just looking at the league table, we are currently sat in 8th, and to be honest we probably have 10-11 teams who probably expect to be in the playoffs come the end of the season. before the season began we probably wouldnt of predicted castleford and widnes to be up there, but after the starts they have had they (especially cas) probably have just as much if not more chance of getting there than us. everyone in the top 8 will expect to stay there,salford and catalan will probably expect to be up there come the end of the season and hull kr with a good run of form can match most sides. alot of people have been complaining about this, but isnt this what the RFL and most fans were after? is it not time that we actually took a step back and thought something may have actually gone well? some people have just said the overall standard has dropped so the league as a whole hasnt developed but more levelled out. just interesting to see what everyone else and fans from other clubs think about it?

Having a more even competition is a good thing and stops things being boring with the same teams running away with it.

However in recent years the standard of SL has declined significantly, we've benefited from this, but it's not good for the game.

The tap has been turned off for recruiting overseas players because of the exchange rate, higher salary cap in the NRL, and its reduced the level of talent. For years there were always people like Gary Schofield that wanted this to happen because they said it would mean more English talent would get a chance but it's just meant a lot of ordinary players get to play SL these days.

There have been some encouraging signs with British coaches though: Shaun Wane, Paul Anderson and Denis Betts have all done better than people probably thought they would and Daryl Powell has developed in to a top coach, I reckon the next big club team to change their coach will take on Powell.

I think its great, and i dont think the standard has slipped at all within the top 8/10 clubs. Its down at the bottom where things are slipping. Bradford and London look pityful, Wakefield are slightly better and Hull KR change with the wind. I think we have dropped a bit but teams like Widnes,Cas,Saints have all improved, i even think Leeds have improved this season as well. We still jhave a healthy comp. There are games in the NRL that end up 50 or 60 points and the defense is woeful at times.
I just hope the new system helps new teams to develop and push the top 10.

Alarmingly mirroring a Man Utd season so far.

The quality has dropped significantly over the past 10 years. We are losing two teams from SL this year because there are not enough good quality players to go around. How many decent half backs do we have in the game? The important question though is why.

I would agree that it is in part due to the loss of good quality Aus imports, which are now too expensive. The only other reasons I can think of are 1) a drop in the quality and depth of our coaches and 2) the quality of players coming through youth development. My gut feel is that the bigger of these factors is the youth development.

As for a levelling out of the league, yes it is good to see Cas doing well and competing, but I don't really want to watch a close game decided by which team drop the least number of balls, or was the least worse kicking side. I want to watch a close match with high quality breaks, slick passing moves, inch perfect kicks to the corner, dramatic last ditch tackles that save certain tries.

Just a thought Marshman. I would have waited until you had hammered Bradford this Sunday before calling them pitiful.

I agree with the half backs issue, but i also think that our forwards are on par with the Aussies and Kiwi's. We have some great three quarters and some young 3/4 coming through at various clubs. With Roby, Mcloran, clarke and others we have some exciting hookers as well.

The acid test for the strength of a competition is whether, all things being equal, any team could beat any other team in the comptition on any given day [ipurely by virtue of the quality of their players.[/i

At the moment there are too many games where you know what the result will be before the game kicks off, and anything involving London, and to a lesser extent Bradford or Wakefield falls into that category.

Warrington have so far only once put in a decent 80 mins. but we've still posted some very one-sided scorelines.

I agree with the previous post - I'm hugely looking forward to tonights Leeds Wigan game because the result is up-in-the-air and the game will probably be decided by the quality of the players on show. By contrast Saints-London last night was a great advert for an early night.

TBH morrisseyisawire, I fancied London to have a good crack at Saints...the difference was that late inclusion of Luke Walsh.
Walsh was instrumental, had he had not played, I reckon it would have been in the balance.

Gutted because I bet for a tighter result earlier that day and felt robbed when I saw Walsh had been included.

London are not far off with ball in hand, it's the defence of the youngsters that they need to work on.

Walsh wasn't a late inclusion ... He was always down to play ...

I didn't see that... I was under the impression he wouldn't get back this week.

I think the strength of a competition could be judged by the strength of its bottom sides. The top of sl at the minute is who is the 'least rubbish' rather than who is best. The standard of sl has dropped dramatically and I don't see how that has benefitted us when we've been in, and still are, a position to attract top class players if we could.

Me too. Left Makinson as kicker in my Fantasy team :/. Let's hope Bridge kicks well tomorrow.

I notice the posts saying the rounds before the play offs are meaningless have dried up now wire are struggling a little!