Even if just Kelly, Taylor and Faraimo are back we have a side capable of beating most teams. Hopefully Carlos and Talanoa will be ready to return by then too.

If we have a chance of dropping into the middle 8s then Leeds must be in serious trouble. Where is their next win coming from? Why is it just assumed that they will catch us when they have far bigger issues than we do?

Farimao Kelly Taylor Carlos at least , plus Leeds cas and Warrington will drop points too . If we are within 4/6 points of 4th with 7 games to play with a nearly fit squad I’d back us , as I think we have the best squad in the league!

This is why i’m glad we have so many home grown players in the squad. Alot more chance they will stick around to get us straight back up from the championship.

Your forgetting that we all have to play each other also what you have is a team sitting in 4th place and it's fans worrying about been in the bottom 4 with only 7 games left before the split do you really think you won't turn one of us , Widnes or Salford over at home come on it's getting embarrassing now

Of course it's a worry. Being in the Middle 8s is a nail in any club's genuine quality recruitment coffin and we are 10 players down (or something like that). Who would want to sleepwalk into a death match against hierarchy golden children Toronto or Toulouse? I think we all know how the 50/50 calls will go.


Every SL club's number 1 goal is top 8. It is ours and we are not there yet.

Are you trying to suggest something other than fair refereeing? Because that would be quite a statement.

It's like the oft-repeated assertion that Top 4 clubs get all the 50/50 calls.

Last I read, Carlos was out until the end of July.
Is Connor ok?, he did his hamstring last week.

End of July is roughly when the 8's start.

So before wires we had won 8 out of 10, we are 4th, havnt lost at home this year, have to play 3 of the bottom 5 at home, should have players coming back, I really cant see us being anywhere near the middle 8s,

Final round before the split is 26th-29th July. The following weekend the Cup semi finals take place and the Super 8s start the weekend beginning Thursday 9th August.

Nobody expects Hull to be in the middle 8s, including those pointing out that it remains a possibility. That’s kind of the point. It’s about making an event of avoiding them if this season looks like it might start to fizzle out a little, and then contrasting the benefits of your situation with those who finish 9-12.

At this point last year we were 5th although had a point more than we currently have. We only had three more home games before the split though compared to five this season.

In my opinion the aims on any SL team are:
1) Avoiding the Middle 8s
2) Making the Top 4
3) Making the GF
4) Winning the GF

We've achieved 1 & 2 in the last two seasons with a largely fit squad. We've had a catastrophic mid season run of long term injuries to key players which, in conjunction with a significantly stronger Saints and Warrington makes 2 almost certainly out of reach. Making the top 8 would hardly be an "event" but missing that target would put us right on the back foot for all sorts of reasons. IMO the season is panning out a bit like 2015, where we scraped in and used the Super 8s as SL experience for emerging players. Whilst it would, overall, be disappointing, context is important. As joyous as our cup run has been, and I can't adequately put that into words, this year a week off might actually help us. It's not only me that recognises the downside of finishing 9-12. See coaches and directors of those featuring in them on a regular basis for details.

Yes, that's what I was replying to, he's unlikely to play before the super8's as was suggested.

I do get the point that you are trying to make. No one wants to be involved in the middle 8s for obvious reasons. I don't think a one off appearance in them is the end of the world. Teams who are in them year after year will struggle having no stability and recruitment will be harder because they can't guarantee what league they will be in from one year to the next. Just being in them once because of injuries or whatever is different. Obviously it makes for a few nervous weeks, but it isn't terminal as long as the unthinkable doesn't happen and we go down.

All that said. It simply won't happen now. For it to happen we need to lose every game. Go ask a bookie what odds you can get on that. Stick a tenner on it and you could probably retire off the winnings. Then, even if we did, two of the bottom clubs need to find more wins in 7/8 games than they have just found in 15/16. They are down there for a reason. It categorically will not happen.

As for your other comment about top 4 being almost certainly out of reach. Why is that? Leeds are wretched just now. They are playing like relegation fodder and they have injuries not that much better than us. I saw every game at magic and they were the worst side there. There is nothing at all to suggest they will finish above us. Cas aren't much better. They too have injuries to key players and are not playing at all well. They have two games in hand, but they also have a tougher run of fixtures than we do. Again, there is little to suggest they have the ability to finish above us. At this moment in time I feel we are more likely to make 4th than not.

I'm not forgetting because at this stage it is irrelevant.
Teams can still lose 3 games and catch us, it doesn't matter if they play each other.
It's only a bit of fun, but a mathematical possibility, I'd have thought with a name like yours you'd have understood.

Spot on.

Talk about the glass being half empty.

Crazy isn't it?

Some people on here must check the road about half a dozen times before crossing because there is just a chance they could be involved in an accident.

i actually think we are doing pretty well given all the injuries and suspensions and disruption to meaning players are being moved from their most effective positions to cover on a needs must basis (hadley being a prime example).

also who's to say that some of the other top 4 contenders won't suffer a similar injury run towards the back end when it gets even more crucial? If so, let's see how they cope.

(Apologies for the positive post).

4 straight league & Cup wins for Catalans they just said. Think they could well make the Top 8.

you must be gagging for them to get in the top 8 and us not to justify your ridiculous thread

at the expense of hudds if there play like that

Out of the teams in the bottom 4, i think they could pull themselves out, home form will favour them, kenny edwards looks a decent signing too


widnes, kr, salford and one of hudds or wakey

you honestly think one of rovers, widnes, hudds, Salford, will finish above us?