A lot depends on getting those forwards recruits, making sure we have a decent dummy half if Moore gets jail time and avoiding injury to our halfbacks.

I predict we'll spawnily win a game either against London, Fev or Batley but end up losing to Oldham or Swinton.

We need to focus on beating Toulouse on Sunday for a start...

If anything dewsbury look weaker this year. We are now five wins behind Dews and we will be playing them 3 times, win them 3 and better their other results by 2 wins and we'll catch em. Just need the wheels to fall off another team now... If all the other teams keep sharing the points around it will make it really tricky.

I reckon if we get to plus10 points after the regular season we have a shot in the playoffs, so 10 more games to win, starting on sun;
Dews h/a. Swinton h. Sheff h/a. Halifax h. Toulouse h. Oldham h/a. Rochdale a.

With some forward reinforcement, some luck with injuries l think that is a difficult ask to win that 10, but far from being impossible imho.

One game at a time, focus on Toulouse then reasses for the next challenge. Coyb.

Next six games for me are crucial:

HOME - Toulouse
AWAY - London
HOME - Batley
HOME - Dewsbury
AWAY - Oldham
HOME - Sheffield

I think we will lose this weekend. But the following five will be determined on a number of factors.

Conditions
How Phoenix and Smith integrate into the team.
Moore's Trail.

And finally the big one - the result of Toovey's visa. Hopefully will be sorted for Sun.

That's great news - the Sun is involved, the government always listen to the Sun. Here tomorrow, at a guess!

You know, when you look at those fixtures, it isn't entirely inconceivable that we could get five wins from those six games - which would wipe out the minus points.

I'm not saying we will, but I don't see a lot to frighten us. Even London haven't exactly set the world on fire so far - two squeaky wins against Swinton and Oldham shouldn't leave us thinking we have no chance.

We could quite easily lose 5 of them too Paul!

Indeed

More likely to a be a mix of heroic wins and devastating losses though

For what it's worth I think we will lose to London away as I think they are a good side this season and will be top 2.

Toulouse at home is the key one, as I don't think we will beat them away so we need a win at home, plus it will give the lads confidence to beat a good side like them who I think will be top 4 at the end of play.

Ideally we need to target the 4 home fixtures in that run whilst we are still improving fitness wise and in terms of personnel. I think Toulouse will be a struggle. Should beat Dewsbury but Sheffield and Batley will be tough asks. After these Oldham away will be tough too but 3 home wins leading up to that will give us enough to beat them.

As I said. Next 6 games are crucial for me. It could wipe out the deficit, half it or only take a little piece of it leading into the final 14 games before the split. Either way an interesting month or so is ahead of us.

Oh and don't forget to throw in a Challenge Cup game there. Hopefully we get the winners of Wests Warriors vs Haydock ARLFC!! Or a League 1 side like York. Can't be doing with drawing Toronto haha! (If they beat Siddal

).

The odds are still firmly on going down.

Looking at fixtures changes nothing really [though, I admit, it does give us something to do..., so much depends on who is brought in and probably on when they are brought in. Ever changing loanees are just sticking plaster though and hopefully that is not the long-term plan. We need some permanent blokes in the forwards but also probably someone to cover the backs, as we can't just flog the lads from the academy. It isn't an easy process though, starting when we did and on an apparently limited budget, but it is important if we're really interested in trying to avoid leaving 2017 as a wasted year.

Smith's a permanent signing and should put pressure on Mendeika and Oakes. Having now watched Sunday's game I'd say Mendeika's side is the one that needs a bit of attention defensively. Oakes and Ryan played well.

Oh it sure is. I do think we will survive but it will be a long tough slog to get there. Rightly so that the odds are still us going down. But as I say these next 6 games will give us an indication as to where we are as a team and the league. First 3-4 weeks of a season are always up and down as you can't really gain much from it results wise. We can assume that Toulouse will be terrible away but we won't know for sure until they have played a couple of games away. And we can assume that Dewsbury will be awful but we won't really know until after 5-6 games.

Aye we need some permanent signings. Larroyer is supposed to be here for a year but that recall option after a month will always be a factor. Hopefully we are signing two more forwards who will be permanent, added to that the Smith and Phoenix signing in the backs then we are looking alright. A lot will depend on the outcome of Moore's trial? on the 10th March. He could well be a permanent addition too.