I'd like to hear what Phil Clarke has to say on the matter. I think he's already tipped Warrington, Wigan, Saints, Leeds, Huddersfield and Catalans to finish in the top 4. Surely he can fit Hull in there as well.

Well funnily enough at the start of the year Clarke did point out that statistically last season were the best performers of the also rans. And with a bit of tinkering and a coach that wasn't Richard agar could be best placed for big push up the table. that seems to be happening.

New coach syndrome?
Didn't Cas start like freight train last year? Look what happened to them. Now, I'm not suggesting that Hull are going to implode, merely that they've over acheived (so far). They may get 4th/5th come mid September, but I can't see them keeping up their form throughout. Well played though. Their results have certainly surprised me.

Bollox... New coach syndrome. Over acheived. Get over it!!!

We have the best defence in the league, and for the last three games playing and winning well with an understrength side, with a game in hand too. Happy days

damn me for having an opinion.
As I said, let's analyse at the end of the season, not when we've only just done a third of the season. Some people are getting a little tumescent, a little too early.

If word gets out over on the Hull forum that this thread exists and we're not yet tipping them for the Grand Final, this place will be flooded very soon. At the moment they're celebrating Easter as the resurrection of Jesus in the form of Peter Gentle, starring Adam Pearson as God and Neil Hudgell as Pontius Pilate.

The acid test comes the next 3 league games. They played an off form Saints and a jet-lagged Wire. But to be fair, they've been consistent against the bottom sides (except a Salford team that's going well). As they say, you can only beat what's in front of you and that's what they've done!

and if it goes bad, instead of crucixion, they'll all start fighting, and then blame it on Hull City fans

Don't wind them up, they're still a bit touchy about Paul Cooke taking the thirty pieces of silver.

In fairness I've been looking through their forum and their fans seem to have a pretty realistic view and are not getting carried away, they are just happy to be feeling more positive for once rather than the last few years where they are usually signing all the bad sheep and outcasts of the league. Hull are like the Newcastle United of the Premiership this season, outperforming expectations and everyone expecting them to drop off but Newcastle have held it together through the full season.

I think the top 8 as they are now, will be the top 8 at the end of the season, I can't see who out of Salford, Hull KR, Cas, London, Wakey or Widnes will come in unless Bradford implode due to their financial troubles. The only thing I can see changing is the order in which the top 8 finish as I think Saints and Leeds will climb the league so clubs like Hull and Catalans might get displaced more towards the bottom of the top 8.

With Gareth Ellis joining next year they can market themselves to potential signings as a credible prospect so if they have a half decent year this year then they can shop in a higher part of the market than they have been doing in recent years, a few years ago they were signing guys like Jason Smith, Richard Swain, Stephen Kearney, Nathan Blacklock, players at the top of the game.

Quick question how many of the top teams have hull actually played to date other than ourselves & a well below par stains

your correct we played your lot when your players were clearly jet lagged and not up for the game at the KC and we were lucky to draw against you. Also we beat a Saints team minus Roby on their patch but apparently they let us win cos they wanted rid of Simmons. So really that sums up our season not much to look forward to is there.

Yes and how many top teams did we beat en route to 2 Challenge Cups other than a below par Leeds at Wembley?

As we always say "you can only beat whats in front of you"

Hudds and Hull KR finished in 3rd and 4th in 2009 when we beat them both en route to winning the cup. Also, we played the mighty wigan in the semi final. A year later we played the best side in the championship(featherstone) and then a super league side in every other round, including huddersfield away and the champions in the final.