Sorry you are (nearly) right - I misread what you said: you were talking about wins after, not including, this weekend. My apologies. You missed Wakey though - if they only win 2, we could still sneak 8th.

**Edit** no you did not miss Wakey. I'm having a bad day...

But there are now relatively few permutations of results that would see us in the 8, and of those it is hard to see a combination that is likely. Realistically we'd need to win the lot AND see a complete meltdown by one of Warrington, Cas or Wakey to make it. So basically its out of our hands now, whatever we do. And realistically, that was the case two weeks ago.

The defeat to Castleford at home was a big blow to our hopes.

Yup. Probably fatal. Had we won that, we'd still have been in with something of a chance.

Yeah it was. I hope we sort ourselves, it's really hard to take.

The 2 point defeats at Cas (away and home) and Wakey, and the home loss to Crusaders are what had turned our season into a 'mare.

Wins there would have seen us 6th at this stage, despite everything else.

It was ironic for me to see the amazing Morrison standing out head and shoulders above everyone else on the field. It is no co-incidence at all that we had a comfortable win with him back, at a ground where many including Saints have struggled, and it is a real shame that he won't be staying.

If he stays healthy then there is no reason why we can't win all our remaining games.

Adey, I reckon Warrington will win only 1 more game so it is their spot we are chasing. If I am right and it is their last game against Quins, how does that leave your spreadsheet looking?

If you take what Monster said for the other 3 clubs, but only 1 win for Wire against Quins (surely not...?) then on my guesses we'd finish 8th with 5 from 6 wins. And still 8th winning the lot. So yes, if its Wire go into their traditional late-term meltdown (oh please...oh please...) the I'd agree.

Hope springs eternal, although I feel you are making a BIG assumption regarding the Wire. That said...you putting money on it with the bookies? I suspect you'd get good odds!

Basically, we're nine games from Old Trafford.

And I'm six numbers from a lottery jackpot...

Oddly enough, the only places offering odds have us only a fraction of a shade of odds behind Catalans and Warrington.

But you don't think Wire can beat Quins at home? Oh well if you're right then we must be top-8 certainties!

The 50/50 record would put us 7th/8th now. Is there reason to believe that the bar will have been raised by the end of the season?

Happy to send you my spreadsheet so you can try it for yourself!

You (deliberately...surely not! ) misinterpret what I said! Of course they can. My observation was regarding whether them only winning that one game is realistic!