In that you find another example of a flaw in the concept PY.

I still think the best solution with keeping this format is a 4/5 play off.

With only 2 games played this season in the CC and a third game win will get you to Wembley (you must be feeling unbeatable).You have had a poor season and other results have improved your position in the league.

That doesn't give you the right to question? Something you think you should be involved with. Your simply not there based on your performance this season.

Discussing the Super 8 with some friends yesterday. Unless we lose heavily V Cas (which would severly dent our final top 4 aims) and Catalan have a big winning margin, if our calculations are correct, we have Wigan, Hull & Catalan at home and the other teams (Leeds, Saint, huddersfield & Cas) away. Play to our potential and we could have enough to make that final top 4. Dont turn up for the first 3 rounds and it could be all over by August BH.

Theoretically assuming we beat Cas, we are as good as 5 points behind Hudds, unless of an points diff upset of an avalanche scale..! No chance of that.
And with 4 home games Hudds record is good.

Excluding Warrington v Hudds game which is a must win in this scenario, then the ask is (I think).....

Where Hudds lose 2 games, we must win all
Where Hudds lose 3 games, we can lose only one
Where Hudds lose 4 games, we can lose only two
Where Hudds lose 5 games, we can lose only three

I'm going no further because the likelyhood is nil.
I'm also counting one draw if achieved by us as a win.
Which of those scenarios is the more likely? To who will Huddersfield lose?

The game today matters to both teams the two points on offer matter for Wire to pull Cas nearer or for Cas to pull away, teams will get what they deserve that will be the nature of the super 8's, It's a competition within it's self to get into the 8's that should motivate the other four teams to improve on this seasons efforts and make the super 8's next season hopefully raising the standards of SL, I would hope that is the aim.

We are where we deserve to be but the magic game is flawed no matter what you do with the home/away format in the Super 8's, Saints or Wakefield take your pick

Today is massive for us because our Super League season is as good as over if we find ourselves six points off fourth with seven games to go. We'd be very unlikely to make that up.

If we lose today I hope all our focus is on getting to Wembley and then winning when we get there. Give all the players who are likely to be in the Wembley 17 a rest in at least one of the the SL games between the semi and the final, and bed Sandow in.

If we win today then roll the dice and go all out 'til the end.

As for the posts above about the format, I generally agree that the season is uneven because of Magic and the extra home game some teams will have, but ultimately that's why play offs are required rather than a straightforward FPTP which would absolutely require an equal set of fixtures to be fair.

There is no perfect format for anything, but you don't need to scrutinise and complain about absolutely everything the way some RL fans appear determined to do.

The Premier League season starts in two weeks, and the teams that already know they're unlikely to qualify for Europe and unlikely to get relegated could already be thinking the whole season is a waste of time. Some pretty high profile clubs like Newcastle, Everton and Aston Villa are in that bracket too. I bet their grounds will still be full or nearly full for most home games though, and at the moment they'll be hoping to have a good run and nick a Europa League spot. Even if mid table mediocrity does end up beckoning with ten games to go, they won't be complaining about the format of the league!

The RFL to their credit do try their best to make things as competitive as possible for as many teams as possible for as long as possible. You can't fix absolutely everything though, but that simply is impossible.

Today's league points are vital as all of them will be carried forward to next week & will be added to further as the play offs progress .This affects all teams in the 8 so the positions in the group could change weekly ,in theory anyway. If we were still using the old format the Wire would be stuck in 6th place as of now for the play offs.

That's what I think some people are ignoring really. The "Super 8" title makes it feel a bit like the play offs are starting in two weeks and Wires will be starting from sixth regardless of today's result. As it is, the title is just a marketing tool and the reality is that the Super League is simply continuing for another seven weeks. Today's result - as it's against one of the two teams we are directly competing with - will be the difference between being still in sight of fourth or simply too far adrift. It's massive.

From the point of view of the Eights in general, today is the difference between five teams aiming for the play offs and six teams aiming for them.

I think we'll need 5 wins from 7 to have a chance of top 4. That has to include beating Cas and Hudds.

Seems simple to me , we have 7 games to make up 4 league points and overcome 50 GD ,beat huddersfield and we won't be far off

Correction,, 48 points difference

Les Cats could have a big say in the final placings & which team finishes top. They have home games against Leeds ,Saints & Cas.

It's not those clubs we trying to chase down. Our target is Hudds and the slimmest hope of Wigan.

In the old system when Leeds finished outside the top 4 they always had to go and beat top teams away from home in crunch games and they did that. If we are actually thinking about being champions (rather than sneaking in to 4th so we can lose a semi) then we would need to be good enough to do that. If we win a couple of away games against top teams plus our home games we'll be right in it.

If we are good enough to win SL this year we will be in that final 4 without a doubt. If we aren't then the problem isn't the format.

No our answer to it is stumping up an advance on a £250k assets, teams shouldn't really be mega bucking at the back end to buy progress.

Of course you are right RD ,But Hudds Have to play Leeds ,Saints ,Wigan & Hull all away from Home , so any of those ,if not all could open a way for us to overtake Hudds & Les Cats could take care of Cas. Our end of season run suddenly doesn't look as bad if we can keep our upturn in form.

Castleford have no real stars in their team, they are all brilliant hard workers which is why they do as well as they do. But I'm not convinced they can keep that up consistently for 7 weeks.

If we beat Huddersfield then we are 2 points behind them, so we aren't as far off as people are making out.

We seem to be hitting form at the right time and the arrival of sandow can only improve us.

Cas have Leeds ,Wigan,Hudds & Les Cats away.

You are forgetting a very significant swing of f/a points advantage too.
In all essence we are 2 results behind them, we are extremely unlikely to make that disadvantage up playing quality teams taking into account that we even beat them, which is also a must.

Huddersfield usually collapse this time of year. I'd be surprised if they won any game other than against Hull, Cas and Catalans. Warrington can win all 7, if nothing else because they need to win more than the top 3 sides and the rest are borderline easy-beats. Your only problem could be the challenge cup final. Can you win the games pre and post that if the opposition isn't involved themselves? That's where it may get tricky.

According to the league table we have a better points difference than Cas, but not Huddersfield who have a good defensive record this year.

Saddo, Huddersfield have learnt much. They arnt a collapsing side any more. Their defence is as good as anyone's.
They could impload only of Brough gets suspended for a brain trump.

We'll see.