Oh the insults are coming, I was actually refering to your "Matt King is the most exciting signing in the SL era" then stating he was something like the 10 best centre, that's backtracking, how can you give an opinion on Matt King when you rarely watch us play, as you seem to take alot of "days off" as you put it, or starting campaigns for us to sign Byron Ford.This is FACT. Try watching games live rather than just on SKY before posting drivel.

The fact remains that it [iis[/i championship winning form and, if continued over the course of a season, would result in a top 2 final league position. I agree that is a big if though and we are not there yet.

if we would have had TS in the closed season working on the plays and fitness then we would probably be top 3 now.
We just had the shocking start which really made it hard for us, personally now we will finish 5th which considering our early form is a great achievement.

9 games with 18pts to play for with 5 away and 4 home games. Crucially we have 7 games against all the teams currently in the top 8. These being Saints, Leeds, Hull KR, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Harlequins and Wigan.

With our points difference as it is to get into 3rd place we need to win 3 more games than Hull KR, 3 more games than Hudds, 2 more games than Harlequins and 2 more games than Wakefield and match Wigan. I've not done the permutations to see how many of the 7 play each other in the last 9 games and how many points are actually available because of this.

Anyhow I think overtaking Harlequins and Wakefield is possible seeing as we play them both. I'm with you, I think we will make 5th. Creditable return following an abysmal start.

Addendum....

Looking at the four teams above us it is odd that we seem to have a disproportionate amount of games remaining against the other top 7 sides. This is a double-edge sword. It means our run-in should be more difficult than our competitors but it also allows us a little more determinism.

Wakefield (5/9 games against top 8 sides)
---------
Huddersfield
Leeds
Saints
Warrington
Hull KR.

Huddersfield (5/9)
-----------
Wakefield
Harlequins
Warrington
Saints
Wigan

Harlequins (4/9)
----------
Wigan
Huddersfield
Saints
Warrington

Hull KR (4/9)
--------
Leeds
Saints
Warrington
Wakefield

Hull KR have Wire / Wakey plus Leeds & saints

Hudds have Wakey / Quins / Wire / Wigan plus saints

Quins have Hudd / Wire plus saints

Wakey have hudds / Wire / HKR plus leeds and saints

Wire have Hudds / wigan / wakey / HKR / quins plus leeds & saints

Wigan have quins / wire / hudds plus saints & leeds

Lots of rugby to play yet, will probably go down to the last weekend !!

Cheers MrF. I agree it's going to be fascinating.

Posted at the same time, but yours is much easier to read !!!

One thing this run of form does give hope for is next season. Not thaty I am writing this one off, but a full close season with Smith does fill me full of hope, expectation almost.

I'm with you on this one, it's comfortably top three form. If we'd had Smith from Rd1, I'm convicing we'd be cosily in 3rd place minimum.

I like the way things are coming along, there's not the peaks & troughs really that you had under Cull, there's not the emotional rollercoaster that came free with your ticket. We've sacrificed a bit of flair for a bit of order & structure, that's cool with me. The Bradford at home defeat, in the past would have derailed us, we'd have lost in France, then you can't see where the next win is coming from, under Che, we're fixed within a week, you can't see us getting beat.

I would rather play the better teams than the banana skins that are usually our undoing. It allows us to maintain an intensity, plus the crowd gets more involved for a Leeds / saints / wigan game than for a home run out against salford / catalan etc

the other wildcard in all that is the cup games for us and the giants.

I will believe we are in Championship winning form if we beat Saints. Might even book my grand final tickets.

I'd rather be in Super League form, myself.

I was using Tony Smith's vernacular.