If KR lose at Catalans tonight...theyre on the way 12-0 down, we'll be only 5 points off third and 4 off 4th providing wakey do hudds tomorrow. Providing we get a run on, im feeling third is possible. The question is, can we go through our remaining 8 matches with only droping 2-4pts which i feel we will need to do. If we can only lose to saints away, and/or leeds at home, then 3rd could be a possibility.

What you think?

I was very confident of a turnaround after last weeks performances but I'm more reserved after hearing of the injuries to Sean O'loughlin and McIlorum. Both rumoured to be out for 6 weeks.

McIlorum has added a new dimension to our attack and will be a big loss but O'loughlin is so pivital to everything we do in attack and defence I fear we will struggle.

Both were in a rich vein of form as well.

If we did, would you give Noble a big fat kiss?

Not getting too carried away, still think we'll finish 5th.

It's annoying to think how many games we've thrown away this season, we should be right up there pressing HKR for 3rd.

Any team with 10+ losses shouldn't deserve 3rd place in my opinion.

Doesn't matter where you finish this year as long as your in the 8

I said after 4games, we'd finish 6th and I still think it's a safe bet!

KR's form dipped, Quins Form Dipped, Hudds and wakey are hit and miss.

Got a good chance, Im getting well excited about the semi final and the league game at JJB now
i always prefer to play teams in form it makes it more exciting to watch

I certainly think we'll make top six, but as has been said, the exact position is almost meaningless once we get into the play off system.

The fact that we are going to be anywhere near the top is a reflection of just how poor the league is this season to be honest.

Top 4 should be the aim, especially with the new play off system, but the way we've started this season I think now 5th and 6th to guarantee a home game is the mimimum aim.

What is in our favour is points difference. It's pretty healthy and the big win over Quins flipped their advantage right round to us.

To achieve anything in the play offs this season though we definetly have to win the next two games to go into the four massive games against Leeds, Saints and Wire (twice) full of confidence.

I never like looking too far ahead and predicting results for weeks and months in the future.

I'll say the same as I said last week - just focus on one game at a time and we'll see where we end up come the season's end.

Catalans next and they're coming into a bit of form. Looks like we'll have to cope with some inexperience in the backrow and a bit of a rejig with the pivots. There may be some positives to come out of both of these things however - the possibility of Leuluai at hooker and a Farrell debut.

Was thinking of this earlier today. Looks like we might be going on a Brian Noble special - i.e hitting a rich vein of form towards the back end of the season.

Obviously the injuries to Mike Mac and especially Locky are going to affect our current form significantly though.

Its a Saturday night and you've had a couple of whisky's



We'll put a run together to finish the season but not one good enough to get us 3rd.

Depending on results, we could be 5th this time next week, that's looking a lot better than just a couple of weeks ago.

And that's why the stupid results at Celtic, Hull and at home v Saints, Wakefield, HKR and Cas are so annoying.

Catalan are winning 19 -12 with 3 minutes to go.

I started a thread the other day saying if we win our next 3 games of which we have already won one against Quins then we could be in 5th already. There are no games left which we cannot win. It has not been the best season but we always finish strong under Brian Noble. With abit of luck this year we could be right up there come the play-offs.

This season is not over although it is SO FAR a poor one.

Alot of teams are starting to fade, Hull KR, Quins, Wakey and Hudds who are all above us.

I am still confident we can shake this competition up abit this season.

I agree but it is crap isn't it? I was shocked how poor Quins were on Friday. The old "standard of SL" thread springs to mind.



Depends what you mean by that. Does shaking the competition up mean being the best of a very poor lot (Us, Hull KR, Quins, Wakey and Hudds) or actually beating Leeds or Saints in the play offs to at least get to the GF?

As far as I am concerned playing 2nd fiddle to Leeds and Saints does not equate to shaking this competition up.

Dave

No!! great if we did.

I said 4th or 5th and I stand by it. Injuries may take its toll though.

Let's have a look at the table in three weeks.

Wakefields next three games are Huddersfield away, Leeds home and Saints away

5th at best - a win against Catalans at home next week would set us up nicely (not a given by any means in terms of injuries) but then we have a very tough run of fixtures - Bradford (away), Leeds (home), Saints (away), Warrington (semi), Warrington (home).

6 wins could make our season, 6 defeats could break our season - I'd be happy if we managed 4 wins including the semi, but given our inconsistency and injuries that may be beyond us.

NOt a chance of third without T Smith and more importantly Mcilorum and Lockers..

Lockers has been immense and we only have to look at the celtics game to see how we play without him.. Big loss .......

he is back for the semi..

Agreed, Lockers in a huge loss - been our best player this season by an absolute mile - he seemed to have regained his gamebreaking ability and some of the pace that appeared to have gone with the knee injuries and that added to his undoubted quality / workrate in defence makes him invaluable - the best 13 in the British game at present.

McIllorum is a shame, but an absence that could be accommodated by moving TL to hooker on the interchange, ST to scrum half and giving Gleeson a run at stand off. Added bonus of then giving Pryce a run in the team from the bench, which I think will help him kick on - there were a few positive signs on Friday, especially in his one on one defence which has improved markedly.

T Smith is an enigma, I can't decide whether him being missing is a good thing or a bad thing. He can be unplayable on his day with his range of passing and organisation (i.e, the masterclass at Murrayfield), but can also be appalling and lose games single handedly with poor decision making and terrible defence. Also his presence keeps ST out of the team, which is a major negative.

Class.

Who better then?? Sinfield, purdam, Flannery, westerman,??