Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:40 am  

Title says it all. If we have any chance at all of getting to Old Trafford we need to finish top. The top 3 is looking fairly settled as it stands. If we can finish top and let Leeds and Wigan knock the hell out of each other twice whilst (with no disrespect) being able to play Castleford at home and then be able to choose who we play the week after, we may have a small chance.

Saints v Cas
Leeds v Wigan
Wire v Widnes
Hudds v Cats

Cas v Wire
Leeds v Hudds

Saints v Cas
Wigan v Leeds

Saints v Wigan

Optimistic?

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:09 am  

Very optimistic

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:18 am  

IF (and its a relatively big if) we can stay top, I would fancy our chances vs Cas, it usually takes new teams a couple of games to get used to the playoffs, and the home advantage might actually mean something to us this year! Beyond that its difficult to tell, no one team has really stood above the rest, and a fortified performance like the one vs Leeds at LP could see us through to the big stage.

The difficulty is staying top. I reckon wins vs Hull and vs Wakefield will secure us a top 4 spot. But after that who knows. Huddersfield are almost as jekyll and hyde as we are, Warrington were playing great, but seem to have hit a road block, which if it turns into a full blown drop in form could be disasterous for them, and Leeds are just Leeds. We'd need 1/2 wins from those 3 games to stand a chance of securing top (depending on how other results go) - which is doable, if not unlikely.

Putting both together though will be a very big ask. The problem with so many playmakers out is we will become predictable, and in turn the plan might work for the play offs, but be too late as we surrendered the easier run, or work in securing top but mean teams know how to play us in the playoffs.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:18 am  

If we win tonight we could give the League Leaders Shield a good shot, I think the play offs towards a final might be too tough with all our playmakers sat in the stands.
We would need some teams to pick up injuries to like wise players then we might stand a change with our pack that has toughened up these past few weeks.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:22 am  

I could see us taking out the league leaders shield, partly through a backs-to-the-wall attitude, but also partly because there's every chance our rivals will slip up in the coming weeks. I can't see us winning against Wigan, Wire or Leeds in the playoffs, though.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:30 am  

We have

Hull
Wakey
Leeds
Warrington
Huddersfield

Unless we can fluke some serious points I can't see us getting a better points difference than Leeds or Wigan. So if we lose our game advantage we drop a place.

Hull I think is winnable, they have their issues at halfback too. But the rest of the games should go true to form this week.

Wakey at home, I'd hope we win. Only Hull KR away seems to be dodgy that week for Wigan.

Leeds Away is tough, but it's after the CC final so who knows. If Leeds get to the final will they all play again and be up to it on the Friday??

The Week we play Warrington it's at home and they have had a dip in form recently. Also Wigan and Leeds play each other so someone is going to lose a point.

I'd give us 50/50 of getting top spot. 2nd is no better than 3rd really as it's a tough draw.

If you get top spot, you have to be favourites to make the final, but in our case probably not win it.

If we beat Hull and Wakey, our chances go up a hell of a lot. If there are any shocks and Leeds lose one. Then I would put us as favourites.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:33 am  

Out of play offs without a win. Even with the good player we'd have struggled. With Walsh, Lomax and Wilkin all out, we simply don't have chance.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:38 am  

Saddened! wrote:

Out of play offs without a win. Even with the good player we'd have struggled. With Walsh, Lomax and Wilkin all out, we simply don't have chance.

I'll take that bet.

If I win you have to refrain from bashing Wello till March 2015.

If I win I will stop posting entirely till March 2015.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:53 pm  

I don't think any of us fancy us winning the GF.
The league leader's shield is a trophy, it may the 3rd in the pile, but its more than we've won in a few years.
Get it in the cabinet.

Re: Imperative to finish top : Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:57 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Out of play offs without a win. Even with the good player we'd have struggled. With Walsh, Lomax and Wilkin all out, we simply don't have chance.

I'll say that won't happen. £100 to Steve Prescott Charity from the loser.