I doubt Wakey will have a squeaky bum thinking about playing your side, after all you'll only finish 3rd at best behind Leigh and London, if I was you I'd be more worried getting the better of Fev, Fax, and the rest of them in the championship so you can compete with the four struggling SL teams'.
Every man and his dog have us as favourites for the middle eight so on that basis we will be there struggling or not, would you bet your house on you being there, that's assuming your still in business of course

Nice one Squire

The interview with Lopini Paea was interesting. He more or less said he was thankful it was a slow game which may indicate that fitness for him at least is an issue at present as he didn't look in top condition. I wonder if he'd played had Scruton not got injured.

The gulf between SL and Championship is vast, it will take an awful lot of injuries to a SL side to be any sort of leveller. Conclusion ? You'll be festering in the Championship for many years to come my friend, get used to it.

Big talk, let's hope it doesn't come back and bite you

Behave!, there's nothing you'd like more

The gulf is big for some but not for the ones who have just dropped down .
We'd be daft to underestimate them.

We need to avoid that 4th v 5th play off at all costs. A one off game against, say, Bradford could easily go either way, anybody thinking it would be a walk in the park is misguided i'm afraid.

I wouldn't underestimate any of the Championship clubs who get into the top 4. It will be reward for a successful season in a competitive league. Of the Championship clubs, Leigh stand out as the most likely to make it, with Fev, Halifax and Sheffield possible contenders as well.

I hope you're not forgetting London and Bradford ?
Bradford have recruited very well for next season and there is massive pressure on them to re gain SL status.
The Bulls and Leigh are the likely top 2 but London could be pushing quite hard.

Not at all - the post I referred already exempted them - they will be well fired up when we come into view!

Of the 7 games - we would probably need to win 4 to be in the first 3, 5 wins to be certain. So beat all 4 Championship teams and perhaps one SL team and its done. Lose even 1 game to a Championship team and the pressure will be well and truly on!

With a full strength squad any SL team ought to be ashamed of themselves losing to a Championship outfit. (Bratfut included) the hunger to stay in SL for the likes of us, the players needing SL pay packets, the ordinary opponents of the Championship clubs week in week out. If we are worried about those type of clubs its no wonder SL is a laughing stock to the Aussies.

I sort of agree with most of that, the gulf in standards between SL and the Championship will leave even Bradford and Leigh undercooked when facing a SL team. I appreciate that Leigh were capable of raising their game against a complacent Rhinos but 7 consequetive matches is beyond them, for now.

They don't need to win 7 though do they

Hey, we all have to look to the stars....But there must be a reality check at some point. Like I said before unless the SL teams have a massive injury crisis, there's no hope for a Championship club. Even a thin squad like ours had plenty enough to get through. Good luck though X happy new year !!! Xxxx

No they have to win more than the SL clubs do and to do that they need to beat a SL club which won't happen!

Wouldn't say they won't win just one one off game, that's all they need to do

Only have to win the one off game.

I think Mash is reading a little too much into the chmapionship/SL status (or just trolling) Bradford are still full time, as are Leigh and London. It's completely different to playing a championship club in the CC as they wee always part time. I personally think we have a much stronger squad than last year (no more Chev Walker at prop and Gaskell at FB)

Anyway first thing we're concentrating on is the championship campaign which won't be a walk in the park.

Anyway good luck for the following season!

What has changed, you were full time last year and you still have Walker and Gaskell, also you say you have a much stronger squad than last season, by that do you mean a larger one because although you will know your recruitment better than me, it looks like you have lost better players' than you have brought in.

As underlined by your own admission, you are concentrating on the championship which won't be a walk in the park, be assured if you do manage to get in the play off's against the four SL teams' I'm sure you'll agree it will be even harder assuming you reach the play off's.

A happy new year to you and your fans' and good luck for the coming season.

For me it's about the intensity of the games/competition, Bradford as a 'big' club are expected to excel in the Champoinship but if the going gets too easy, that's when problems start.
Lowes has proved he can motivate his players in the right way but if you are turning teams over on a regular basis, complacency could become and issue.
Then it's full on for 7 games, which could become harder than expected if standards are not kept up?

Exactly, like it or not SL will be a huge step up from Championship Rugby, even against the likes of Wakefield. The intensity, speed, thinking time, defensive reactions, size and power will all be 2 levels up on any Championship game hence my comment about being 'undercooked'

The Championship Clubs will see who the weakest Super League Team is, going into the middle 8, and only have to target that game. If all 4 Championship Clubs treat their game against this club like a cup tie then the million pound game could well involve 2 Championship clubs.

We have far more depth than last year but have lost some quality (Kearney etc). The depth should help since we have 7 props now whereas last year we were down to 2. A small squad can be a killer. Trinity fans should hope you don't have too much bad luck with injuries, especially to your quality players.

Whatever happens those middle 8 games will be nail biting stuff at times.

Just as a matter of interest, if the two bottom SL clubs get three home games and four away and the top two championship games get the reverse, who or what determines the fixture list for the middle eight, for example if everybody's favourites finishes bottom, who decides which three clubs we play at home???

Is all pre-determined and is on a grid set out by the RFL.