We're still heavily reliant on other results at the mo.

We could win all 4 remaining games and still not make the 8 if one or two other results go against us.

I feel there's still 2 places up for grabs though. I don't think Catalans are safe. Especially if we beat them next week.

I'll be hionest I am happy that we are still in the mix.

If you would have said to me 10 weeks ago that we were aiming for 8th spot with 4 games to go then I would have laughed, Lestyn has done a great job turngin it round and there is definately something there.

A few salford fans need to get things into respective imho, on my way out of the wigan game (granted our worse performance for a while) there were a few moaning that we were same old salford.

We were playing at the DW after an embarrasing defeat. If we were Leeds/ saints/ hudds I think they would have had a battering as well imo.
Also it is wigan away, no matter how good we will get wigan away is always going to be a tough ask!!

I am ever hopefully and ill be there next week!!!

COME ON SALFORD

Have had a look at the other 2 but I think Catalans should manage to scrape in :-

Hull FC Currently 18 points

Bradford w
Hull KR l
Huddersfield l
Leeds l

18 + 2 = 20


Catalan Currently 23 points

Salford l
London w
Hull KR w
Cas l

23 + 4 = 27

Catalans have got London at home. That will take them to at least 25 points, so I can't see them missing out.

If we win all four we could be in with fair chance. Would need Widnes to lose 3, HKR 2 and Hull and Wakefield one each.

Nightmare scenario would be going into the last game needing to win to make the 8 and then pulling out another shocker against Widnes.

It will be hard for Dennis Betts to lift Widnes after today.

Friday Nights game now a vital one for the club if we are to achieve the impossible.

It's possible but unlikely I think the unknown in all of this are the Bulls they play both Hull and Widnes and their recent results seem to indicate that they have had a lot of the pressure taken of their performances so they go one or two ways they either keep the recent form or their form is a a new coach honeymoon period and they revert back to their previous form.
Whichever it could be an interesting few weeks.

The clubs finishing in the top 8 this year enter next year's Challenge Cup one round later than everyone else. Widnes are still probably favourites to finish 8th, but there must be a fair chance they'll be excluded from the Cup next year, so 9th place has now become something worth playing for.

I would doubt very much Widnes will be excluded from next year's cup. That would be an entirely disproportionate punishment for what happened. They'll get a fine and slap out a few lifetime bans and issue statements saying they are working with "stakeholders" to resolve the problem but chucking them out of the cup because of the actions of a few not rights would be wrong and without precedent.

If you view it in isolation then maybe not but, unfortunately, Widnes have a bit of previous on fandickery (Wakefield last year, for example) so exclusion isn't necessarily as far-fetched as you might think. Even Widnes fans have been raising the possibility. I'm not saying it [iwill[/i happen though. All I'm saying is that if 8th place drifts out of reach, 9th might still be worth aiming for.

There should be Zero Tolerance on this.

Throw the book at them and a Fine is no concern for Steve O`Connor. He has been badly let down by the fans and HE should not have to pay the bill.

The club should suffer and exclusion from next years Comp or Points deduction (even though we are talking SL rather than RFL) should be considered in my opinion.

The other thing to concern us would be how would Marwan react under similar circumstances. The disturbances at our match v Leeds were bad enough so we should watch our own situation with care as MK I feel would just walk away if we saw similar incidents.

Unless the RFL demonstrate their usual lack of clarity,parity and favouritism for Super League clubs above the rest of the sport,then I think a reasonable precedent was set rlby this decisionrl

I think you will find coverage of it in the usual place - not as many involved,but far more than enough.

Your link also has another precedent: the fine handed out to Cas.

I think a lot will depend on the reaction of Widnes to these "fans". Many are identifiable from the photographs in the public domain and a couple have further mired themselves by moronic boasting on media sites. If Widnes follw the example of Hull, then I cannot see a ban being even contemplated by the RL.

Furthermore, I'd rather get into the top 8 by our efforts not by the actions of a few prats.

Have updated estimates (figs in brackets - points difference) HKR favourites then us, then Widnes.

Hull FC Currently 18 (+44) points


Hull KR w
Huddersfield l
Leeds l

18 + 2 = 20


Catalan Currently 23 points (-16)


London w
Hull KR w
Cas l

23 + 4 = 27

Wakey currently 19 pts (-201)


Salford home lose
Cas away lose
HKR home lose

19 + 0 = 19

Widnes currently 23 (-11icon_cool.gif

wigan h l
bulls a w
salf a l

23 + 2 =25

Salford currently 19 (-113)

wakey w
broncos w
widnes w

19 + 6 = 25

Hull kr currently 21 (-16)


hull fc l
catalan l
wakey w

21 + 2 = 23

Going off current form alone, I can't see Widnes beating Bradford.

There are a lot of 'what if' moments this season which could already have seen us securing a top 8 spot. Nevertheless, it bodes well for next season that we'll be in mix again.