We need to beat Whitehaven on sunday to qualify. If we lose (even with a bonus point) we will not qualify unless there are some strange results - Swinton would have to beat Doncaster at Doncaster and Workington would have to beat featherstone.

Some strange fixture permutations arent there this year



I would have gone for last years NL1 top 8 seeded for a decent knock out stage.

I have a weird feeling we may get shafted Sunday so we cant posssibly win the NRC. As the NRC winners can apply for a franchise.

We will be ok. Going to beat Haven by 10 points and qualify in style

Got to say that I am a bit more excited about the qualifying process this year than previous

In recent years you could play 6 games , lose 4 and still qualify

Much better this year

I'd better go for a lie down now as I have just realised that I am praising the RFL for doing something right for the NLs/Championships

Anyone know how knockout stages work re the draw. ie Is there an advantage to finishing top of group ? Now this did annoy me in previous seasons.

No , it's a straight draw

Having said that unless we win on Sunday we quite possibly will not make the knock out stages

Kind of looking forward to the Haven game, with a bit of a edge to it.

Shame about format for knockout stages (with or without us) as other comps give some kind of advantage for finishing top of a group in earlier stages.

Group games just seem to be a way of passing time, until the League starts!

Thing is Alan in previous seasons we would have already qualified but would have had 3 more games to play

This year it is a win or bust against Haven , and if we do win we take out one of the other favourites



I have never been that keen on this comp especially the pointless qualifiers , but basically our season is now up and running

Lose and we are out

Good innit

Perhaps the new format has been designed to bring these types of games in when there is only one fixture left to play. We always have a well fought game against Haven and I'm sure this weekend will be the same and hopefully we can progress and knock out one of the 'big guns'.

On a positive note, "we are top of the league, we are top of the league" www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/tables ... onalleague

On a positive note, "we are top of the league, we are top of the league" www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/tables ... onalleague

Quote ="mikeefreedom"On a positive note, "we are top of the league, we are top of the league" www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/tables ... onalleague'" We could either finish top of out of the qualification. To finish top we would need to beat Whitehaven & hope York don't beat Skolars by more than 30 points more than we beat Whitehaven by. Also Batley would have to beat Dewsbury at Dewsbury (assuming Dewsbury beat Skolars).

Quote ="mikeefreedom"On a positive note, "we are top of the league, we are top of the league" www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/tables ... onalleague'" We could either finish top of out of the qualification. To finish top we would need to beat Whitehaven & hope York don't beat Skolars by more than 30 points more than we beat Whitehaven by. Also Batley would have to beat Dewsbury at Dewsbury (assuming Dewsbury beat Skolars).

Don't think there's any doubt that we're in the driving seat - keep the faith people, even a bonus point defeat on Sunday might be enough for us. Great to have a qualifying game that actually means summat.

Looking at the remaining fixtures, thats very unlikely matt

This format seems better. The league(s) are more competitive and it's a pretty big game on Sunday, even at this stage of the season. I'd like to see us progress well in this comp as I think it's stronger than previous years with teams in Championship 1 in with a shout of beating teams in the league above.