It could go to points deference for who finishes top (presuming we and Warrington win all remaining games). Makes the Warrington game more interesting.

Thoughts.

Neither of us will win all our remaining games, so its a moot point

But granted, its going to be very close. End of the day, it doesnt matter whether we finish 1st or 2nd really IMHO.

I can't see either us or Warrington winning all their last games.

Wire still have Saints, Leeds and Wigan to come, so you'd have to say if they can win all 3 of those then they'd have a pretty good shot at finishing top.

Finishing second after being top all this time will not be good for confidence.

If I was offered finishing second in the league with a Challenge Cup Semi-Final to look forward to. I would take it.

Wigan & Wire wont win all their remaining games.

Like someone said on here Wire got Wigan , Saints , Leeds to come.
While Wigan have got Wire and Leeds.

Personally i would be happy to finish second. I think we will finish second.

After Yesterday's result it make's Friday the 16th July a very interesting day.

You can't both win all your games as you play each other in a few weeks time.

Like someone has said there is no advantage between finishing 1st and 2nd. The only difference is that if you finish 1st and there is a colour clash of kit in the GF the team that finishes 1st has choice. (Some reward!!!!!!!!)

Alot depends on Leeds in the next few weeks.

We WILL win our next two games I have no doubt about that.

If Leeds can beat Wire next week and then Saints the week after then we are back in the position we were before the derby.

We also have both Hull clubs away, not easy.

There is also the club call (poisioned chalice imo) and league leaders shield for the top placed team



Leeds losing has done us a big favor imo, i think they will come out firing for this one

the halliwell jones is statistically the toughest place to visit this season so far, so im not all that confidant of a leeds win

If you finish top you can choose to play the team who finished second at home in the semi-finals. I would say that playing at home is a pretty good advantage.

This isn't aimed at you btw but there is a lot of negativity on this board.

Why are people saying that we won't win our remaining fixtures?

There are only 9 league games left in this season I can’t see any decent reason as to why we won’t win these remaining fixtures? If you look at Leeds last year they managed to win all 7 of their remaining league games after the big one loss to us and that’s before they also won their playoff matches at the GF.

Why can’t we do something similar? We aren’t in the semi finals of the cup so we’ve got ample opportunity for rest and a break. We’ve also got some big game players who have either just come back like Roberts or are due to return very soon like Hansen, Lockers and O’Carroll.

This team has proven that once fully fit they are capable of going on an extended run of good form and getting big results and I see no reason why anyone isn’t expecting us to win the rest of our games?

After our mini comeback yesterday I’m honestly thinking about putting a wager on us not losing again this season.

TBF, finishing 1st or 2nd isn't really that much different, both get home games and both get a second chance if they lose. First place gets you the league leaders shield, but doesn't really guarantee a better chance than second.

Say Wigan finish 1st, Warrington 2nd, Stains 3rd and Leeds 4th, Wigan would play at home to Leeds and Warrington at home to Stains. Both are tough games and even if they were lost, to get the chance of playing teams like Hull FC/Huddersfield at home (no disrespect to them) gives a good chance of getting through to the final eliminator only for Wigan to get the choice of opponents. Whoever they would pick out of the other 3 would still create a tough game that might not be won...

At the moment.

2nd means playing Saints at home in the first game of the play-offs, we just lost that same fixture.

1st at the moment means playing Hull at home.

I know which one I would rather have. I would rather have Leeds than Saints.

Yes, but Leeds at home would still be a tough fixture, even considering your form against them at home. Finishing 1st or 2nd will give you a tough home fixture whoever you play really, because the teams must be of a good quality to finish 3rd/4th

That is the great thing about the new play-offs IMO, although I don't like how fair the system is but it will throw up some crackers. It didn't happen last year because Hudds and Hull KR overachieved and 3 big clubs did not reach the play-offs.

The first round of the play-offs could be

Wigan v Leeds
Wire v Saints
Hull v Hull KR
Hudds v Bradford

Amazing stuff! You can't call any of those games really.

Just a quick question about the play-offs, would the winners of FC vs KR play the losing team from Wigan vs Leeds and Hudds vs Bradford winners face the losers of Wire vs Stains?

Yes.

Which then means Leeds v Hull FC and Saints v Bradford

Final week could be Wigan v Wire and Saints v Leeds

Aamazing set of fuxtures.

If the positions end as you predicted them, then it would be a great play-off series, tough to call any games as you said.

I think the criticism of the new playoff system last year was that teams that didn't necessarily deserve to be playing playoff footie got in because it got increased to 8 teams. If the league got stronger and we had 8 very competitive teams then it becomes a very entertaining system, as you mentioned this year we could have sme big fixtures, but just imagine if Bradford got back to some sort of respectable levels once that muppet leaves for England, and the Hulls continue to improve, then we'll see the true potential of the top 8 playoffs.

I actually got that wrong, its just the highest ranked team plays the lowest ranked. Still amazing fixtures though.

If Hull FC and Hudds both won.

Leeds would play Hull and Saints would play Hudds. Assuming higher ranked teams win.

I don't think it matters in terms of the Grand Final whether you finish 1st or 2nd.

But for me the minor premiership should be given a lot more credence.
It is by far the best indication of who was the best team over 27 games, whereas the Grand Final is about winning 4 games on the trot.

I still think it should top 5 but thats just my opinion.

We could really feel the backlash from a lowered advantage for the team who finishes top. Saying that though the top 2 teams from last year got to the final so we should be able to do the same. But, saints had leeds were playing teams who had overachieved IMO, playing Leeds at home for us would be a different kettle of fish.

My top 5 system would see the top team go straight through to the final with the others playing straight semi-finals midweek having to win 2 games in 4 days to win the GF.

I don't think it matters about finishing top in terms of the toughness of the task, but I reckon that if Wigan were to lose top spot after being in such a strong position and putting so much into the season, together with being knocked out of the cup - it may instil a bit of doubts in the Wigan players' minds.

Still think you'll finish top comfortably though.

But surely in a better position than we have been in for the last 3 years we would have a great chance from anywhere in the top 4.