the Giants and get thumped away to Wigan and we win the CC again this year.

Not sure I agree. Firstly, the Leeds - Hudds game is played at the same time as Wigan's. I don't see how Hudds can now see it as anything but a must-win game, regardless of what wigan do. Until this weekend's results, they've not been in striking distance. They sure as hell are now. Conversely, Leeds' must-win game was on Thursday. I think the fact that we've been thrown a - somewhat undeserved - lifeline might just galvanise us. Optimistic maybe; if we don't improve massively we're toast. But I reckon that some of the uncertainty that's popped up in our game may just become a thing of the past. Anyway, we'll know soon enough.

And with regard to the two scenarios above, if we lose and get wigan away I think we'll be focked mentally anyway. But should we win at hudds would you really back us to then fall to them at home a week later? Don't see it myself.

What performances? We weren't exactly amazing last night.

It's their home record that's given them a shot at LLS. If you can go the full season without losing a single home game then you're always going to put yourself in contention. That's probably why it's most vital for them next week not to slip up vs Cas and find themselves away from the DW.

At the same time it makes it all the less likely that they will slip up.
Until Old Trafford, at least

Indeed.

Possibly but whilst they've been winning at home the winning margins have been tight since their mid-season break from the DW whilst it was being relaid.

Hull by 6
Hudds by 8
Widnes by 10
Leeds by 2
Salford by 7

Average of just over 6.5 points, potential for Cas to win if they produce in attack like we know they can.

Wigan will not give them space we gave them - their defence is far more energetic than ours.

Cas will not lie down but realistically you can't see them beating Wigan at Wigan in a game Wigan are desperate to win

Anything is possible. They've just beaten Leeds at Leeds in a game Leeds really needed to win.
Mind you, it is their cup final, and they'll probably be spent this week

wigan will win with plenty to spare. cas are done. won their final, season over

Wigan thought they'd beat Hull comfortably the other week and almost blew it with poor defence that saw Hull cut them open a number of times.

IF Cas go there and give it a go then it's possible they could win.

there's no pressure on us at all, if anything the pressure is on Leeds, because they have been the outstanding team this year and have led the competition for so long that it would be a travesty if they finished 4th after all the bigging up an hype they've had.

we have always assumed we were going to finish 4th and go to Leeds in the semi, then we beat saints and it looked like we would finish 3rd and go to Wigan.

now, we have a (slim) chance of winning the LLS and a home semi! so no pressure on us, but i would like a home semi!

A chance of home field advantage means that their is pressure on Hudds. Of all the teams they're the one who is least likely to go away in the playoffs and win irrespective of their current form. So their GF chances massively alter based on Friday's result.

I don't think at this point in time after the last 3 games, where Leeds finish is the primary concern for the Leeds players right now, they'll be more interested in finding form.

Hudds are suddenly thinking about home field advantage and possible LLS. Leeds were but will now be more interested in playing well. If we lose but play well, it'll be some encouragement we need ahead of the playoffs.

Maybe the "Ape" can actually coach?

yeah i realise that, i was meaning more what the expectations were a few weeks ago, we couldn't have expected to be playing off for a home semi, that's what i was saying, until last weekend we were expecting to go to wigan.

"Few weeks ago"
"Last weekend"

Past expectations, not new expectations.

My criticisms of Wane have never been about his abilities to get the best out of his limited charges. There is only Burgess, Bateman, Williams & possibly Flanders & Tomkins I would take from your team the other night. A remarkable effort.

One game at a time is how Anderson looks at it. We don't have a particular problem with playing away from home- and have no crowd advantage at home- in fact the crowd are more vocal away- so I'm not sure they will be too fixated on a home tie tbh with you. No one wants to go to Wigan due to their record- but the pressure would all be on Wigan to keep it.

Yup. I expect Cas to roll over to have their belly's tickled.

As well as Saints, we should thank Hull FC for not folding like a house of cards when they played at Wigan a couple of rounds ago. With a weakened team, they looked certain to get a massive hiding, but made it a close game. If they hadn't then coupled with our abject display in France our points difference advantage would be gone already.