If you could virtually guarantee it and we had a choice of one trophy I think that most would choose the GF. However, it is Widnes we are talking about here and as a 'second prize' the CC is up there and maybe a closer pick if we hadn't had the success with it that we have had recently? In addition we don't have to win that many games to pick up the cup by comparison.

I suspect Sims having a well deserved break lessens our options with Hill? Hopefully if he plays he will play less minutes with Cox and Bailey doing more time with us having built up a healthy lead, but, as previously stated it is Widnes we are talking about.....

I think being the best also brings out the best in our opponents,as we have found out numerous times !

I'm still old school UR.
Offer me CC final over GF every year.
Old Trafford just doesn't come close to Wembley, winning the cup is a bi-product of the win there.

SL long as were in the CC. Then the CC should be priority.

Has anybody considered that the players might crave a Wembley appearance?

There are only four players from our 2012 line-up (plus Harrison) who are likely to be in the seventeen should we make it there this year.

I also suspect the bonuses for winning the Cup are considerable as it's a huge financial windfall for the club.

Chris has been playing with strapping for some weeks now and I'm sure he'd play this game even as it's the Cup, but I do hope he gets a break after this - at least a week.
He is the key to our pack.
That's hopefully something Dodds and Cooper can remedy next year because even though I like Sims he doesn't carry the same reputation and respect as Hill (then again I can't think of any other props who do).

I want us to win the lot. Any trophy is better than no trophy.

A defeat would be hugely disappointing, but by the time I'd be back at the car I'd be thinking about the two weekends off the squad would get and how that could only help with our challenge for the 'big one'.

Get me to Wembley, every time. Not bothered about the Mickey Mouse Cup, that Sky have been brainwashing us for years, as the big one. It isn't in my eyes in any respect and I would be gutted not to get to Wembley, as would the players who haven't been there.

Chris Hill said at the start of the season that he would take being in the GF over a guaranteed CC win if offered, so it seems your players have quite the opposite opinion

Without this mickey mouse cup offered to us by sky we as a sport would be doomed

the season long fight for this cup pays the bills. It is the pinnacle of the season (although sky have twisted the scope of it) and crowns the champions of the season. For that reason every teams number 1 priority is to win at OT. Wembley is a nice bonus for the fans and players alike.

I would much prefer a win at OT before we next win at Wembley.

We are well & truly in the pocket of sky with the tv deal & the annoying part for me is the complete disregard for supporters by changing games at short notice & wanting to play games on nights to suit padding out the sky schedule. I don't have sky sports.

As I said always Wembley for me between the two.
It would be nice to get the gf monkey off out backs for brag purposes but then I wouldn't give two monkeys about the gf afterwards so long as we get to Wembley.

you know people didn't refer to leeds rhinos as a great team cos they won the challenge cup a couple of times, right?

i trust if we did win the grand final, you, wire weaver and the others that think the grand final (not the mickey mouse cup, or sky cup of whatever choice of term you choose to denigrate it) isn't important, won't be going, or celebrating its win, since you consider it worthless, or refer to us as champions if we do, OR going to the WCC match next season?

Grand Final win for me everytime. Wembley is a great day and the Challenge Cup wins were fantastic but a SL title is the Holy Grail.

I've probably enjoyed the Wembley occasions more than the Grand Finals - and I don't mean just because we've not won a GF yet!! The atmosphere around the event just seems so much better for Wembley weekend rather than the GF, which seems to attract more idiots.

That said, if I had to pick one to win this year, it would be the GF, it holds greater importance I think.

Wembley is the better cup from a day out and atmosphere perspective, but the GF is the reward of a full season's work. Not 4/5 games. It rightly is the no.1 priority for us and anyone else in touching distance.

After being to both. The whole Wembley package and prestige and history does it for me.
Yes I want us to win the gf but put up against the winning the CC I would sleep comfortable wether we win the gf or not.

Once we win the CC. Then I'm sure I'll agree that winning the gf is more important.

A weekend in the London summer sun or a damp autumn day in Manchester watching players compete for a bling ring sourced from ALDI.....Mmm let me think.

I've been to about 6 GFs ,mostly involving Leeds &/or Saints plus our two visits, & they have mostly been fun days out, even without being involved in the final, apart from the odd few victims of all day drinking who can cause trouble. It must be a great feeling to watch your team win the trophy, but i think the big let down for every other supporter is knowing that there won't be any more rugby for 4 & half months.

It's even worse for Saints fans, they haven't seen any rugby played for the whole year.

But they've turned the corner and things will be different next season so kc says


I'd prefere both but if given the choice I want the monkey off our shoulder and want it to be our year!! Super league champions will enable us to maybe sign that player that in the past would have signed for leeds wigain or saints over us!! We've had recent success in the cc and a day out at Wembley us a fantastic day out, but whether you like or agree with the competition format winning the sl gf is perceived as the pinnacle of English rugby league.somthing weve come Close to in recent years but neve crossed the line,

Agreed !

I can't believe this is even a conversation!

The SL final is surely more important than the CC (although I do wish that the cup was treated a little better)

Look at the teams who have got to the final, you would never see teams who finish in the bottom half of the table reach the GF (something which was possible with a top 8 playoff)

The players clearly feel so as well, you will rarely see teams bottle a CC game because they can't take the pressure but it happens at least once every year in the playoffs

I prefer Wembley, Old Trafford is a dump cattle get better treated at the abbatoir, your lucky if you can actually sit on your seat and the concourses are a joke. Anyway the draw for the semi is after the Wigan game on saturday.