We need Hull to win by any amount
We need St's to beat Catalan (ideally by 9 or more)
We need to beat Quins (by more than 7 if saints were only to beat Catalan by 1)

Current Table
------------------
8. Catalans Dragons 24 -58
9. Bradford 23 -18
10. Warrington 22 -66
11. Harlequins 22 -90

Its all still to play for.

It's going to be Bradford unfortunately

My thoughts

I think it will be Bradford but that will be a tough game alot of pressure on them to win it and they have not been in many this season they might buckle ([size=75lets hope so[/size)

But I could also see Saints losing to Catalan ala 2007 against Wigan.

The squad is thinning out anyway, As i don't think we will do any damage in the competition i'm not concerned if we don't make the 8.

We'll make the eight, I think.

I can see Hull beating Bradford.

See, I was thinking that aswell. There is no pressure on Hull, there is on Bradford.

Saying that though, we still have to do our part. Hopefully we don't receive a Quins backlash, especially after their performance against Castleford earlier this afternoon.

Harlequins have looked shot for about six to eight weeks now. I know it's Warrington like, but I'd back us to do our bit like.

When it comes to our fate on the final weekend of the season, Saints have done us no favours. Three examples from memory.

2005: A Saints win over Bradford secures 3rd spot for us, meaning London travel to HJ in the first week of the play offs. Bradford do the unthinkable and win at KR earning themselves 3rd place and we have to host Hull FC finishing 4th.

2007: A Warrington win over Salford and a Saints win over Wigan at KR secures a play off spot for us after an under-par season. We defeat Salford but Wigan beat Saints and we finish 7th.

2008: A Wigan defeat by Saints would secure 5th place and avoid a trip to Catalan with us still having a game in hand against Huddersfield. Wigan draw at KR and after a woeful display the following day from us against Huddersfield, we end up going to France.

IMO i wouldnt be really too upset if we dont make it(even tho it would be hard to do it now)TS needs to get a full pre season wiv the boys and new signings before next season. Obviously after the 4 nations malarky!!!!!!!!!

They'll win on Friday, i'm sure of that.

Keep the faith

I've said that for the three of the past four seasons.

I DON'T THINK WE ARE WORTHY OF A PLAY-OFF PLACE AND WE WOULDN'T DO IT JUSTICE AND BE OUT 1ST ROUND,DUE TO OUR INJURIES AT THE MOMENT AND THE FACT YOU NEED AS CLOSE TO A FULLY FIT SQUAD ON THE PITCH TO DO ANYTHING IN THE PLAY-OFFS !
LETS JUST BE HAPPY WITH WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS SEASON AND BUILD FOR NEXT YEAR !

Same here.

On the face of it, we should get the 2 points easily. Then again, as you say, you never know with us.

The only blip I can see next week is with Saints v Cats. Saints have got 2nd wrapped up, they can only get top spot if they absolutely cane Cats by 67+ points and Leeds lose to Salford. Saints may decide to rest some players, which could give Catalans the advantage.

I'd love to say we got in the playoffs on merit, but in all honesty we do need some teams to do us a favour in order to get into the 8.

I'm normally not a confident person, but I belive we can make the 8. Which probably now means I've put the mockers on us and we'll get beat. : ^ (

They have to win, hope Salford can do them a favour. Imagine the outcry if Salford pulled off an unbelievable win and Saints couldn't fulfil their end of it.

They'll approach that game proffesionally.

In terms of what we need, as in as a percentage of difficulty for each segment, if that makes sense, I'd say Hull have the hardest & biggest part to play, like ...

Hull (60%)
Saints (20%)
Warrington (20%)

I understand what you are saying mate, and I fully agree. Hull have the hardest task trying to beat a Bradford team that have found some form at the back end of the season (what is it, 4 straight wins, something like that??).

It's a make or break week coming up, no doubt about it.

The Hull Bradford game is tough to call in many ways

Will Hull want to sign off a dissapointing season with a win in front of their own fans? Yes. But, will they have the same enthusiasm throughout the game to match that of Bradford who will know this is do or die?

Alternatively, will the Bulls crumble like they have done this year under the pressure, and with Hull being under no pressure or expectation at all, will they just play an open game and tear in to Bradford?

I can see that either being close and low scoring or close and ridiculously high scoring. Close either way! Coooommmee onnnnn yoooouuuu Huuuuulllllllll.

We can kind of take some sort of hope from the spirated performances that they put up at Wigan, suggests they haven't thrown the towel in just yet like.

It'll be tough, no doubt. Of all the sides pushing for 8th, Bradford have all the momentum, fair play to them for not giving up on what was seemingly a lost cause.

If the Bulls do end up making the playoffs, I wonder what some of their "fans" will think of it, especially as they were calling for McNamara's head earlier on in the season.

As you say, the ascendency is with the Bulls, but they also have the pressure. Hull have no pressure at all, they've had a disappointing season and would like nothing better than a home win to sign off with.

mmmm, Burgess said in the paper today that as soon as people wrote them off and the expectation went, they started playing well.

Just makes you wonder how they will cope with this last minute pressure.

After round 26, We only have a 7 point worse points difference than Catalans therefore if catalans lose which hopefully they will at saints we may even be ahead on the points difference going into sunday.

Bradford - if they win its game over for us. If they draw (unlikely I know) they have a 48 points better points difference than us - this means we must win by 49 points against Quins which isnt impossible considering Cas beat them by that at Quins today.

To summarise We may only need to Win by 1 point if both Catalans and Bradford lose. Fingers crossed.

Momentum says Bulls will win at Hull and amazingly make the play offs. Can you imagine if they went on to win it after the season they've had.

Yes, I can imagine actually.

Mick Gledhill will go on the rampage, making about 750 posts on here and on TotalRL about how THE SPIRIT OF '05 IS ALIVE and THE BULLS ARE COMING, IT'S A MIRACLE.

And then the Pies will put forty on them.