[quote="just_browny":36njzq31]I don't remember us being particularly lucky. And I think we are past the point where they can lodge an appeal against the result.[/quote:36njzq31] I’m not so sure, think they are currently considering a 16th letter of protest against the 2019 CCF result. Probably likely to approach Trump and Musk to see if they can ‘cancel’ Robert Hicks.

I think you all know what I mean. For all their poor form last season, their worst season in a long time, we beat them by a single drop goal at home in the playoffs.

[quote="Wires71":2pq5kw41]I think you all know what I mean. For all their poor form last season, their worst season in a long time, we beat them by a single drop goal at home in the playoffs.[/quote:2pq5kw41] It shouldn’t have been that. We allowed them to hit the strap early and get a match wining lead on us. The comeback is what defines the superior season over Saints. That effort to beat Saints in the second half, likely affected our next match vs KR. We ought to have beaten them comfortably, we faced them fatigued. Our LL and GF was effectively erased not by Saints, kR or Wigan, but by ourselves. Resting players in a very winnable game v Wigan the week before the CC, and then our last chance with Vaughan’s poor discipline vs Leigh in a game we ought to have put 20 on them. We must finish 2025 top 2 minimum. 3rd position imo is a failure.

[quote="rubber duckie":1xqyen51]It shouldn’t have been that. We allowed them to hit the strap early and get a match wining lead on us. The comeback is what defines the superior season over Saints. That effort to beat Saints in the second half, likely affected our next match vs KR. We ought to have beaten them comfortably, we faced them fatigued. Our LL and GF was effectively erased not by Saints, kR or Wigan, but by ourselves. [b:1xqyen51]Resting players in a very winnable game v Wigan the week before the CC,[/b:1xqyen51] and then our last chance with Vaughan’s poor discipline vs Leigh in a game we ought to have put 20 on them. We must finish 2025 top 2 minimum. 3rd position imo is a failure.[/quote:1xqyen51] This cost us #1 spot, the LLS and a a home game playoff to make the grand final - then we went and lost the CC Final anyway. I hope we have learnt the lessons and focus on the league points this year. I could not care less about the Challenge Cup. Realistically we need to finish #1 or #2 to have a real chance at the big prize. This is why I am worried about the usual wire slump when we come back from Vegas.

It is a worry that we play the newly promoted side the week after Vegas, they'll probably be rubbing their hands together at the idea of claiming a scalp. Like you I don't give a stuff about the Cup anymore, even if I enjoyed my day out to Whitehaven, Wembley is very much a "been there, done that" experience now and I haven't enjoyed it as much the last few times (regardless of results!). What concerns me this year is how we will grow, with very little progression from last year as far as the squad goes, it has to be a mentality and coaching improvement. Sadly I don't see us reaching OT. God I hope I'm very wrong.