Hi all, heard in a few radio interviews that the interviewer was talking about Wakefield as if we were mathematically safe and will the team slow down now and prepare for the 8's.

My question is are we mathematically safe? I realise there are enough games for three of the bottom 4 to draw with us on points however I don't know if they have to play each other

Good work today boys

We are not mathematically safe.
And to be honest we should be trying for 5th rather than being relieved with 8th.

I agree we should aim as high as possible but I will still be relieved when we achieve the super 8's.

Thanks for clearing that up

The way saints have been playing, 5th is achievable imho

There's 10 points left to play for before the split, and Hull KR are on 7 points. We're not mathematically safe, but we are within touching distance of safety. A good win at Leeds for us, and Saint's/Hudds also both winning next week will make us Mathematically secure in the top 8. That score would also leave us in 6the place behind Saint's where we would then face the in the next round. A big opportunity to really kick on in the next 2 games to see how high we can climb

We can't finish bottom! Both Leeds and Shudds are 10 behind us with 5 to play and they have to face each other. So that's an improvement on last year.

Seriously it would need to strange set of results - or Salford getting all their points back - for us to finish outside the top eight. Think it is time to look up and get the points to a) finish 5th at the split & b) see if we can at least get close to the top 4.

For Salford to catch us (if the appeal is unsuccessful), they'd have to beat Widnes and Cas, so they might catch them first, and particularly Widnes.

If they get their points back, it will make it twitchier, because they'll get a boost from it, but they should be nearer to Widnes than us.

And I have a recurring dream where Leeds play a buzzing and confident Leigh in the MPG.

It could happen.

Leeds (and Shudds) are both in shocking form and a slip up against any of the Championship clubs (let's not forget London, Batley and maybe Bradford)

There is a prospect of a Bradford/ Leeds MPG or maybe Kear could work some magic at Batley.
He's certainly doing them proud at the moment and he will want to finish with a bang !

question then, what are the benifits of finishing 5th rather than 8th? obviously its a higher up the ladder but is there any prize money riding on this ect?

We're certainly not mathematically safe but aside from Salford getting all six points back, it would take amazing run ins from the teams below us, and us to not win another game for us not to make the 8.

And they have to play each other

Yes, I think the games that have to be played against each other makes us okay, subject to the Salford appeal. Is anyone good enough at maths to work out the permutations?

There are loads of permutations for this.

There are 10 points available to everyone.
We are 7 points clear of 9th.

If we beat Leeds and Hull KR lose to St Helens and Salford lose to Huddersfield, that would give us a 9 point cushion with 4 games left (so only 8 points available)
Then we'd be safe

If we win but either Hull KR or Salford win, we could still be caught, as we have a poor points difference with each 7 and 8 behind us respectively with 8 points still available.
If we lose and they both win, it's leaving it a bit more open.

Ignoring all other results and only looking at ours, we need to win the next 3 games to actually be safe.
Every time Salford or Rovers lose one, we can afford to win one less.

Best case scenario is that we win, Salford and Rovers both lose.
Then Salford and Rovers, as well as Leeds and Giants win all their games as it would make it so we can't be caught but they would pull Widnes, Cas and Sts back towards them and leave us 5th/6th.

Phew, nice work statto

We are very close but not quite there yet.

I actually think if anyone who drops out of the 8 now will be in the MPG if no one I predict HULL KR

I actually think that the middle 8's this year are going to be very tight, and don't think there will be any teams that go through it unbeaten like last year.

BOJ04 fears for Hull KR. If they can keep Campese, Kelly and Blair fit, then I think they could be fine, just look how they ripped us and Castleford apart.

Some suggestion that Campese is struggling with injury again, according to the Hull KR forum anyway.

I get the impression that Hull KR will do with Webster what we did, because the reports suggest that the players like him. The question has to be asked: why? The players didn't like Brian Smith too much, with hindsight, but he got them fit and got them playing. The Wakey players spoke very highly of Webster as a person but none of them seemed particularly bothered about busting a gut for him. Everyone likes a pleasant boss, and it's usually because you can get away with stuff.

how fun Is it going to be if we are not in it- watching and going for the championship clubs!!
it would be better for us thinking next year that a championship club gets promoted in my opinion.

the players that get relegated will be up for grabs

Got to admit it would be funny.

Much as it would be fun to see Leeds or Shudds battling in the MPG, it's very hard (if not impossible) to imagine any of the Championship clubs beating any of the clubs that are currently in the bottom 4.

The biggest chance of promotion was surely last year, when Wakefield were in such dire straits.

Next season will be as you were and there may well be a tweak, possibly a full blown change, to the league format after that (as the Championship clubs will be moaning more than James Lowes (or Denis Betts

) if nobody gains promotion this time.

So if Leeds and Shudds start adding players for the M8's, will the Sky commentators and the supporters of Championship clubs label them cheats - or was that reserved just for us?

I have always flt that if we must have this ridiculous system then the bottom 4 should carry forward the points they have earned against the other bottom 4 clubs (ditto top 4 Championship) and play 8 games home and away against the Championship sides. Top 4 stay in Superleague.

Imagine, a straightforward league with a huge prize and no gimmicks or nonsenses. It'll never catch on with the RFL.

That was reserved for us !
The words used were ( not in the spirit of the game! ) Hemings could see we were in big trouble, and didn't want to miss an opportunity to put boot in!

I don't suppose Webster helped us, by declaring us out of the main season and in preparation for the M8's, but the hyperbole was established by Hemmings and repeated ad infinitum, mainly by Leigh and Bradford fans; and even by the Bradford coach, in a somewhat emotional post-match interview.

So - as soon as Shudds or Leeds add a player pre-M8's, be sure to contact Eddie to ask if he feels similarly outraged.

They're already recruiting with Manly's Tom Symonds expected to sign for Huddersfield following on the heels of Sebastine Ikahihifo