I no longer have any desire for a top 4 finish based on what i've seen this season.
Yes we may be good enough to achieve 4th but it could result in the 2003 scenario.
Much preferrable to me would be a competitive 7 games against similar standard
champoinship opponents with a resulting Grand Final.Negative or realistic ?

Need to finish 4th for the £400k funding for next year.

I can't make my mind up. If we finished fourth and had the superleague teams coming for the 3 home games it would be a good pay day as they are likely to bring more fans than the lower teams in our league and the additional funding. That said I don't think we would stand much of a chance against the superleague teams and it would be nice to play against teams we have a better chance of beating.

Ah,that does change my perspective on things.

Obviously the danger is we repeat the nightmare of 2003 and the WCC and alienate fans with poor performances but i think the risk is worth it. Also, would be good to understand just how far we could be off in competing with a PT squad. It could just nudge the board into pushing harder to get a FT squad and could entice extra sponsors on board but nothing would be worth risking the future of the club for.

I would like us to finish in the top 4. The club would benefit from the £400K (I didn't know about this until reading the above) but we as fans are realistic and at this stage wouldn't be expecting us to beat SL teams. The problem with last few season is that we expected to beat teams in our league and we didn't compete in the paly offs which left a sour taste.

Take last Friday I went to Wakefield not expecting a win. We didn't, but I left the game feeling that we had tested ourselves and gave a very good account of ourselves and didn't feel disappointed. I think it will be like that if we make the top 4. Be realistic in our results expectations, more money for the club and SL teams playing at the Shay.

I can't believe we're even discussing this!

This is sport and our aim should be to ALWAYS finish as high as possible, to go out to win every single game and be as competitive as possible. Anything else is not acceptable.

If we do that then we, as fans, should be happy. I certainly would be because if the team, the BOD and the fans have given their all then we can expect no more and we will continue to progress as a club.

Strange this is even up for debate. We've had plenty of seasons aspiring to play in a grand final, which although a fantastic day out doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. I'd take 4th spot any day. It means extra cash, a buzz around the town, a chance to test our arm against the 'best', a great message to talk to potential playing recruits about, and you know what... the slimmest of chances we could do something extraordinary (it's not the probability of this happening that's important, just knowing that we can dream 'what if...?')

Aim for the Sky Rich,be positive.

What is the prize money for 5th?

Well done to Leythers and fair comments from fellow posters.

I'm trying (as we all should be) to entice past fans back to sample the current fare.The three occasions i've managed this,this,season we have been comfortably beaten.The prospect of seven beatings in middle 8s is hardly likely to attract new supporters.sorry the ghosts of 97 and 2003 still prevail in my negative mindset !

Finishing in the top 4 gives an indicator of where the club is at and what gap needs to be further closed. The following mini league gives an idea of what can be achieved by a part time squad and whether there is a desire to go full time more quickly, or employ a reasonable balance of full time players. Can't see much delight in winning the minor competition. In this case there is much to be learned from the middle eights, even in defeat. It also might make club more attractive to potential recruits...........or drive existing good players away if ambition is missing.

Spot on!

Top four is essential under this new structure for any club with ambition to progress and build for the future.

Finding yourselves outside of the four will make life extremely difficult as the difference in 4th and 5th is some serious quality in terms of PT playing salaries. If you guys can get it together there is no reason you cant take the forth spot and even challenge for third this year as you have a great squad and a progressive young coach.

I watched with interest the twitter feed from your game Friday night and it seemed like you put up a spirited show, go FT when the times right and you can afford to, many will gamble and fail now the door to SL is open again and a sustainable well run club that builds steadily is better than a bankrupt one.

Great club Fax and just as much a sleeping giant as Leigh was when we woke it up in June 2013.

Good luck guys I hope you make that forth spot and continue to build off the pitch.