In the post match interviews, the Leeds camp were saying the drubbing we gave them last month was the kick they needed to get their season going. Maybe this defeat will now give us the focus we need for the hub cap and the Grand Final. If I was given the choice I would take Grand Final successes over Challenge Cup every time

I wouldn't and I think if you asked IL he wouldn't either. There is more money in the CC than the GF.

If that is true then no wonder our game is in such a bad way , that a season long campaign can bring less rewards than a 5 game competition.

Pretty sure that's not true. The prize money for winning the Grand Final is higher than the prize money for the Challenge Cup.

It's a fact that the team finishing 9th in the league makes more money out of the playoffs than any other team else does, and the teams contesting the final lose more money out of it than anyone else does. Someone tell me how much sense that makes...

Anyway, hard lines on the loss and all that. It's ultra difficult for any team to be able to peak twice and win the double these days and winning at Wembley cost you big come the playoffs last season, so maybe you're peaking at the right time this season and there's some crumb of comfort for you in that. I naturally hope not, but there you go

Lord only knows we could do with a peak at some stage this season...

Maybe overall, but not for the clubs taking part. Money from the CC Final goes to the 2 competing teams only. Money from all playoff games and the GF is divided equally among all 14 clubs in the league... The 2 teams taking part in the GF make less out of it than anyone else does after forking out for player win bonuses and ground running costs at the knockout games.

Yes, it is mad...

it doesn't go to all clubs, its split between the play off teams based on where you finish

There's a seperate pot of prize money paid out based on final league positions true, but all money received from the playoff games and GF themselves is split evenly among all 14 clubs. I'm 98% certain that this is the case.

A huge chunk of money that a club "gets" from the challenge cup if from the merchandising. I think they recogn that a cup final appearance can be worth £1/2m to a club

the prize pot is taken from the play off games, so id guess it'd be the spare that is given to all 14 clubs but i'd guess its a fairly small amount after all the costs/expenses are taken out.

Someone in the know told me a few years ago that you make more money from not being in the playoffs than you do from winning them and I've no reason to doubt them.

Let's hope that 2012 will now mirror 2010 when Leeds also beat us in the Cup. We can now concentrate on SL and play-offs without any Wembley distractions.

Matty Smith as 7, with Finch back to SO and Lockers at 13 will be a big bonus until Tommy returns. I'd also put Thornley on the wing instead of Gelling to get some pace on the outside.

There should be 3 relatively comfortable games before Warrington on 12th August.

I hope Warrington get to the CC final but 2012 is different from 2010.....