Relegated twice, bounced back both times and now we're a top 5 club with a top class coach and players who want to play for the shirt.

Just shows what's achievable.

The difference with this format is that the shock value of relegation is so much more acute.

The Cas v Wakefield game was a quirk of the fixture computer, but with relegation determined by league position, there isn't that shock value. Most clubs and players involved can see it coming, plan and prepare accordingly (on and off the pitch).

This year. we had an MGP with a Salford team that were only there because of salary cap transgressions a couple of years ago, and a Hull KR team that were literally a post-width away from survival. That's a lot for players to get their head around.

The shock value is what makes this format so much of a marmite occasion.

The fact is you get several chances to avoid being in the position of MPG. first step if you finish bottom 4 in the regular season then you have that amber light already and the threat of relegation is very real for all clubs concerned. Salford, despite the points deduction, still had the same chance to finish top 3 in middle 8's as the other SL side. Fact is they were dire and just scraped 5th...yes 5th! yet they still got a 3rd bite at the cherry on Saturday. Hull KR were just as dire for most of the middle 8's yet had two chances, both at home to seal the deal but couldn't get it done and choked it away.

I don't think the system is that unfair. Clubs have to start realising that they need to take all games in SL (to secure more home games) and the middle 8's seriously or they will be in the same position as Hull KR and Salford next year. Imo good for the competitive nature of all games next year and beyond.

HKR only won 1 of their opening 8 games so the Amber light should've been on then at the end of March/April. Perhaps because they strolled through the Middle 8's last year they thought they'd be fine when the time came and perhaps the others in Salford and Hudds did too before scrapping through at the last chance. That they apparently took this approach is their fault alone....for all of Leeds's faults this year and the mocking we've have at least we took the threat seriously and didn't consider ourselves too big or too untouchable to arrive in the Middle 8's complacent and caught cold and we were arguably the one SL involved who could've had the "we'll be fine" complacent attitude the most.

I didn't think we thought we'd be fine at all we were just poor Leeds were never in any trouble

I'm on about the players not the fans.