Wigan have 6 matches left in the league, therefore what position do fans think Wigan will be in at the end of the season?.

After the Widnes Cup Match next Monday they will have 6 league matches left.

The matches are as follows.

St Helens away.
HKR home.
Huddersfield home.
Catalan away.
Hull home.
Leeds home.

Taking into account present form and continuing injuries I think that is a tough run in.

It's tough but its going to get us battle hardened for the play offs. I think we'll lose a couple along the way and finish 2nd or 3rd and that will do just fine. We really don't need the pressure that first place brings anyway and dependant on how things work out we could end up with Huddersfield rather then Leeds or Wire if we finish 2nd or 3rd.

Ultimately though we're going to finish in the top 4 and that's always got to be the priority under this system. Who we get in the play offs will take care of itself.

I really hate to say this... But... I don't care where we finish, as long as we get there in good form and with no injuries...

I feel dirty now, and i'm going for a shower...

Thats the top 8 minus us and wire so pretty much as hard as it comes... Dont think well finish top anymore tbh.

The losers in the Wire / Hudds cup match will probably finish top.

League Leaders!!!

Playing poor and still at the top. Sounds like a Champion team to me.

I don't mind as long as we make the top 4. Getting everyone fit and ready for the play offs should be our priority, after the cup games of course

I imagine every man and his dog will tell us how unimportant the LLS is until such a point as we are no longer top, by which time it shows the downfall of Wigan who are clearly going to finish bottom next season because of it.

In all honesty, with the squad we have we shouldnt be anywhere near the LLS, but I would rather be in our position than anyone else's.

Our squad is well rested with all our key pivots having had multiple games resting already. I don't really see any of those remaining fixtures that we wont start as the favorite for. Thats not to say we will win them all, but i would be surprised if we lose more than we win.

It all depends on the Cup. 3 of the teams we have to play are still in it, so who knows what priorities we will all have. Nevertheless, if we get back up to speed we could still win 4 or 5 and perhaps finish top. We could beat Widnes, and draw London in the semi and get to Wembley without playing a decent side. And that's somehow a greater achievement than winning the league? Never in a million years.

For me, the Hudds game is the vital one. I think we'll win the derby, should beat KR at home, might get beat in France but should have enough in us to beat Hull and Leeds.

I'd certainly want to go into the playoffs with a win over Leeds, just for the psychological edge. Having said that, we may well have our annual round of playing Leeds in the playoffs umpteen times: potentially 3 consecutive games.

I can see that Leeds game being a dead rubber, I definitely wouldn't be going all guns blazing into that one.

Possibly, but only if the league positions are already sorted. I'd imagine that if the LLS is up for grabs in that last game, SW will be wanting the players to go for it. Plus, I wouldn't like to go into the playoffs on the back of a defeat. Playoff football is all about momentum and I'd hate for us lose that especially if, hopefully, we've just won the CC and beaten Hull.

2010 - We went into the play offs in good not great form, having won 2 from our last 3 (and 4 from our last 6). We also lost our first play off game to Leeds, only to beat them two weeks later and go on to win the final.
2011 - We went into the play offs in great form, having won 10 of our last 11 games, seldom rotating the squad along the way. We looked knackered when we got to the play offs and went on to get knocked out by getting beat by Saints twice in three weeks
2012 - Good not great form, having won 2 from the last 3 (5 from our last 7). Again little rotation. McIlorum got himself banned in a dead rubber against Saints, forcing us to run with O'Loughlin at hooker. We ended up getting knocked out by Leeds

Play off football might be partly about momentum, but it's definitely not all about momentum. The last thing we want is to have our hand forced by injuries or suspensions.

I think the loss to Leeds in the first playoff game in 2010 galvanised the squad (especially the manner in which we got beat) and ensured we wouldn't lose the return game.

The first game against Saints in 2011 unfortunately did not have the same effect as we had won a bruising CC final not a month previously. As you say, we were rightly knackered after playing Wire straight afterwards and then fielding a full strength squad in what was a dead rubber v Crusaders (one of MM's few mistakes imo)

Last year we were just very unlucky. The loss to Wire aside, we still won the LLS with a game to spare with a morale-boosting comeback win at KR. McIlorum's rush of blood coupled with Sam's injury for the Leeds game really cost us. Had we had Sam and MM playing, with Lockers at LF, we would have gotten to OT again. Would we have beaten Wire in the final? Who knows. I would suspect we would have as I didn't think Wire were that special on the day and some of their players lacked experience in that atmosphere. At least most of our players were still from the class of 2010.

Hopefully we'll get the rub of the green this year, but I think the CC will impact on some team's preparations. Leeds and Saints could well have an advantage going into the final few weeks.

Thats Huddersfield For you

Final league position?

Quite possibly 4th. (serious).

no thread on the vt tonight saying how bias and poor the ref was?

I think so

3rd.

So 3rd or 4th in a one horse race.

Perhaps more likely than 4th. 4th would require leeds to beat you in the final game, but you should have recovered from wembley by then.

A win at catalans with a weaker team would be a bonus which could see you hang on to 2nd.

I can't see hudds or wire losing again and Leeds
have every chance of doing us
Also how many games will Sam play before play offs

Ill take 4th, we play better away from home anyway.

This run in has turned into a bit of a mess, I only hope Waney has got a masterplan for a champagne finish.

Finishing 4th will be infinitely better than finishing 2nd or 3rd now and probably playing Wire twice. Despite tonight Huddersfield will be the better option in the playoffs.

Unfortunately Leeds will be thinking the same and making sure they finish 4th and not 3rd. Exactly the reason the current playoff system is flawed.