I like the fact that you are currently gatecrashing the top four but are you really a top four side?

Currently I guess you are up there on merit but the reality is, do you really expect to beat the likes of Saints or the Champions Leeds when it really matters?

What are your aspirations? Top 8 and a win in the play offs? Beating Leeds?

I think the majority of Rovers fans are just enjoying it for what it is, we have no expectations, and the team plays with little pressure from the fans. We are still to put in a full eighty minutes and play a team off the pitch.

Our strength is our defence this season, it's improved year on year, and our attack isn't half bad either. Are we a top four side, I think we are capable of being there come the end of the season, and perhaps the competitiveness of this years comp is perhaps helping us on our way, but on the other side of that we've had some notable scalps including Wigan and Saints away as well as Warrington at MM and Hull on their own pitch.

Thing is though, I don't want it to appear that Rovers are a shining light of Super League, we are one of a few clubs. Huddersfield, Cas, Wakefield, and Quins are all worth a mention for starting the season well and putting pressure on the usual suspects, and that alone, can only be good for the game. Add to that the ever improving Salford, and Celtic looking like they are finally finding there feet in this league, then likes or Warrington, Bradford, Wigan and Catalan must wonder what has hit them.

Back to Rovers, we've played every team now, we look in good shape, my only fear is that last season, a tough quarter final against Saints, which we almost won, knocked our season for six and it took us eight games to get back on track, so the cup tie with Wire will show how far we have come if we can cope with it afterwards, win or lose.

Fantastic ,fair balanced and well put together response

Rovers should finish top 4 barring injury, they have a settled squad that are performing on a consistent level and a reasonable standard most weeks which is more than can be said for most teams.

I don't see another team who deserves to take our place at the moment, so yes I think we are there on merit.

Yes, I think we are capable of beating Saints or Leeds when it really matters because I don't think I have yet seen Rovers fire on all cylindars yet we are still winning, once we click then we are going to be very, very good.

Aspirations? Well had you offered me 2nd in the league at this stage I would have snapped your hand off, so I am extremely happy. I do feel that we are up there with the big guns now and that a top four place, and a Wembley appearance are there for the taking. This of course is all barring any major injuries.

Whatever the outcome of this season, we have come a great way over the last three years and our growth will hopefully continue.

An interesting thing to think about, if the season finished now, and the league standings were the final positions, would Saints pick Rovers when it comes to the lottery of St Helens having the choice with the new rule?

And as the second placed team who would we pick if they didnt.

top post

Personally I see us finishing in the top-three in such a manner that would go a long way to establishing us as a top-four side.

However, I do think there is a half-decent chance we can top the table and win the league leader's shield.

I fancy us for the cup but I really want to see us win the Super League title and there's enough quality and big game experience in the squad to win at Old Trafford.

As far as threats go, many fans will name Saints as the team to beat to achieve this but I disagree - styles make games and I see Leeds as a far tougher challenge, mainly because of their line speed and pace throughout the side...

I think we might get a top 3 spot, the difficulty is staying there (Catalans!!). When we have to drop overseas places we might start to see a difference as our youngsters are not coming through fast enough yet, maybe in 3 years we will have a crop of academy players knocking on the door, but until then we might need to recruit British from other clubs.

No

in the first round of playoffs 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3.

Winners of both them games go through to the semis and the highest place of the 2 winners gets to pick there next opponents, which is from the winners of the other games.

I may be wrong but 1 cannot play 2 unless 2 and 4 both win the first game and then 2 picks 1 if they win back through


Nowt as simple as rugby eh





I suppose you have to pick teams form at the time, you could be in a position that even though you finish high up, your last few games you may lose, have injuries etc, loss of form, yet a lower team (Hull, Bradford, Wigan , Warrington) who might just have scroaped in may be injury free and on top form going into the playoffs

I find myself agreeing with you.

good night on the ale was it last night





Who do you reckon the other established top 4 team will be then

I've a pretty good idea of one club which won't be.

Yeah I went and checked up on it after, realised it wasn't till the third week till the choice was offered.

Not sure why a Hull fan would be checking out the play off format though.

Nah wasn't on the ale



The other top-four team will be Hudds cos I feel that they (along with ourselves) have all the components and momentum in place as a club.

The main factor of course is the quality and depth of their playing squad, a top quality coach in Nathan Brown, crowds on the up and most crucially a Chairman in Ken Davy who puts success for the Giants at all costs and is prepared dip into his pocket to get it. The guy wants success and if the club needs something e.g. a new coach, he finds the best available and gets his cheque book out without giving it a second thought. Like wise with the rumours of shelling out 100k for Brough etc.

Celtic?

They're on the rise!

I think Rovers will be in the top 4 come the end of the season, they've got a good balance to the squad and have a lot of consistent performers (Newton, Briscoe, Galea) and a few game breakers (Dobson, Cooke, Fox, Webster) which, in this season of very tight games, is one of the big reasons why they're winning.

Position for position we are almost up there with the traditional top 3. People like Briscoe, Fox, Webster, Dobson, Cooke, Vella, Fozzard, Galea, Newton and even Murrell are as equal or almost equal to the likes of say Wellens, Gardner, Gidley (ok he is a class above), Long, Pryce, Graham, Fa'asavalu, Wilkin...etc

I think the one area that we lack is our offloading game and at hooker. Now I am not dissing Fisher or Fitzhenry they are doing a grand job out there however you wouldnt find Saints replacing Cunningham or Roby with one of those two and Leeds wouldnt be taking them on in place of Buderus or Diskin IMO.

Haha steady, don't get too far a head of your selves. Webster as good as Gidley? Cooke as good as Pryce? Fozzard V Graham/Fa'asavalu? Murrell is no where near as good as Wilkin for me.

I agree about Hooker though, think this is your weakest point atm. I'd say that most teams have a better hooker then Fisher.

We can get our first choice hooker on the pitch though.

I stated Gidley was a class above but Webster is still a NZ international and as good as Gidley's feet are its nothing to the power Webster has to barge through defences add to that his speed over 50yrds and he's a weapon most even Saints would relish in their nal.

Wasn't Fozzy a part of the 4 peice at Saints over the past few years? He had to be as good or there abouts to even be considered for selection. Add to Fozzy a Mick Vella and your looking at an awsome front row that hasn't even played alongside each for a full game yet!

Cooke on his day can be as creative and wise as any half back in the competition, Pryce has speed and elusive talents to his name but both players are different yet I'd say can be equally deadly in the middle.

Ok you rate Wilkin far ahead of Murrell, you've not seen too much the past year or two of Scotty then, he's like a man possessed and very rarely has an off day. His kicking game is better than Wilkins, his ball playing is as good if not better and with his extra weight he's put on I'd rate him pretty close to where Wilkin is.

The Rover players I mentioned I would suggest around 80% of other SL clubs wouldn't say no to having them as a part of their squads and would be regulars in their first teams.

But our second and third choice hookers are still better then your first choice hooker

.

Houghton yes Lee no chance. Fisher is under rated by many, ok he's never going to be an amazing hooker and it is something JM needs to address sooner rather than later but Fisher is solid in defence and has a good distribution, his ability to get penalties is as good as any other hooker in the world and his kicking from dummy half is pretty nifty. Not saying he's great just saying we wouldnt be where we are without him so dont write him off as a bad apple on a ripe tree at this moment in time Agar would have Fisher no question.