A quick check on the Leeds and Wigan boards and there's a mirrored message from both sets of fans. Neither team wants 2nd or 3rd spot. They both would rather go to Huddersfield in Rd 1 than take on us or each other home or away. We seem dissapointed at losing to Widnes but it makes you wonder after Leeds v KR whether there is mileage in that theory at club level not just at fan level i.e. that playing Huddersfield is a preferred option for us all given their recent record in the play offs.

Another Interesting view is that finishing outside the top 4 completely (5th) means you avoid playing a team from the top 4 in Rd 1 and then get to play a team that lost the previous week in Rd2 effectively building yourselves up game by game ala Leeds last two years.

I mean its probably all but interesting food for thought. I mean honestly, would you prefer Wigan, Leeds or Fartown in the playoffs?

Id prefer to play Huddersfield. Our recent knock out record against them is good.

I said last year that finishing 5th is clever, you play a pub team first round which won't be that physically or mentally demanding as you breeze through them, create a siege mentality of two away games. Simple

I don’t completely agree, when you look at the last couple of days, some things in SL can be far from SIMPLE!

Absolutely right. Some really daft conspiracy theories on here at the moment re the play-offs.

nothing daft at all..give me hudds away all the time and any other club would want them.but seeing it from your point of view and everythings fine with the play off structure let leeds and wigan knock hell out of each other.

I'm not happy with the play-off structure at all, but do you really think that a club would purposefully throw a game?

tbh i would like to think not..but cant blame folk for thinking that way....

If we go into the last game of the season at Catalan knowing that a win would earn us a game against Leeds, or a loss would pass that privilege on to Wigan and we'd go to Huddersfield instead, which would you prefer?

I don't think a team would deliberately throw a game, but there are some games at the end of the season where 'taking it easy' or putting out a weakened side and accepting a loss is possibly a better result than a win.

totally agree...but some on here wouldnt

Currently watching a pretty spicy Catalans v Wigan game. I guess Wane must have forgotten to visit the forum this week.

Wigan comfortably beaten again. Makes you wonder whether the melodrama we've seen on here over the last 48 hours has been worth it.

Nobody could have accused them of a lack of effort, the last ten minutes they were exhausted and it cost them. Just realised that this time 12 months ago I was buying myself an extortionately priced pint in the Stoop, we can all remember that score and the outrage that ensued, quickly followed by a win at Wembley and a trip to Old Trafford.

The bleach and razor blades have been put down.
Wigan have been beaten.
Second place is in our own hands again.
The sun has got his hat on.

From a Wigan point of view that was probably the worst possible fixture they could have the week before Wembley. long trip, a game in a bear pit against a very big and physical side. any news on their injury front?