Well
We've managed to aspire to Agar ( and co) level of ability so let's see if we can possibly stop the root any further and retain a super league spot
I'm going to say i told you so that I predicted us being in this position at round 23
and what a proper ****** mess we're in.
The majority of the M8 aren't going to have as much pressure as us I'm sure you'll agree or maybe not.
The time has come now to grow a pair of bigguns
No excuses
We need 5 from 7 wins ,I hope we win them all .
So who do you think will get promoted to SL?
I'll go for
Widnes , Catalans , Hull and gulp, us.
Actually our next 7 games are going to be more exciting bar Thursday
than the previous 22 rds!!!

Well ,i believe HKR have signed Mosi Masoe for the middle 8 play offs & Danny McGuire for next 2 seasons.

I don't think any new team will come up, I think all super league teams will come back up next year.
McGuire's contract apparently is dependant on Hull KR gaining promotion which I don't think they will, Mosoe has an option for 2018 to stay at Rovers but again I think he will only stay if they got promotion so I think we will see him at another club next year. Hopefully here

McGuire has signed regardless of which division we are in, as for promotion, very confident we'll be back up. A couple of the teams in the bottom 4 are far worse then we was last season and don't appear to have the cap space to strengthen, carbon copy of rovers over the seasons in that they are over paying for average dross.

I think moving from the Champ to SL requires a lot of work and money to ensure that when you get there, you stay there. I suspect that only HKR currently have the players and infrastructure to make the jump and I don't expect the other 3 clubs to feature at the top of the 8's. That is why the middle 8's are a bit like the emperors new clothes, I think if you asked Halifax they would say that they don't (currently) expect to achieve SL, and even if they did by a miracle, they would not be prepared for it.

So, the 8's are really all about who drops into the Champ. from Widnes, Leigh, Catalans and Wire. In that respect, it could depend on who gets a bit of momentum going, who is the least nervous and which teams have built a bit of confidence and team spirit team. On paper, Wire should be at or very close to the top of the 8's, but we have seen a very different Wire in a lot of the regular rounds of SL to what we expected. There is still room for upsets / lady luck / lack of team spirit etc to change expectations. It's a very good reason for playing the best team we have against Widnes and getting some momentum.

Hull kr are a cert for the £m game. I wouldn't bet against them vs any of the SL 4.

I think that Hull KR should have a decent shot at coming back up.

Apart from never being an easy trip for those that have them away, they've recently been in SL, have experience of M8's and the dreaded £1m game and would probably see this next phase of games as nothing to lose in comparison to the SL teams.

BTW not saying they are limited to only getting to the £1m game, but, who'd fancy playing them in a one off?

.

Has anyone heard TS use the term middles 8s yet?

I only ask because the recent interviews now it's a cert were in them....he refers to it just as a new competition and doing Leeds. He wont say middle 8s.
Doing a Leeds grinds my gears. Why not do what Wire are supposed to do next season.

Considering the news article of a few weeks ago where going back to a 14 team superleague was mentioned for as early as 2018 ,does Mr Smith know something we don't & could the format change over the next 2 weeks?

Look at the scenario ( Toronto Toulouse Catalan). If it hasn't by 2019, it means there could be only 9 British teams in SL.
Meaning for much of the season, there can only be 4 all British games per week at the most.

Wire
Catalans
Hull KR
Leigh v Widnes in the cretinously titled 'Million Pound Game'

2 big games in championship this weekend, but as it stands now with Leigh beating Salford it looks like.

Catalan
HKR
Leigh
Featherstone at home

Widnes
London
Halifax or Toulose away.

Thought i would feel miffed to have to play Widnes away but now it means we have Leigh at home and not away I'm not bothered. How does everyone else feel about it?

Well i know we have a decent record at Widnes, but i would of prefered them at home. That pitch is awful and it always feels dark there, really poor lighting.

And that's at 3pm!

London have a similar pitch

Looks like the whole middle 8's thing, and the Million Pound game could be academic this year anyway.... www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... -authority

Looks like the whole middle 8's thing, and the Million Pound game could be academic this year anyway.... www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... -authority

Yes, I posted on this a few weeks ago. The majority of the SL clubs were interested in returning to 13 in 2018 and 14 in 2019. The accountants were actioned to go away and look at how the current money that SL clubs could be maintained by returning to 13.

The pitch at the Trailfinders plays much faster than the Widnes one and should suit us. Also London's is green, not the weird grey sludgey colour Widnes' is and which I think makes viewing even more challenging.

To be fair they had to go the artificial route, nothing organic can grow in Widnes.

Quote ="matt6169"Looks like the whole middle 8's thing, and the Million Pound game could be academic this year anyway.... www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... -authority'" Youve got to love Koukash ...he speaks so much rubbish even he cant belive it surely? Quote "Also where are we are going to find an extra 30 Super League players without easing the restriction on imports?" '" hang on Marwan your doing a fine job already....: Junior Sau Robert Lui Michael dobson Ben Murdoch Masila Weller Huraki Lama tasi Todd Carney Manu Vatevei

Quote ="matt6169"Looks like the whole middle 8's thing, and the Million Pound game could be academic this year anyway.... www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... -authority'" Youve got to love Koukash ...he speaks so much rubbish even he cant belive it surely? Quote "Also where are we are going to find an extra 30 Super League players without easing the restriction on imports?" '" hang on Marwan your doing a fine job already....: Junior Sau Robert Lui Michael dobson Ben Murdoch Masila Weller Huraki Lama tasi Todd Carney Manu Vatevei

Looks like Fax are gonna beat HKR. Rovers now lost their last 2, and on a bit of a wobble?

It means our home games are: Catalans, Leigh, HKR, Halifax; away ones: Widnes, London, Fev. Fev will be a new ground for me, so happy with that! London will be too, if I can get a pass out for it. Strangely, I'm happier with those fixtures that the 7 dead rubbers we would have had if we'd have finished 8. With little real chance of relegation, it should be a more enjoyable end to the season, and who knows, even some entertaining rugby?!?

Anyone know when the fixtures for the middle 8's are being announced

According to Sky it's Wednesday.