=#FF0000[uFixtures:[/u
Wednesday 23th August: Oldham v Workington
Wednesday 23rd August: Rochdale v London

Sunday 27th August: Cornwall v Rochdale
Sunday 27th August: N Wales v London
Sunday 27th August: Dons v Dewsbury
Sunday 27th August: Oldham v Midlands
Sunday 27th August: Workington v Hunslet

=#FF0000[uTable:[/u
1. Dewsbury 17, 31, Champions
2. Hunslet 17, 28, +300
3. Dons 17, 26, +240
4. Oldham 16, 23, +264
5. Workington 16, 20, +135
6. N Wales 17, 12, +41
7. Rochdale 16, 10, -137

=#0000FF[uDons to finish second:[/u We must beat Dewsbury & Hunslet must lose at Workington. There must also be a 61 point gain for the Dons in points difference. For example, if the Dons won by 40, Hunslet would need to lose by 21 or more. [iThis is an example, not an expectation! [/i



=#008000[uDons to finish third:[/u We will be third if we beat Dewsbury. Points difference won't matter. Oldham can't catch us.

If we lose to Dewsbury, Oldham must drop two points in their last two matches. If they draw against Workington but beat Midlands, the Dons and Oldham will have 26 points but Oldham will have the better points difference.

=#804080[uDons to finish fourth:[/u We lose to Dewsbury and Oldham get three points from their last two games.

Basically, if Oldham lose to Workington on Wednesday, they can't catch us. If they win or draw, everything roles on to Sunday.

If Worky don't beat Oldham then Worky have nothing to play for against Hunslet on Sunday. Worky will finish fifth.

[u=#00FF00Last Play-off place:[/u N Wales and Rochdale are fighting it out for the last play-off place. This might well come down to points difference. N Wales seem to have the upper hand on that front but Rochdale are playing London & Cornwall. It does seem rather silly that a team can reach the play-offs with just seven wins in 18 matches.
=#0040BF
My best guess for the Dons' finishing position: Second Place 2%, Third Place 51%, Fourth Place 47%.
I'm basing that primarily on the fact that Dewsbury might be in party spirit and give us a better chance than we might otherwise have. I don't think Oldham are a gimme against Worky as they had a tough game at Rochdale whilst Workington had the weekend off.

What does everyone else think? Are we more likely to be third than fourth?

Team 2 gets a bye in week one of the play-offs (3rd September).

Team 3 is at home to Team 4. The winner is then away to Team 2 in week two. The loser of that game gets a second chance.

The winner of 2 v (3 or 4) is at home in the play-off final. The loser gets a second chance.

There's a huge advantage for the team coming second in the league but that's how it should be - rewarded for doing so well thoughout the season.

In effect, the teams in the top four can lose one play-off match and still get to the play-off final. However, losing one match means you can't be at home in the final.

This Wednesdays evening game Rochdale Hornets v London Skolars as been postponed London have informed the RFL that they are unable to fulfil the fixture.The matter has now been placed into the hands of the RFL who will determine whether the game is re-arranged or if Hornets are handed victory.

Seriously think with how we will be going into the game compared with dewsbury's plus the new signings a positive result will happen, I'm already intrigued into how the bookies will mark the game up (my guess is dons +6 ish). I was on us -38pts Sunday and hoping they will give us a reasonably generous start for this Sunday.

We only have to make up 60 points to go above Hunslet. So GAME ON!

(Our points scored would be better than Hunslets in the event of points difference being a tie. Unless Hunslet score lose but score a boat loads. For example of we win 30 - 0 and Hunslet lose 31-61 theyd stay above us)

I'm having trouble with the 'quote' button - it gives me a blank screen - but with reference to Geoff's post, I can't see the RFL allowing the season to be extended for this match. I reckon they'll make it 48-0 to Rochdale as seems to the precedent when teams can't fulfil a fixture.

Half-time:

Oldham 22, Workington 12.

Latest Oldham 34 Workington 12

Final Score: Oldham 40, Worky 24.

The quote button was broke yesterday, but seems fixed now.

I think the RFL will give the points to Rochdale but it;s not as straight forward as our game with West Wales. If I were London I would be saying "we were available and could field a team when the game was originally supposed to be played but Rochdale called it off"

Thanks for the info on the quote button, Jemmo.

Was the original game called off because of a waterlogged pitch?

In the great scheme of things, the RFL decision won't be critical as it looks like N Wales will get the last play-off place anyway when they beat London on Sunday.

Yes it was waterlogged, I agree it won't really make a difference which makes it easier

If given the points, London could say they didn't go through a whole season without win though!



London really seem to be going backwards, don't they? I do fear somewhat for their future.

The points have been awarded to Rochdale.

Yes London have been a huge disappointment. Years of building has collapsed. I don't think it does any favours to them that Broncos have got worse. There will be players that Skolars were getting before that will now be on Broncos radar, that wouldn't have been if they were in Super League

I don't think it's a coincidence that they've gone backwards since 'Hector' McNeil left shortly followed by Jermaine Coleman.

Oh I don't think I knew McNeil left. He was definitely a driving force behind them for a while

Here's a brief summary of how things stand after the Oldham v Workington midweek game:

If we beat Dewsbury, we can't finish lower than third. We could be second if Hunslet lose to Workington and we overturn the 60 points points difference disadvantage. Workington now have nothing to play for. They will finish fifth regardless of their result against Hunslet on Sunday.

If we draw or lose to Dewsbury, we will finish fourth if Oldham beat Midlands. A Dons draw would be insufficient to stay ahead of Oldham. A draw would mean we were level on points with Oldham (if they win) but they have the better points difference.

If Oldham draw or lose to Midlands, they will be fourth regardless of our result.

Our chances of finishing third have declined slightly with Oldham beating Workington on Wednesday. Originally my guesses were Dons second: 2%, Dons third: 51%: Dons fourth 47%.

I reckon we've got a 40% chance of beating Dewsbury. This would probably equate to bookies' odds of 5/4 or 11/8 as they would have an over-round book in their favour. Oldham must be classed as a 33/1 chance to slip up against Midlands. Combining the two, I'm thinking our chance of finishing third is 44%, with fourth place now the favourite at 54%. Our chances of finishing second haven't altered.

Where's ya money?

I noticed Sky offering odds of promotion for our division. Hunslet and ourselves were joint favourites at 6/5/ Oldham were 8/1 which seemed very generous to me considering they can still finish above us and it's knock out games

Crikey, that's a surprise. 8/1 for Oldham seems well over-priced. I'd have though the true odds for promotion were something like:

Hunslet 6/4 (40%), Dons 7/4 (36%), Oldham 3/1 (25%).

It's now gone down to 6/5 for Dons and Hunset and 6/1 for Oldham

I reckon it's Wanderer who's weighed in on Oldham, you know!

Not guilty m'lord.

If I was a betting man , my money on the second promoted team would be between us and Oldham.
We were absolutely shocking at The South Leeds Stadium and having attended there twice more this year when we have had no game or been away from home, I can safely say I have not been impressed.

A good win Sunday and we are in the box seat , however I would still fancy us to get the second spot with a forth placed finish.

Still no Faraimo in the provisional squad

Oh dear, that's disappointing. Going straight into a play-off game wouldn't be ideal.