Looking like 4th is our best possible finish, but that relies on us winning 2 out of 3 games and Leigh losing theirs. If we somehow won all three remaining fixtures and ended up finishing fourth, that wouldn't be so bad after last season. I mean, given the drop between May-August I'd say to finish 4th or 5th is to have gotten away with murder!

Leigh have got Wigan, Wakefield and Saints left, I’d say we would need to win our last 3 to go 4th

Ah yes, just doing the maths now. Well, it's not beyond the realms of possibility but it means beating 'that lot' which we haven't managed this year. However, assuming Leigh only manage to beat Wakey out of those three games, and if we manage to bag a healthy points haul against Salford and Hudds AND a win against the mouth breathers then we'd snatch fourth on points difference?

Let's not get carried away, we've won two but are more than capable of going back to our old May-August ways.

Maybe it`s best if we qualify for the Top 6 play-off that we don`t get a home game, given the way we performed in our last 3 home games in that competition.......

I'd prefer an away tie - which is good as that's what we're going to get at best. Really hope it's Saints away.

Hull kr will more than likely win all their 3 games so its looking like 6th place. Wigan, saints or catalans(please no!!!)away.

I'd agree with your Hull KR assessment, we've got to hope that Wakefield still have something to play for in their last game

There’s no point getting to a grand final if we aren’t going to win it, and to win it we need to be beating any of the top 4 teams away from home. So it doesn’t really matter where we finish. I honestly think it would be better for us to finish 6th and take the hardest route, with less expectation and pressure on us. We’ve got more than enough quality in the squad, and if the players just go out there to do the basics well and enjoy themselves the rest will look after itself.

Winning the big one this year isn’t as far fetched as it may sound. Stranger things have happened, such as a newly promoted team beating the champions in a cup semi and winning the final at Wembley.

'Please no'? We've beaten Catalans away twice this year, when did we last win at the Piedome or The VapeStation?

Attitude is the order of the day. I'm sure we are more than capable of beating any of our local rivals.
Attention to basics & not panicking will do the rest.

I’m not discounting 4th yet Leigh have to play Saints and Wigan in their last 3 games. I’m not getting giddy about the fact we have won 2 games but the win against Cas was exactly the score line it needed to be and that would should give a big lift to the dressing room.

So I'm betting final positions 1st Catalan 2nd Wigan 3rd Saints 4th Leigh 5th Wire 6th Salford 1st time no Yorkshire teams in the 6.

Saints smash Salford in their eliminator

Wire edge nervy eliminator as floodlight flicker means Gaz O'brien drops a bomb on and Peter Mata'utia goes in for a game winning try

Wigan and Saints have classic but ill tempered encounter Saints edge it but have record numbers of players banned as MRP panel hand out well deserved bans.

Wire edge Catalan when Gill Dudson on as 18th man scores late try with "trademark" power run

Grand Final although Saints have an early nailed on Knowles try ruled out. Wire go on rampage Dufty on fire with hat trick Redvee conceded that Dufty better than Billy Slater and admit bans, weather, refereeing had no affect on the game and Wellens and McManus agree that the best team won.

I wonder if I can get a bet builder on all those happening? Would be better than winning Euromillions. I’m afraid it would fail from the point where you mention Redvee onwards.

They still want Robert Hicks dead for crying out loud. Special breed.

It was more of a selfish 'please no' as I wouldn't be able to go the game if it was catalans away. All 3 of those teams will be desperate not to finish third. I wouldn't fancy a knockout game against either an in form Hull kr or us.

What dates are the play off first round games? I'm assuming it's Thursday 28th and Friday 29th, but are they set so, for example 3 V 6 is on Thursday and 4 V 5 is on Friday (or the other way around) or could it be decided nearer the time?

I'll go to any of the games unless it's Catalans away, but will need to request an early finish from work if we play on the Thursday so I'm working out how likely that is.

According to the WG...

Super League play-off dates
Week One

Eliminator One - 4th vs 5th - Friday, September 29 (Sky Sports)

Eliminator Two - 3rd vs 6th - Saturday, September 30 (Sky Sports and Channel Four)

Week Two

Semi Final One - 2nd vs highest-placed Eliminator winner - Friday, October 6 (Sky Sports)

Semi Final Two - 1st vs lowest-placed Eliminator winner - Saturday, October 7 (Sky Sports and Channel Four)

Games played in France will take Friday night spots irrespective of rankings

Week Three

Super League Grand Final - Saturday, October 14 (Sky Sports)

As he ever reffed a game involving that lot since we rinsed them at Wembley...just curious

My version ends here, with the RFL / Super League folding and filing for bankruptcy due to the costs of holding a 17th appeal hearing in relation to Sione Matautia's ban.

Q?
Which is worse…

Going down this season then going into 2024 full time for promotion, or staying up this season, struggling once again with relegation with no return in 2025 c/o IMG closing the promotion/relegation gate?

Not sure but he certainly won't in future.

Did you just nick that from a famous Confucius philosophy quote?

I thought this year was the last year for promotion and relegation with 2024 being no relegation as img will be selecting the 12 teams for 2025 anyway.

I was thinking the same, end of 24 it’s decided the League for the following season. My concern is since the last time we had licensing clubs like Wakefield and Castleford took the proverbial pee out of it, basically not bringing the stadiums up to standard . So as long as the standards IMG are fully followed it will be a complete waste of time.