5 games to go and I expect the top eight to be (but I wouldn't put any money on it):

1. Wigan 44 points
2. St Helens 38 points
3. Catalan 38 points
4. Warrington 37 points
5. Leeds 34 points
6. Hull 26 points
7. Huddersfield 24 points
8 Hull K R 23 points

Play-offs:
Wigan v Warrington
Saints v Catalan
Leeds v Hull K R
Hull v Huddersfield

This is entirely feasible. The top 4 knock 7 shades out of each other whilst 2 lower teams cruise into the next round. Another reason why I'm going off RL....

[iThe top 4 knock 7 shades out of each other whilst 2 lower teams cruise into the next round.[/i

Yes this is something RFL need to look at and IMO should change to the 1v8, 2v7 etc. same as NRL for play offs giving teams in 1 and 2 a proper advantage rather than a week off which actually can be a disadvantage.

Yes, strong top 5 and weak 6,7 and 8 gives 5th placed team an advantage.

Ditto.

you are saying hull fc are not going to win any of their last 5 games that include fixtures against widnes, bradford and castleford!? wigan away granted we will lose, catalan at home is 50/50 depending on which catalan team turn up

have you even looked at the last 5 round of fixtures for all the teams involved?

This year the aussies have changed their playoff format to one that is pretty similar to the one we use over here.

NRL are using the same system as Super League this year, minus the Club Call element, I think?

Personally don't think there's a lot wrong with the system, if we have to have a Top 8. The only thing that's an issue for me is that we could quite easily end up with a three consecutive match series against St Helens to finish our season off, with only the third game really counting for anything.

Some folk complained that Leeds had an 'easy' path to the trophy from 5th last year, but they still had to beat Huddersfield away (4th), Warrington away (1st) and St Helens (3rd) to win the Grand Final. Granted, by that stage, the Giants were a spent force, much as they seem to be this year, but there's no way to account for that. They finished 4th on merit across the 27-game season, even if they were out of form by September.

There are plus points and flaws to any system you can conceive, but I can't think of many ways to improve what we have at the moment, assuming there has to be eight clubs involved.

I think Wire will finish first or second.

only improvement would be for highest placed team in each match to get home advantage if they so wish in all rounds

wigan 42
wire 41
saints 40

No way Wire will finish 4th, its still us or them for top spot.
I'd also pick Catalans above Saints. Don't fancy Saints against us or Warrington.

Wire will NOT lose three of their remaining five games..
Apart from Saints and Wigan they have London, Hudds and Widnes to play.

If last nights result is anything to go by, then Stains will win all their remaing games this season. After all, the 'forward pass' and 'knock on' rules clearly don't apply to them.

Saints and Leeds are coming into form at the right time again.

I'll go for:

Wigan
Wire
Saints
Leeds
Catalans
Hull FC
Hull KR
Hudds

Leeds bt Wigan
Saints bt Wire
Cats bt Hudds
FC bt KR

Wigan bt FC
Wire bt Cats

Wire bt Saints
Leeds bt Wigan

Wire bt Leeds

I've got a feeling we will see the same grand final as 2010 with the same outcome.

Absolutely no chance we'd lose to Leeds twice. They may have beaten us last game, but with Matty Smith & Leuluai back in the team, we'll murder them again

Our form since losing Tommy has been awful and there's no guarantee he'll come back fit if he comes back at all.

why wouldn't he come back fit? he's due back in about a month, more than enough time to be fit

Second, I'd say, though so much depends on Saints v Wire, Wire v Wigan and Wigan v Saints that anything could happen! I'd expect all 3 of those to win their other 3 games.

My mistake. I had them losing against Saints and Wigan but winning the other three...and then I ONLY gave them 4 points! But one never knows.

I fancy a win a piece for us all there, with us sealing top on the last game.

Can't see any of us losing a game other than that until the playoffs start either.

Think wire should stick to second, with the CC, and saints and us I think it’s a bridge too far. If Smithy pushes it they could throw away any chance of winning the GF. I think he’ll be happy with second. (if he can get it?)

Personally I think we will win the league leaders shield at Warrington next week.

Expect Wire to lose at Saints, us to beat hull, sets us up to concrete top spot with 3 games to go at wire.

Then its a mad race between saints and wire for 2nd IMO, but can see saints sneaking it.

Can see leeds sneakin 4th if they were bothered, but expect they will play for 5th as its easier to win from there.

My top 8 would be

Wigan 44
Saints 40
Wire 39
Catalan 34
Leeds 32
Hull 32
Hull KR 27
Huds 24 (only win one game after their annual late season collapse with bradford possibly sneaking 8th)

Us to beat Cats / Saints to beat wire / Leeds to beat Huds / Hull to beat KR / Wire to beat Hull / Catlan v Leeds - Catalan hopefully as don't fancy having to beat leeds to get to OT!

Semis - Us to beat Cats with Saints to beat Wire......Saints to lose 6th GF

(with two 7-8k crowds v Cats in the play offs for all the shatic fans to come out the woodwork and crow about!)

For Saints to get 40 points they have to win all their games. Including against Wigan.