Some Batley fans who were staying in our Hotel at the weekend think that we are certain to be in the Middle Eights.
Leigh and ourselves have to win just half of our remaining games and we are there.
They think Bradford will be there too having an easy run in.
Batley they think have the hardest run of games but are are hopeful, but not too confident.
I do not want to be too confident either, but I can see the logic. Let us hope they are right.

Famous last words, but I predict ..........

Batley 29 Oldham(w) Sheffield (w) Bradford (l) Dewsbury (w) Haven (w) Fev (l) London (l) Swinton (w)

Bradford 34 Dewsbury (w) Worky (w) Oldham (w) Batley (w) Halifax (w) Leigh (l) Haven (w) Oldham (w) Fev (w)

Fev 30 Swinton (w) Leigh (l) Haven (w) Sheffield (w) Worky (w) Batley (w) Halifax (w) Bradford (l)

Halifax 28 Sheffield (w) Haven (w) Dewsbury (w) Bradford (l) Swinton (w) Leigh (l) Fev (l) London (w)

Leigh 42 Haven (w) Fev (w) Worky (w) London (d) Bradford (w) Halifax (w) Sheffield (w) Dewsbury (w)

London 37 Worky (w) Swinton (w) Oldham (w) Leigh (d) Dewsbury (w) Sheffield (w) Batley (w) Halifax (l)

That's pretty much how they thought it my pan out. Fax's having to play the top three and a run of away games would go against them. Batley and Fev to fight it out for fourth place.

Fev's thumping loss against Halfax may have dented their confidence?

Is there a preferential position to finish. Did I hear last year first spot wasn't necessarily the best??

Don't know, I'm sure I heard Brian Carney say at the weekend that 2nd place would get you 4 home times in the 8's

First and second get 4 home 3 away as do the 5 6 SL position teams 7 8 SL and 3 4 championship teams get the 3 hone 4 away.
I can't off the top of my head quite remember how the fixtures actually worked out but if I recall from last year 2nd did seem to have in theory the slightly easier games against the lower placed SL teams

Current standings for the middle 8's.Actual fixtures (order of play) are only revealed after the regular season.

The format of the super 8s as far as i am aware has not changed from last year, so who plays who depends on where you finish in the regular season. The better performers get rewarded eg SL 5/6 and Championship 1/2 are rewarded, and who plays who as in league position will be the same as last year I would assume. The only thing that changes is which teams are in those league positions

Here...

IF it is the same as last year the fixtures will be as follow
Team that finishes top in Championship will play 4 home games against SL teams that finished 10/12 and will play Champ teams that finished 2nd and 3rd. Away they play SL teams that finish 9/11 and 4th placed champ team
The second placed champ team hopefully us, will play at home SL team that finished 9/11 Champ team that finished 3/4 Away its Sl10/6 and champ 1

so finishing second you get the highest finishing SL team at home where if you finish 1st you play the highest finishing SL team away

or as per the table above

So we know who will play who in regards to end of regular season standings, we just dont know who will be in those places.

... or what order the games are played in.

Atomic where did you find that "as it stands" table?
I'd be reasonably happy with them fixtures, would try to go to Salford and Leeds.

I think the break between regular season and 8s happens at he Challenge Cup semi weekend so that's a two week period to sort fixtures out, which also means million pound game probably gets announced quite late as until the team that hosts it is known the fixture can't be organised.

Million pound game is only decided after completion of the middle 8s and 4/5 places decided then it's a home game for 4th place, it's not difficult.
As for what games will be played when, then pretty sure the rfl will already have the plan, I can tell you one weekend definite Leeds will be at home and Salford irrelevant of which comp they are in

Doh no belay that it's hull kr not Leeds that can probably tell you will be a home fixture

Might be worth bearing in mind the minimum standards of the qualifying 8s. A championship club whose facilities do not meet the SL minimum standards needs to apply for a dispensation from the RFL Board. Hopefully the club have or are meeting all the relevant dates to ensure the option exists. media.therfl.co.uk/docs/Section% ... %20PDF.pdf If we don't then any Championship club that does not meet the standards (or have the dispensation), even if they finish first to fifth in the qualifiers table they will be deemed to have finished sixth or lower, therefore would also not be able to be involved in the million pound game.

Might be worth bearing in mind the minimum standards of the qualifying 8s. A championship club whose facilities do not meet the SL minimum standards needs to apply for a dispensation from the RFL Board. Hopefully the club have or are meeting all the relevant dates to ensure the option exists. media.therfl.co.uk/docs/Section% ... %20PDF.pdf If we don't then any Championship club that does not meet the standards (or have the dispensation), even if they finish first to fifth in the qualifiers table they will be deemed to have finished sixth or lower, therefore would also not be able to be involved in the million pound game.

So we have games left 4 away 3 home.. We have 5 points on third and 6 points on 4th (assuming Bradford beat Oldham). Also with Bradford v Batley next week, I think we only need to win 2 or 3 of the 7 remaining games to be sure of top 2 let alone top 4.

Which leads to the question if we beat Oldham and Lose to Leigh (which will be very close game either way), what would be best policy for Hendo. Do you rest big guns for mid 8's (as we have a smallish squad so can't afford key injuries), or do you try and play best team each week to get roll on and hope we don't lose folks.

32 points should have us top 4 and 34 points top 2. So having almost got Job done, not sure best option for Hendo onwards

Is it not six games left? The chasing pack are not slowing down. Feel we need to keep the structure and form going to retain momentum into the qualifying eight. If we start to slacken off, we might find ourselves the wrong side of the line. Leigh, Batley, Dewsbury, Halifax are all looking to the top four. Three of those games are away from home. While Oldham and Sheffield are looking to avoid the drop.

Id like to see us continuing our winning run and hopefully claim our spot in the 8's before those final two way games. Any games against top 6 sides are effectively 4 pointers now.

Keep winning is my view
So if folk are fit stick with a winning team, any hints of injuries then rest em

Win every game we can. Keep the pressure on Leigh til the end to keep players in form and in shape. If a game is beyond doubt I'm not against resting some players towards the end of the match though. Though I ultimately think we will come second I don't see you wouldn't be aiming for first place still.

Am with you Sogs, start resting players and you risk throwing games away, winning is a habit, as is losing, so why would you risk the winning habit assuming that you will get it back after a couple of losses.

Without doubt we are in the middle 8's. I cannot see us losing second place either.
The way the remaining games pan out, Leigh will probably win all four games.
We really only have to win one of the four to keep us in second. I believe we will do better than that.
Bradford should get enough points to put them third,
It is for Batley and Halifax to fight over fourth.
Think it is the tea cup for Featherstone again this year.
As for any Championship team winning promotion. Not likely, judging by yesterdays game.

2 things Bostwick

Fax are on a roll, Bulls on a slide(Leigh next for them)
That was an impressive Leigh performance yesterday