The thing that strikes me is the fact that we could qualify for the play offs in eighth, and be in the same play off competition as Wigan, Warrington and Huddersfield, who in reality are in a different league entirely.

To be honest Jamie i am losing sleep.

IF... we were to beat Quins and KR were to beat FC in the derby, that would leave matters in our own hands - level with FC, a point ahead of KR and with both due to visit Odsal.

Appreciate that some really don't like the crystal ball gazing, but I think it's useful to know where we stand and what the possibilities are. Short version is, pull our collective finger out of our collective backsides and we could have a very pleasing nothing to lose date at Headingley in September.

That's true enough and some teams, like the ones from position 4 to 8, are there basically to make up the numbers and give some (hopefully) good games for the Sky viewers. It was ever thus. Even when we only had the top five in the mix. I guess the biggest difference for us, is that now we are one of teams making up the numbers..........and that's only if we pull our socks up and get a bit of luck!

One fly in the ointment: FC have a pretty soft run-in, with seven winnable games (not including their visit to Odsal). Even if we were to beat them, given the PD situation we might have to win a further seven to finish above them.

Tbf, this is a decent advert for the play-off system. Every game counts. Looking at the fixture list, only the games at Wigan and Wire look like write-offs, and after KR two years ago, you never know...

Lets hope it doesn't come down to us relying on Saints to win their last very winnable game at home again...

It will be a damning indictment on the overall standard of super league if we get into the play-offs. This is the worst Bradford team i've watched in the last 30 years. The fact that almost half the league could potentially finish below us is a very sad state of affairs!

Worse than 1991? Or 1995?

This team will have to win two thirds of its remaining games to make the eight, if it does so I would say it deserves to be there in the mix. And them it will either be knocked out or progress, and whichever of those it does, it will probably deserve that too.

Yes, in 91 we finished in the top half winning more than we lost and got to the Regal trophy final and in 95 we also finished in the top half winning 5 more than we lost!

Not a lot of importance from past good/bad results in previous years are relevant to where we are now. Nor are the stats from ages ago.
We were then what we were and are now what we are.
Pretty sure that the players don't give a fig about past Bulls teams. Nor should they.
Next week is their match to win, after that they can plan for the next one.
Quins, Catalans, Cas, HKR, Crusaders and Wakey are winnable games + Hull FC and Leeds are potentials.
It depends hugely on whether the Bulls can kick on from a couple of competent recent performances.
We'll see if they can do that against Quins next week.

Agree with that, you can't really compare today with the past; different era and a different game. At the end of the year we will be where we are, no arguments, and good or bad, that'll be where we deserve to be.

Top 8 teams will be as it is now (similar order). As for the 6, maybe Catalan to overtake Cas but apart from that as it is now.

Lend us your crystal ball mate.

I think Potter needs it more than you.

But credit where credit is due

, who needs a flanker is prepared to put his predictions down where others might get tied up in the ifs and buts thens and whens and end up saying nothing

He is probably not too far off to be honest, I would like to think 8th is still up for grabs though....

To be honest i think anywhere up to 6th is up for grabs as its currently only 6 points away, and if and thats a big IF we can plod along even if it means gridning out results i can see us in the 8 comfortably

Quote ="Ewwenorfolk"Lend us your crystal ball mate.'" This was my prediction at the start of the season. Swap Catalan and Hull KR and it doesn't look bad. Wigan Warrington Saints Huddersfield Leeds Hull KR Hull Castleford Bradford Salford Catalans Quins Wakefield Crusaders viewtopic.php?f=2&t=477174&start=60

Quote ="Ewwenorfolk"Lend us your crystal ball mate.'" This was my prediction at the start of the season. Swap Catalan and Hull KR and it doesn't look bad. Wigan Warrington Saints Huddersfield Leeds Hull KR Hull Castleford Bradford Salford Catalans Quins Wakefield Crusaders viewtopic.php?f=2&t=477174&start=60

Two conditions are needed for Bulls making the play-offs

1) Bulls win seven or eight of their remaining 11 games
2) At least one of Cas, Catalans or Hull FC have a poor run

At this point, I think we'll be in the mix till the end, but miss out in similar manner to 09.

Isnt there 12 games left

Ha, just came back to edit that.

Ha ha

So, job done (well, first 2 jobs done); and tied for 8th.

A win against Saints really would spark things up for our season. Particularly as Hull are playing poorly, and Harlequins by the sheer law of averages are going to win again sometime, so if they won at Hull we could tiptoe into 8th already.

Then the week after we could consolidate 8th (or move into 8th if we can't do Saints) as we are at home to Hull in a 4 pointer, whilst HKR are being marmalised by Wire.

So COYB, do your bit.

Four clubs with a point between them, plus Cas with a tough run-in and a cushion that could be eroded. Up for grabs.

Well, I am now confident that we will make the 8.

What, "confident", you cry?

Well, yes. I made up this little spreadsheet, put in the points I think we and our rivals for the 8 will get to the end of the season, and the way it looks to me, we have got something to spare.

Subject to:
* I haven't checked it. I think I've put a 2 and a 0 for each relevant match but it's possible I may have blooped, as you do when cobbling something in a hurry.
* I know you may find it hard to believe, but I may turn out to have got one or even two predictions wrong.

Even so, and even if some of the results go against us, it does seem that we should be able to do it without as much bother as I had thought; there's only Leeds who will be clear of us, but the others are some distance behind.

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