I admire your optimism, as I did your "we will win the lot" prediction a year or so ago.

We could easily have a CC final performance in any of the play off games.

Would it be seen as a disappointment if Wire didn’t make the Gf. Or looked upon as a season of progression under Burgess..

For me if we win a playoff game its a season of progress. Obviously we all want a GF win but we need to be realistic, we are outsiders this year.

Firstly, in response to the OP, I'm not really going to worry about who we meet in the play-offs. We'll get who we get, and it's up to us to be good enough on the day to beat them. As for the season as a whole, it has already been one of major progress in terms of level of performance, consistency, defensive determination, attacking quality, and development of exciting young players. Most of us, I think, feel much more optimistic than we did this time last year. Turning the potential into trophies is, as always, the elusive part, and I still fancy Wigan to win the GF this year, but Wire are certainly not without a chance.

We definitely have a chance, we will need to win 3 intense games of RL in a row across 2 weeks. This will require avoiding the big game "fatigue" as has been cited and also delivering our best game in a final (in contrast to our Wembley performance).

I really wouldn’t rule us out of top 2 just yet. See how HKR respond at the weekend. If they beat Leigh at their place after last weeks loss then fair play to em.

Yes fair play to them. In truth I cannot seem them losing 2 games, even if they lose 1 game and win the other the 59 points difference will take some over coming. First place is unassailable as Wigan will get at least 1 point across their 2 home games.

If they lose to Leigh by ten and we put a score on Hudds then it could all be closed….meaning they need to be Leeds (who could really need to win) by more than we beat London at home.

Saying all that typical Wire would lose to Hudds on Sat, but we’re not typical Wire any longer…..hopefully.

Quote: ratticusfinch "If they lose to Leigh by ten and we put a score on Hudds then it could all be closed….meaning they need to be Leeds (who could really need to win) by more than we beat London at home. Saying all that typical Wire would lose to Hudds on Sat, but we’re not typical Wire any longer…..hopefully.'" Although CTW has done very well to cover Dufty`s absence, we need a fit & in-form Dufty to beat the tight defences we will be up against in the play-offs. There is a chance that Dufty will be playing on Saturday at Huddersfield, which will allow him to ease his way back into the team. https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sp ... e-surgery/

Quote: ratticusfinch "If they lose to Leigh by ten and we put a score on Hudds then it could all be closed….meaning they need to be Leeds (who could really need to win) by more than we beat London at home. Saying all that typical Wire would lose to Hudds on Sat, but we’re not typical Wire any longer…..hopefully.'" Although CTW has done very well to cover Dufty`s absence, we need a fit & in-form Dufty to beat the tight defences we will be up against in the play-offs. There is a chance that Dufty will be playing on Saturday at Huddersfield, which will allow him to ease his way back into the team. https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sp ... e-surgery/

Ideally we leather Hudds and London to beef up that points margin and push for second, have a week off, freshen up for the big push. But that's optimistic.

We'll know a bit more before we turn out at Huddersfield and I think that you are being optimistic (Nowt wrong with that BTW).

I'm probably being pessimistic, but I've a feeling everything will be out of our hands and the conversation will be how do we keep everyone fresh with a dead rubber v London before "the big push"

This is brilliant. I had a feeling we'd be without Dufty until into the playoffs, resulting a snap decision to play him in a big game when not match fit. If he's really on the mend this means we can ease him back into it. Look at the difference French is making to Wigan now he's back.

The Fitzgibbon injury looks like he could be heading for a shoulder operation.

The temporary recruitment of Bateman, was a very shrewd move by the club and hats-off to whoever negotiated it.

If Fitzgibbon isn`t available for the play-offs we can cover his absence with Nicholson, and we have adequate cover with Holroyd after him.

I was one of the fans who didn`t like/want Bateman, but I am happy to be proved wrong..........again.

If we finish third and win our home game, am I right in thinking we will be away to the second placed team - most likely Hull KR - on Friday 4th October?

I don't normally go to Friday night games in Hull as there's no trains home from there at that time of night, but I won't be missing the semi final, so need to look at hotel options.