I've got a feeling we will see the same grand final as 2010 with the same outcome.

Our form since losing Tommy has been awful and there's no guarantee he'll come back fit if he comes back at all.

why wouldn't he come back fit? he's due back in about a month, more than enough time to be fit

Second, I'd say, though so much depends on Saints v Wire, Wire v Wigan and Wigan v Saints that anything could happen! I'd expect all 3 of those to win their other 3 games.

My mistake. I had them losing against Saints and Wigan but winning the other three...and then I ONLY gave them 4 points! But one never knows.

I fancy a win a piece for us all there, with us sealing top on the last game.

Can't see any of us losing a game other than that until the playoffs start either.

Think wire should stick to second, with the CC, and saints and us I think it’s a bridge too far. If Smithy pushes it they could throw away any chance of winning the GF. I think he’ll be happy with second. (if he can get it?)

Personally I think we will win the league leaders shield at Warrington next week.

Expect Wire to lose at Saints, us to beat hull, sets us up to concrete top spot with 3 games to go at wire.

Then its a mad race between saints and wire for 2nd IMO, but can see saints sneaking it.

Can see leeds sneakin 4th if they were bothered, but expect they will play for 5th as its easier to win from there.

My top 8 would be

Wigan 44
Saints 40
Wire 39
Catalan 34
Leeds 32
Hull 32
Hull KR 27
Huds 24 (only win one game after their annual late season collapse with bradford possibly sneaking 8th)

Us to beat Cats / Saints to beat wire / Leeds to beat Huds / Hull to beat KR / Wire to beat Hull / Catlan v Leeds - Catalan hopefully as don't fancy having to beat leeds to get to OT!

Semis - Us to beat Cats with Saints to beat Wire......Saints to lose 6th GF (with two 7-8k crowds v Cats in the play offs for all the shatic fans to come out the woodwork and crow about!)

I think they will -with wire losing two.

I expect we will have 1st sewn up by the last game, and so will rest a few going into the play offs, and saints will just pip us as they'll be still going hell for leather playing for 2nd!

One thing that sticks out like a sore thumb, imagine a top 5 playoff with the current top 5 teams, imagine them series of games over a 4 week period - mouthwatering!!!

Top 8 does ruin it completely and we've not had a good playoff series since it was introduced. People go on about a 12 or 14 team SL or moan about licensing or P&R but the most important is the playoff series as thats where the entire comp is won and lost, I prey they bring back the top 6.

Top 8 is awful and is simply a money-spinner. Hard to disagree with anything the above poster says.

Exactly - Top five would more than likely have

Week 1
Wire v Saints
Catalan v Leeds
(home venues to be decided on who finishes above who before the end of the year)

Week 2
Wigan v Wire / Saints
Saints / Wire v Catalan / Leeds

Week 3
Any permutation of Wire / Saints v Catlan / Leeds

GF

Wigan v Wire / Saints / Leeds / Catalan

Pretty much every game would be close, tough to call and would be a fantatic series - rather than diluted games with the hull clubs / huddersfield and possibly bradford or whoever is least $h1t and can make the top 8, and games between the top 4 in the first week that dont matter.

Bring back the top 5 FFS! Its the only system that makes sense!

If sky insist on extra games - then go for a top 7 with the first week being a preliminary straight knock out round - seeds 4 to 7....and then the same old top 5 play offs...that would give the same number of games as presently but be a far better series!

Reality is its probably not even much of a money spinner...bet the aggrigate gates for the 8 team play off are roughly the same as they were for the old top 5 as more would turn out for more meaningful matches!