Interesting few weeks ahead for a few teams.

1 Leeds Rhinos 4 4 0 0 156 60 8 0
2 Leigh Centurions 4 4 0 0 121 92 8 0
3 Huddersfield Giants 4 3 0 1 172 82 6 0
4 Hull K R 4 2 0 2 123 77 4 0
5 London Broncos. 4 1 0 3 138 132 2 0
6 Salford Red Devils 4 1 0 3 80 103 2 0
7 Featherstone Rovers 3 0 0 3 40 154 0 0
8 Batley Bulldogs. 3 0 0. 3

Can see Leigh winning 1 more unless Leeds put out a shadow team for their final game, Salford should beat the other 3 champ teams, could come down to kr v hudds to decide who ends up where.

Baring an upset where London beat a SL team.

Looking at the fixtures, it could come down to points difference to decide who ends up in the MPG as there's a chance of Leigh,Hudds and KR all finishing on 10 points.

I keep saying that the only realistic possibility of promotion under the current system, even if it is long odds still, is to get the auto-promotion spot. because you have to do the businessyourself, but other teams can also help by one SL club being beaten by the others.

That does not validate the pathetic system, because it was always designed to be a SL club v a Championship club in the MPG - where barring a SL club meltdown, the SL club wins every time. But they forgot the auto-promotion back door, and I really, really hope Leigh do it. They deserve it, and can make a half-decent fist of a year in the SL, with decent crowds.

It is a shame if its HKR that drops though, and also I fear for them as it is not so long ago that Hudgell was leaving, and if like us they are in Championship without the money, then they may slide into the same sort of mess we have got ourselves into. The SL needed to lose Wakey or Salford, not the Robins, who bring a lot to the party, not least the Hull derbies, and a big away following.

But they may have a chance - if Leigh confound teh RF and clinch a spot, and the MPG therefore ends up as 2 SL clubs fighting for one spot, I for one will be laughing my c*ck off. Not that I wouldn't feel for the fans of the loser, but at the RFL where that was never part of the plan, and at the SL clubs that stole our money.

if it happens, you can also bet that all of a sudden automatic promotion will reappear back on the agenda.

Just wanted to drop by & thank all of the Bulls fans who have posted messages of support for the Championship Club fighting for promotion ....
*you know who you are*

Some of you have done this here, some on the Leigh board & some on both.

Although it ain't over by a long way it has been a breath of fresh air to see a rival Clubs supporters continually support the cause, despite their own concerns for their own Club. It takes a bigger kind of Man/Woman (I won't assume) to do that & you should be applauded for it).

Now, if only the large & solid, vociferous supporters of Bradford Bulls could find their way back to SL PDQ & given my beloved Leigh are also there, think of the noise we could make together.

Best of British Bulls fans.

Wish us luck ....

*Again* .....






*Please*.

Good luck to Leigh i hope they make it into SL they may have spent well over the odds on their team which to me is proof that you won't make it into SL unless you have got lots of cash.
Bulls players and coaching staff have missed an ideal opportunity to get into SL this year with with some poor SL teams in the mix. i am sure the RFL and W$%K Sky presenters particular if you they come from Wigan will hail the 8s as a rousing success

Have Leigh spent that much more than us with our squad of almost 50??

Well done to Leigh, hope they now get auto promotion, they deserve it

I rarely post on here, but the support of the Bradford fans on here is humbling. I hope you can get your house in order for next season and push for promotion. You are still a huge club IMHO. If we make it to super league I hope you join us. And if not I will look forward to visiting Odsal again next season. Bradford are now my second team, even though you are on the wrong side of the Pennines good luck to all at the Bulls, hope we are in the promised land together soon

I hope Koucash walks away from Salford and finances the Bulls to SL

Much respect for Leigh. They've done what we need to do. They looked at the mistakes of the previous season and fixed them, the coach change has been a blessing in disguise and they delivered in the big games with experience in the spine of the team. Well done.

Now, which SL club do I want to drop....

I think, with the salary cap breach, Salford would be the most deserving of the drop. But even with cloth cutting, if MK walks, I would be worried about their survival. And I don't want to see any club collapse.

HKR. I think they would be like us. Need some cloth cutting, but would be ok in the championship. JP would have to really earn his management stripes. And we would see Addy & Clark again.

But the ones I would laugh & laugh would be Hudds. They probably wouldn't have to cut their cloth too much as long as their owner just increases his usual level of support. But basically I want to see Gaskell & Clough back in the championship after they think they've been so clever.

The HKR vs Hudds game will be key.

At least you have changed from "absolutely impossible" to now saying "realistic possibility" so there is hope for us all if FA can change his stance after being so outspoken and opinionated.
I don't like this system but always thought it is possible - just, but still unfair.
If only there was a second strong Championship team that were also beating a couple of SL teams. That would have been good to see this year with so many weak SL teams.

Surely, if any SL were to come down their contracts would be voided?

The only way to gain promotion, which we suspected last year, is to win 5 from 7 games in the middle 8's. And that will be proved in the next couple of weeks. Because 99 times out of 100, the SL club will beat the championship club in the one off game that is the MPG.

I agree about the need to win 5 out of 7 if there is only one good championship team in there.
But what if there was another who also beat a couple of SL strugglers. All of a sudden the maths change as those two SL teams may lose two games against the two better SL teams plus two Ch. teams. You then have one SL team truggling to get 8 points and the other only getting 6 points.

If in 14 months time we have a strong Bulls, London, Toulouse, Toronto and a relegated SL team in the middle 8s we could "potentially" have a very dangerous place for struggling SL teams to be.

Would the current Leigh team have beaten Wakey last year in that £1m game. I think they would have done and believe Wakey were lucky that both Leigh and Bulls were not ready for the middle 8s. Next season will be even better if we get our act together with London and a couple of others.

Still disagree with this format but it could work if 3-4 championship clubs really get their act together.