i think on a given day if our attitude is right we can beat anyone and be genuine contenders for the grand final.
on the other hand, we are just as likely to crash and burn in big games.
i would love to think we could get to old Trafford this year but im not sure we have the mental capacity to come through 2 or 3 big games in succession.

If they beat us tomorrow ill see them as a serious contender for the grand final, beating a Wigan side at the DW in a big game will give them a hell of a lot of confidence for the play offs. If they lose, i can see them crumbling. Its good to have a different team up there but for me our main threat is still Wire.

It's not all about the mental side of things when winning a GF, it's as much or even more about luck. You think about Withers did he or did he not touch it in 99 or Joynt's voluntary tackle in 2002. The ref could easily have give the decision the other way and the winners would have been different. That is nothing to do with mental strength.

This is absolutely spot on. You need bounce of ball as well. Look at the cup semi everything that could go Hulls way did.

I would be very happy playing them home or away in the play offs. They only have a couple of thousand spectators at home, so we can turn an away game into a home one wherever we play them. We can beat Leeds, indeed we probably stand the best chance of beating Leeds of any of the teams likely to fight it out.
I am scratching my head as to how anyone can be seriously concerned by Saints. They only just beat us when we had lots of men missing and the rest going through the motions to stay fit for the semi.
We may lose tomorrow, it depends whether we can keep Wembley out of our minds. If we win at Wembley, not a single one of us will care what happens tomorrow. Especially IL.
Personally, I think it's absurd that we can claim to have won a major prize if we beat FC, having beaten London, Widnes and HKR en route. 3 of those sides may miss the play offs. But that seems to be the perceived wisdom. Having been told last Year's achievement was no achievement ad nauseam, should we care what happens this year? The key to progressing in the play offs is to avoid Wire, as even though they are in clear decline, their first 17 is better than ours. If we lose tomorrow, we should aim for 4th and hope the Giants win the league.

im pretty sure we have some kind of stage fright, until we overcome that then i don't think the luck thing comes into play.
i am all for being proved wrong though!

you didn't manage to make the game in February a home game

Some valid points re the Giants having to prove themselves capable, and most of our fans would agree, but the expected mid season slump hasn't happened and you sense there is a bit more about us this time. Everybody points to the Warrington loss in the CC and this immediately seems to discount us, but in the previous round we beat Leeds, and I'm sure they would have wanted to make progress, but this seems to be forgotten. I'm also curious as to why a Wigan defeat on Friday wouldn't really matter but a Hudds defeat would signal a melt down. Friday will decide nothing, I'm sure it will go down to the last weekend to settle the LLS.
As for GF winners - I wouldn't like to put a name to it I think it's fairly open this time, but Leeds will obviously have the confidence of the last few years victories and think they can do it from anywhere. Hull proved Warrington aren't invincible in knockout in the CC so I should imagine there will be a fair few clubs who think they can do it - why not the Giants?

Come on, you cannot seriously think this?

If I was to put a bet on it now, I'd say the GF will be between Warrington v Leeds.

I don't think Hudds would be a safe bet atm as there are still questions about them and I'm not sure what to think about Wigan really. It all seems too much like last season IMO for you lot.

If I'm being honest I don't think wire have been that good over the past few years! There not exactly a dominant force as there 3rd in the table, BUT they win when it matter and they win when it comes to playing big teams! Probably think I'm being biased here but I can see a huddersfield vs wire GF this year! We (giants) are a totally different team this year with Anderson in charge! Everyone has been waiting for the slump but it hasn't happened! I'm looking forward to the game tonight lets just hope the refs don't ruin it

Fair point. For a play off game though, you'll have even fewer than the Londonesque numbers you have for regular season games. Welcome to Hell it isn't.

Same here. In any case the play-offs are almost as much of a lottery as the cup with some fixtures not possible. They could end up not having to playing Wire at all for example and of course who knows what shape all the play-off teams squads will be in when it matters.

If you beat us well done and the LLS should be a shoe in for you guys from thereon in. We are only concerned about how we are going to fit all the away following into the north stand tonight - maybe they will let you overflow into one of the other stands. This is not a dig at those who have been going to your games - both they and the team you have this year deserve better

We're already split over the North and East stand so you need not worry.

Good stuff

Enjoy the game

We have had to buy those groupons to help you fill your ground for the TV

They seem to have it over leeds this year for whatever reason, without Brown they seem a lot better, obviusly a lot depends on Brough but i wouldnt rule them out.

Brown loaned out Lunt to Leeds for a year and replaced him with Scott Moore.
Huddersfield's lucky day when Saints poached Brown off them.
Didn't take long for Paul Anderson to get Lunt back.
No chance of a further loan there then!

Still feeling the pain fella ?

Let it go man , let it go .

Agree - and not just on the basis of tonights result against an off the boil and under strength Wigan.

I thought they actually appeared very nervous tonight - especially in the first 20 minutes of the game and Wigan should of done more to capitalise on that but the more the game went on the more Huddersfield started to believe in themselves.

There was a lot of pre-match hype about Danny Brough before the game and although he had his moments it was Ferres who impressed me the most - he makes a big difference to them with his ability and toughness.

They are genuine title contenders imo although I don't think they will win it.

It will be between

Wigan
Leeeds
Warrington

Warrington V Leeds grand final IMO. Warrington win.

It will.i have been saying that since March.dont think there is very much at all between either of the three teams provided all have their key players on the pitch.

Fair play to Hudds., they have surprised me a little in staying the course and probably clinching top spot now.But these regular round games mean nothing when the play offs begin, and im still not sure they can rise to the level needed in those games.

Not sure quite what we need to do. Keep underestimating us!!

Dont worry, our mid-season slump should start happening soon ...oh hang on !!