: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:06 pm  

Smooth Stu wrote:

I've never quite understood how the business end of the season games are more relevant. The only reason they seem to be more important is because the table at the end of the season denotes finishing positions, but all the games are still worth the same number of points. For example, Leeds lost six games last year. Would it matter at what point in the season they lost them? Suppose they lost the first six or the last six? They would still have finished second. My point is that no game should ever be considered less important than any other so results do matter. FORM however, and the ability to kick on and win the play-off games IS critical at the 'business end' of the season.

We have an opportunity this year as for the first time in many years we have an even spread of home and away fixtures throughout the year and our extra games are against celtic and salford excluding the st Helens one.

The games in Feb for me are important "Must win Games" and we need to target getting to the end of Feb, Played 4 won 4.

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:13 pm  

I thought this year it was home and away against everybody once and one extra game in Scotland. With no other extra games.

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:14 pm  

Personally, I think January could well be a very important month.

First we need the players fit and ready.
We could also do with some sort of sponsor.
Furthermore a kit to play in this year.
oh and a few signings please.

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:36 pm  

Personally I think October could be a very important month!

Re: Massive Month : Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:41 pm  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

I have just been looking at the fixtures for next season and it is evident how big a month Feb is going to be in the context of our season.

We have 4 league games in Feb,

Wakefield home, Hull away, Cas home, Quins away.

We play both leeds and Bradford early in March.

Given that previously we have not got off to the best of starts it looks to me that there are 4 very win-able games in Feb if we get off to a good start.

This could pave the way for a lot of confidence and set us on our way to a very good season.

Suffering 1 or 2 defeats in this month and then facing Leeds and the bulls early in March could set us off on the wrong footing and leave us playing catch up to the other top sides.

Therefore i feel Feb is a massive month. Thoughts?

I'd be suprised if you didnt win all your Feb games, but from an outsiders pov, I reckon Bradford and Leeds will beat you. What are your other games in March?

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:04 pm  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

We have an opportunity this year as for the first time in many years we have an even spread of home and away fixtures throughout the year and our extra games are against celtic and salford excluding the st Helens one.

The games in Feb for me are important "Must win Games" and we need to target getting to the end of Feb, Played 4 won 4.

Very true last year we player the top 3 teams 10 times in the regular super league rounds all together 6 of which were away from home.

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:54 pm  

wire-quin wrote:

I thought this year it was home and away against everybody once and one extra game in Scotland. With no other extra games.

Correct.

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:08 pm  

yes its a massive month
mr frisk

: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:12 pm  

Every month is important, not exactly massive, but sept/oct is critical

: Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:22 am  

I see what he's saying, the team that ends up winning the league tends to break away right from the start. On paper we should win all four of those first games, however we never seem to start the season well, maybe that's due to conditioning (ensuring we peak around the play offs/final rather than at the start of the season) or maybe just a lack of team chemistry early on. The last time we won our first four games of the season was in 2001 when we went on to finish second and make the final. If we win our first four this year I'll be very impressed, even if there are no big sides there.

If it's a run of tough games your looking for though look at mid July - mid August! Bradford away, Leeds home, Saints away, Warrington at home all in a row. How well we stand up to that will have a massive bearing on where we finish as surely all of those sides and ourselves will be in and around the top 6 (sorry, 8 )