Assaulted? I think the mists of time may have clouded your memory on that one. He was injured in a accidental clash of heads with Brett Dallas.

If there were such a thing as faux champions then any team that could be d would have beaten them but they didn't, which suggests to me that both the teams which finished in the top two last year weren't deserving champions.

I don't think it's as easy as saying that Wigan will be the "genuine" champions whatever happens because they've finished top. Warrington have basically learned from past mistakes and have more or less sleep-walked through the regular season. Similarly Leeds don't even bother to start turning up until the middle of August. The league table is completely unrepresentative of the exact order of merit of the various clubs for these very reasons. For me Warrington are by far and away the best team in the comp right now, would almost certainly have finished top if top place actually mattered, and there will be a criminal injustice committed for the whole game if another team ultimately gets officially recognised as the "champions" at the end of hostilities. You couldn't argue that Wigan wouldn't deserve to be champions either though - so long as either of the Ws wins at O/T then the tarnished credibility of this ridiculous competition would at least avoid further punishment for another season.

Some people appear to have this illogical belief that teams can just play well when they decide that they want to, as if the form tap is exactly that. Something that you just turn on when you want it. Anybody who has watched or participated in any sport will know how ridiculous a statement that is. Even the very best can't just access good form when they want it. The sporting world is full of incidents where this hasn't happened and also where the favourite hasn't won as expected.

That is so true and why i feel the next 2 games are vital i expect us to rest a few for huddersfield and then full strength minus 1 or 2 for widnes so the players have not not played for two weeks and wigan to do a similar thing but slightly reversed full strength againsk kr n rest a few against saints if they beat KR

Tho its hard to see any other teams in the GF you never know

Whilst this is true, there is no point going full pelt during the season as long as you are in a good position come the end of it because there is simply little difference between 1st and 4th bar home advantage which as last year proved, we turned over Wigan and Leeds turned over Warrington. Any of those 4 are quite capable on their day of doing that so the advantage is minimal in the current top 8 system, you just need to make sure you're fresh, as close to full strength as possible and picking up some form around this time of year. Warrington went full pelt last year and they failed in both the Cup and Play Offs. This year they will finish 2nd but have won the Cup and look fresh coming into the Play Offs. I know which season I'd prefer to have.