If the following results, which are all pretty realistic, happen then we could have just 5 points separating 2nd and 7th after 23 rounds:

Salford beat Leeds and Leigh, lose to Cas;
Leeds beat Hull, lose at Wigan and Salford;
Hull beat Huddersfield, lose at Leeds;
Wakefield beat Widnes, lose to Saints;
Wigan beat Warrington and Leeds;
Saints beat Wakefield and Catalans

The table would then be:

2. Salford 30pts
3. Leeds 28 pts
4. Hull 27 pts
5. Wakefield 26pts
6. Saints 25pts
7. Wigan 25pts

The Super 8 would then be fantastic and much better than the last two years with plenty of massive games and barely any dead rubbers (at least until right at the end). Factor in four of these teams having a semi final to deal with, and two of them a final, and it's all to play for.

The Middle 8 is shaping up nicely too with four pretty evenly matched teams in Catalans, Leigh, Widnes and Hull KR.

This format has received plenty of justified stick in the past but it seems to be working exactly as designed this year.

Yeh works great unless you get relegated without finishing bottom then don't get promoted when you finish top comfortably

Football manages just fine. In the Championship you can finish 3rd just 1 point off automatic promotion but then lose in the playoffs to a team who finished 12 points or so behind you in 6th. Or you can do a Liverpool and win the Chanpions League in 2005 even though they only finished 4th the year before and 5th the year the were crowned 'the best team in Europe'.

Or the NFL where a wildcard team can win the Super Bowl against a team with a 16-0 record like NY Giants did to New England.

Oh! and the Giants could easily beat Leigh and Hull, and be just 4 behind 4th, well would you believe it.

But just to clarify the top team does go up automatically?

When was the last time the team at the top of the championship after the regular season was promoted automatically without any form of play off?

I agree with you to be honest, looks like it'll be an exciting end to the season. Would be great to see a GF between 2 clubs who have never won it!

Was that not Cas end of 2007

It looks like being Cas v Leeds, unless there something really strange happens.
Cas are nailed on for the LLS and Leeds seem to be on a roll and if it is these 2 in the final, Leeds will probably lift the trophy.
Their experience in playing in GF will be a major factor.

Wigan also starting to build some momentum and they could sneak into the mix.

No, we finished top, but had the play offs to go through to get promoted. We beat Widnes in the play off final 42-10 at Headingley (Danny Broughs last game for us before he joined you guys)

I wouldn't disagree with that. A lot can change over a few weeks mind. Going to be interesting!

I think it was Hull FC in 97 or maybe Huddersfield 98. They didn't have to play teams from the division above neither after a league campaign to then try and earn a promotion.

2002 huddersfield giants had to go up via play off final against leigh.

Hull Sharks, 1997, We got promoted too after beating them in the premiership final 18-0 and following PSG's demise.