Can Leeds shake their Challenge Cup gorilla?

The Leeds Rhinos go into Saturday’s Challenge Cup final with a very much unwanted record on their backs.

Amazingly they have lost their past six Cup finals – in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011 and 2012 – a hoodoo that stretches back 14 years.

It’s a big surprise when you consider the Rhinos have won Super League grand finals in 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012. They have been the most successful team in Super League in the past seven years or so, giants of the competition, a combination of Manly and Melbourne if you will, but they just haven’t been able to secure a Cup win.

The monkey on their backs when it comes to the Cup has become a 600-pound gorilla.

Only one of the Rhinos squad, a vastly experienced 17 that includes Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, Kylie Leuluia, Ryan Hall, Danny McGuire, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Ryan Bailey and Carl Ablett, has won the Challenge Cup and that is Jamie Peacock, and he did that with their local rivals Bradford.

Leeds will go into this game desperately wanting to win this one. To slay the Wembley dragon once and for all and put the past disappointments to bed.

Castleford, on the other side, haven’t been to a Challenge Cup final since 1992, when they lost to Wigan. They have never played at the new Wembley but in their history they have been victorious in four of the five Cup deciders they have reached.

There are some interesting subplots going into Saturday’s blockbuster.

Cas coach Daryl Powell, who has done a great job with the Tigers is a former Leeds player and coach. He won the Rhinos last Challenge Cup final, over London in 1999, and he then coached the club from 2001-2002.

In that period Powell was the one who blooded a number of Leeds youngsters (they were young then) like Burrow, McGuire and Bailey, who his Cas team will face on the weekend.

The rivalry between Castleford and Leeds is a strong one, and it should make for an entertaining game.

Watch below as I debate several aspects of final with the editor of League Express newspaper, Martyn Salder.

There are a number of questions which will be answered during the match.

Can Leeds finally kill off their Cup cringe, or will the monkey turn into King Kong?

How will the Tigers inexperienced youngsters handle the pressure at Wembley?

Does Leeds’ veteran old guard have enough in their legs to get the job done?

Will Powell risk key prop Craig Huby in the match, who dislocated his elbow just two weeks ago?

How will the Rhinos contact bullocking Cas winger Justin Carney, the New South Welshman with legs and an arse bigger then Joey Johns?

And what will happen if Sinfield and Tigers fullback Luke Dorn meet at some point on the field? The last time they did, in Super League in July, they clashed heads – literally – and Sinfield headbutted the Aussie fullback.

It was a huge shock and shows the occasion can get to anyone, even the likes of the England captain.

Leeds versus Castleford promises to be an engaging match-up, one that certainly should live it up to the hype. Roll on Wembley.

Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson