Despite our recent results we have also seen HKR, Salford, and Wakefield also picking up unlikely points. The position now is that in the unlikely event that we got all 6 points back we would still be next to bottom. Looking above us Salford and Hull seem to be the most likely fellow strugglers but can we pick up four extra results on those two? It seems a shame that the points deduction has spiked what would have been a very interesting scrap at the bottom. If not for this who do you think would have been likely relegation candidates given that we now know how teams are performing?

For me, it's a question of getting a settled squad.

I don't think we've put out the same 17 two weeks running this season. Players in and out continually is going to be an issue and it's going to be unsettling.

IF we get the full 6 points back from the tribunal, then we've a chance of staying up. For every point less, it's just going to get harder and harder for us to survive.

But the league is a marathon not a sprint, although we're off the pace. We got a shock against Wire, if we can repeat that feat today then it's going to be a massive boost for the team. Winning and losing is as much habit as anything else. If you get a kicking every week, you're going to go out and expect to get a kicking, but if we can build on our wins then it's going to help the team to believe they can survive.

I know the teams above us might have won, but we can't be concerned about others results. Just play our games to win, and let the other results take care of themselves

If we get 4-6 back then that game vs wakey is huge, if we beat them our heads go up and theirs may go down and looking at the games after that I would hope we win more then we lose so we close the gap still further.

After we play you guys we have 8 home games (London, Wigan, FC, Leeds, Widnes, Hudds, Salford and KR) and 4 away games (Catalan, Wire, Saints & Cas)

The problem we seem to have is that the only players playing with any heart are the ones we have on loan.
And how the hell did Cummins extend Chev Walker and show Langley the door. Seems like Leeds 5th column at work.

You can't really compare Walker and Langley because their wages will be vastly different. You could argue that we should have kept Langley and not signed Carvell but that's the benefit of hindsight I suppose. When that decision was being made i expect many would have picked Carvell over Langley. We could sure do with him right now though!

You're probably right. I can't believe we are paying Walker the same as we would a professional rugby player.

people need to realise the state of the squad. Walker hobbled out in obvious pain on crutches with foot strapped up. When asked what the issue was his reply was "foot problem, played with painkilling injection and it's worn off". We are down to the bare bones, suspect that is why we have a winger on the bench, Sam Wood starting above him and George who couldn't even get on until 55 minute

You never really know because we would have had to offer Langley a contract first.

George was rushed back due to the only other available player being Conroy, everyone else is injured according to FC.

If we are honest Leeds, Wigan and Saints are in a different league to most of the other clubs, and with our patched up side we were never realistically going to win yesterday.

Also it wasn't like Wigan, where you kept wanting to run on and kick arrses, it wasn't really a case of shortage of effort, for much of the play we were competitive (if outclassed); it is juts that every 5 minutes we entirely preventably shot ourselves in the foot, and undid all the endeavour.

I agree it wasn't a game on our "must win" list, and anyone who entertained hopes of a famous vctory must surely have had those dispeled when they arrived and saw the teamsheet. And that is without even taking into account that of those in the 17, several were not fully fit.

I am not convinced Saints are in that class, certainly not the Leeds class. IMO they are with Hudds, Cas & Wire at least. They needed London & Bradford to get their season back on track after easy defeats to Leeds, Widnes & Wigan, & could well have lost 6 in a row having only beaten Cas, Hudds & Leeds in the last minute.

Saints seem to be in that very fortunate position of having really gifted youngsters to bring in whenever the injuries strike and it's the fact that so many of ours have walked away after reaching the end of their time in the academy, or shortly afterwards, which is killing us right now. Saints go into games against Wigan and Leeds with a very realistic chance of success - last minute wins or not, and indeed, beat Leeds with a very patched up 13 IIRC. They are a class act, imo.

They have a few world class players, a group of seasoned pro's, some great youngsters with bags of potential & a few average players. Which is better than most, but a lot short of Leeds, & not as much as Hudds & Wire. They are similar to Wigan in that respect, who I think constantly perform beyond their individual abilities.

I wont deny Leeds have been looking very classy this year, but having seen Wire and Saints at the iconic Odsal stadium in the last week Saints looked a much better outfit - faster all round and better organised as a team

And the next time we play Leeds, Saints and Warrington it will be at their place. In the last 13 games we will probably need to win 8-10 of them not forgetting the points difference. The other teams will win a handful of games. Is it a bridge too far? It is now looking like it. 2 points back will not make much difference. We have played half a season and are further behind than at the start. Some people are saying the last game could be a win and stay up game. We could also be relegated by the start of July if Wakey and Salford win a few more and we don't. It ain't looking good I am afraid to say.

After having seen all of them, I'd put Saints up with Wigan and Leeds as the standouts and certainly above Hudds and Wire, both of whom seem to have dropped away this season. Though, that said, I'd imagine any of those five could beat any other on their day.

I'd say the Saints performance against us is as good as it gets [I'm allowing the performance, or non-performance, against Wigan to pass as an unrepeatable one off though there is room to say that our injury situation maybe allowed them to put a bit of gloss on it, but they looked the quickest in thought and deed that we've come across this year, imo.

I think Hudds over-performed last season, but they are just a back-up hooker/HB short of a top 3 team. I don't know if Wire are building to a end of season climax but they have far too many top players, & a top coach, to be mid-table. If a Yorkshire team isn't going to win it I wouldn't mind Saints, otherwise Brown could forever be labelled a nearly man, & I quite like him as a coach.

Before easter having Leeds, Wigan, Wire & Saints one after the other plenty of people on here said we would lose them all so surely even 1 win out of 4 has surpassed peoples expectations on here, we are just unlucky that Wakey have produced some results,

As for the Magic weekend, Huddersfield really struggled at the start against London, if we can get most players back and firing and get some stability in the squad no reason we cant pick up 2 points this weekend and get some momentum building up to the "must win" wakey game,

The season is not over until its mathematically not possible to stay up COYB!!

We're still the only team to have beaten Leeds this season though, so how are we 'a lot short' of Leeds?

You may have a point, you may not but we are debating whether Bulls can stay up not whether Saints are as good as Leeds. Think that was mentioned as a comparison between the two teams that beat the Bulls,

Well, the predictions spreadsheet indicates that we are going down ... on points difference.

Here is the latest version:

Wigan ....47
Leeds ....42
St. Helens... 42
Warrington ...33
Hudds ...32
Castleford ....25
Hull FC ....25
Widnes ....25
Salford .... 24
Catalans ...20
Wakefield ...19
Hull KR ...18
Bradford ...18
London ...2

and we are of course a point effectively worse off than KR as we regrettably have had too many shellackings.

Of course OTOH that if accurate would mean that a mere 2 points back on appeal would relegate HKR.

18???? You do realise you only get 2 for
a win don't you?????

Those points totals are impossible !!!!!