Nobody speaks to the players as they have no representative body. All these things just get decided, when it’s actually their future and safety on the line……

I think that's an exaggeration, Shabs. But even if it isn't I think their answer to the question - "would you like us to police the existing laws of the game properly in order to reduce the risk of brain damage to you in later life?"- would be a very predictable one. It is (forgive the pun) a no brainer.

Fair point, but there needs to be a balance with the integrity of the game too. They are very clear with this in the NRL, we have gone OTT here imho…..

The NRL has gone overboard with some aspects, for example pressuring the kicker. Some of the penalties/sin bins/SO's are crazy. Yet what we have seen as SO'here, Vaughan for example against Leigh, is nothing more than a sin bin e.g. Whitehead for the Raiders yesterday. The two comps aren't aligned at all on the rules, never mind interpretation or application.

Two different games - the speed, athletisism and skill set in the NRL demands different interpretation of the rules.

Vaughan gets SO, Whitehead gets 10. NRL less concerned about player safety? And vice versa when it comes to policing pressure on the kicker? I'm not so sure.

NRL equally concerned about safety, but also balanced again the integrity of the sport……

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The NRL has less sending offs, but they have way more sin bins, and their bans are harsher. The fans are equally frustrated by how the rules are interpreted in terms of head contact. Not to mention the ongoing issue regarding hip drop tackles.
They also have the opposite problem SL has in how the ruck is policed, here it's too slow, and over there it's too fast, some of the games have been like touch rugby this season.

From a spectator's perspective I'd far rather have the ruck too fast than too slow. That ought to be the mantra of all referees in RL.

If, and it’s a big if, Catalans can win a close game at Salford, it’s in our hands with two weeks left. We didn’t think we would be able to say that a few weeks ago, so wraps to the whole squad and staff for hanging in there so far. If we can make the 6, which would be a massive task, then we would go in with a bit of form having beaten the top two in our last two outings.

So is Cats beating Salford the best result for us? Need to know who to cheer for

Yes

Thats probably it for us now, we have to win our past 2 games now.

We have won our past 2 games...

Last!

I figured.



After today, I don't think Saints are much to be afraid of. I can see us beating them. I think KR will rest a few players for the playoffs too. If we are motivated we could turn over a weakened KR side.

That's good and all, but we don't play saints, we play wigan

Good point you make.



I have no idea where I got in my head we were playing them. Yeah, Wigan will be a trifle more difficult.

Am I right in thinking a team has only finished outside the top 6 once after getting 28 points in the season in a 27 game season?

That could well be the case. We may in fact be the first team to finish as low as 8th with 28 points. A less interesting but more pertinent stat could be we wouldn’t be the first team to have played so poorly and finish outside the top 6.

I think the only chance Leeds have now, as I can't see us winning the last 2 , is to nick one and hope Leigh lose at home to HKR and Saints. Though the form Leigh are in they could easily beat Saints.

Catalans in poor form but their remaining games are London and Hull so can see them finishing above us

as a Wigan fan just popped onto the board pre our game at weekend

it s interesting to see the battle for top6 and that both Saints and Leeds could miss out

i've gone for Wigan with 42/44 points, KR 40/42, Wire 40, Salford 32/34, Leigh 31, then Saints, Catalan with 30 and Leeds with 28/30 as i've a feeling you'll poss beat KR if we tie up the league leaders shield this weekend

as a Wigan fan i'm hoping we play full strength from now one, and take our last 2 league games as must win to build some form and momentum going into the play offs

Catalan have on paper the easiest run in with Hull FC and London, and that may get them some points difference too and make 6th
Salford have Hull this weekend so should confirm their place in the play offs before playing Wigan next week
Leigh have 2 interesting games v KR and Saints, so could drop out the top6, but as one of your posters has said could quite easily turn Saints over too
Saints should beat Cas, and the game v Leigh could be a cracker if it means one of them dropping out, and there's some bad blood there from previous games too
Wire have the easiest games out of the top 3, but cant see both Wigan and KR slipping up to allow Wire to finish top
you've 2 tough games v Wigan and KR, and as i said above, if Wigan win this weekend, then KR my look to rest a couple and you beat them. Note i'm by no way taking Leeds lightly this weekend, and we'll need to perform to get a result

If my sort of prediction pans out then that leaves Leeds, Saints and Catalan all tied on 30 points, so down to points difference for th efina play off spot

Realistically, Leeds have to win at least one and hope Leigh lose both their games and Catalans don't catch our points difference. Shame the Catalan game isn't at London as that could have been a potential banana skin.

I think Salford will secure their play off spot this weekend and we will struggle to overtake Saints if they beat Cas with their much better points difference. Leigh and Catalans are our only chances, albeit I think it will be unlikely to finish ahead of both of them.

Obviously if Wigan and KR both win this weekend, then the league leaders is still all to play for the following weekend which makes our final match against KR even tougher.

While it's still mathematically possible for us to make the top 6, we're relying on other results to go our way, and given the upcoming fixtures for other teams, it's unlikely we'll advance. But the season isn’t over yet! We need to keep pushing, show some fight, and prove that we’re an exciting club on the pitch. Everyone knows we have the best facilities in the league—now it’s time to show the hunger and desire to match