Um, I don't actually think it's unfair on Warrington. They are playing Quins for goodness sake. The way they have been playing this season, only Bradford is an easier match. They will tonk Quins while we will probably struggle to make 10 on Cas. I'm quite sure Wire will get their second spot back, regardless of Sly TV and their piddling around.

My 'last league game at Knowsley Road forever' certificate is all bolloxed up now though.

So the RFL have arranged the games this way because Warrington have an easy game 200+ miles away for the second week running and off a 6 day turnaround, while suffering a CC Final hangover (whether as winners or losers) and St Helens have a tough game against the oh so mighty Castleford at home, a fixture they have never lost in the SL Regular Rounds at Knowsley Road at an average score of 44-15.

St Helens will know exactly to the point on points difference what they have to do (that's if they have anything to do at all.) That is plainly an unfair advantage and not only over Warrington but also potentially crucial in the battle to make the final play off spot between Castleford and the Crusaders.

All three games kick off at the same time and the problems go away.

why do u all think its saints fault, im livid that sky can spoil our final game at kr. it has been building up all season for the final game now sky has spoiled all this. warr can have 2nd place i dont give a s--t now.

I was thinking only of the knowing in advance. All the rest was the case before the change since Quins changed their match to Friday ages ago to allow for a union game at the Stoop and Wire were playing in the Cup final anyway so they would have had the turnaround regardless. Saints have been promoting the Friday game at KR for months now and were online for a sellout on the Friday. Neither the club nor fans wanted this change.

However, I don't think it will make a damn bit of difference to the outcome that Saints know ahead of time what the Wire score is. That wont make us play better or Cas any worse; it won't give us back our halfbacks or create world beaters in Cas. Just because we know a score does not somehow give us power to beat it. We can die trying but I doubt we will. There are bigger fish to fry at the end of the day than whether we play Wire at KR or at the HJ, since that is all it comes down to.

I'm not entirely sure I want to play them at KR anyway. I think I'd rather us leave there with the hoodoo in tact!

Whether St Helens can hit their target or not they shouldn't know in advance of kick off what that target is.

The RFL need to ensure (and have needed to for years and failed IMO) that teams are not given or appear to be given an advantage over their rivals for finishing positions on the final weekend.

In St Helens and Warringtons case this season a second place finish and home win in Week 1 could also lead to them gaining the advantage of the 'club call' element in the play-offs should Wigan lose their first up encounter.

In an ideal world we should all kick off at exactly the same time on exactly the same day. Like that's ever going to happen.

However, like I said, knowing and doing are entirely different beasts. I don't think it will make the slightest bit of difference to the outcome.

Oh, and it might not be the RFL's fault. After all, Quins changed their game to Friday to facilitate the RU on the Saturday.

And can the RFL say no to Sky without jeopardising the money?

This issue arises most seasons where teams inadvertently gain an unfair advantage over their opposition for crucial finishing positions on the ladder.

It's up to the RFL (before a ball is kicked) to plan the final round in such a way that they control all the variables as much as is possible. Not leaving teams with a home fixture in Round 27 who groundshare surely cannot be beyond them.

Sell the concept to Sky that on the final weekend out of 27 that it matters to the integrity of the comp for all the games to take place on the same day while still offering up two fixtures for broadcast. Isn't there going to be a double header this year on the Saturday?

IIRC as recently as 2008 the Wakefield V Leeds game scheduled for the Sunday was moved forward to the Friday to ensure it kicked off at the same time as the St Helens V Wigan game just in case Saints lost (they drew 16 apiece) and Leeds won by a boatload to snatch the League Leaders Shield. The RFL insisting (quite rightly) at the time it was neccessary to protect the integrity of the comp. In my view integrity is not something you can pick up and put down from season to season, you either have it or you don't.

all the games affecting placings should kick off ast the same time regardless of what sky want
saints now know that if they need to win by 10 and are 8 points up with minutes to play a penalty will do rather than going all out for a try

a nightmare scenario for warrington would be crusaders getting hammered by half time so castleford knowing only a 100 point massacre would force them out of the 8, if cas then decide to rest players or take it easy then saints will hammer them
if warrington somehow lose on the friday night then expect a saints team with an average of about 19 to be fielded as they look to rest players
by allowing this situation to develope the rfl have shown that its not them in charge of the game its sky,they should be told the vital games have to kick off friday night so they either pit it against an england qualifier or they pick another game

I think TVOC has it bang on.When the season is at the planning stage the RFL STIPULATE the final weekend of the fixtures will have simultaneous kick off times.Ground sharing teams have home events on prior weekends IF need be to ensure its 100% covered and SKY can still pick fixtures for transmission.
This way also the situation Saints have which is significant to the club's history isn't compromised because they will have a firm date ensured.SKY have sufficent channels to make it happen.This obviously means Wakey and Salford n Cas will be able to do the same ..so very soon

No need for this discussion. Sky pays the money so sky gets the choice and 2 matches one after the other is what they want. Hence having made all the arrangements for a Friday night rush to Hull I can now do it on Saturday afternoon knowing it will be live on tv as well.

tvoc is spot on and how anybody can argue is just beyond me!!!

Sky get to pish about with the fixtures all season (and rightly so) BUT the final week they should just have to have what they can have, based on the fixtures that require setting to suit the integrity of the competition... period!

Once again the RFL & Sky make a balls-up!

So, it appears that RFL will protect the ingetrity of these fixtures where it benefits Saints and ignore the integrity of these fixtures where it benefits Saints.

So what is happening on the Friday night on Sky that they want to do a double header on Saturday instead and have therefore moved our game? I know that does no alter the Quins v Warrington fixture issue, but just wondered?

Never mind changes helping Saints or hindering/disadavantaging Warrington, I've just realised that changing the Hull game clashes with Yorkshire's final CB40 game with Essex at Headingley.
We may need to win this to guarantee a home semi-final.
Should be a cracking game whatever the league situation.

Last week fixtures screwed up all round. Warrington moved to the Friday at the request of the police to avoid a clash with another sporting event (ie RU at the stoop). This from a police force that has to cope with multiple football games on the same day at the same time. So they decide to move it to the Friday night.....and the same night that England play at Wembley. Ok, we can get over this because we and Saint are scheduled to both play at 8pm on the Friday (could be a good night in the pubs)........and then Sky "ask" for the Saints game to be moved.

Im sure that if they could find a way to do it, Sky would arrange it so that Leeds and Hull kick off at different times!!!!!!!