As long as we finish in the top eight then we still can win the GF. No one wins the season in April, we have lost two games and the doom and gloom merchants are on show already.

The law of averages suggests that in order to win the grand final you need to finish in the top 2. Only once in 15 years has any team from outside the top 2 won the comp. That was the bulls from 3rd.

Those stats tell a story. To be in with a realistic chance of winning the title you need to finish in the top 2.

Stats are history, it's what happens from now on in. Any team who finishes in the play off position has a chance at the GF. There is no rule that a team outside of the top two/three can't win it.
The business end of the season is in September/October and that is when the team needs to perform.
Wigan have always done 'Firsts', and i wouldn't put it past them to finish eighth and still win it.

I'm not so sure now we have this top 8 system. I know it hasn't happened yet but we could finish 4th, beat 1st away in Round 1 of the play offs and then all a sudden end up being in a better position that we were last year, with a week off to play with. It'll be a far stronger top 4 this year than any time ever in my opinion.

A former coach around these parts used to be abused endlessly for making such statements.

As long as you're in the mix come September, you've every chance of a trip to the GF.

It's a good day out.....we've been there lots!

Only once more than Wigan.

That's mixing up cause and effect. They didn't win the grand final [ibecause[/i they were in the top 2, they won the grand final AND finished in the top two because they were pretty much the best team all year.

If we have a bad first half to the season, and are fantastic the second half, we may finish 4th but still be the best team come the play-offs.

I'd still rather we finished top of course.....

That's the least of their worries.

They can't spell you're

True. But you've a bigger smile on your face if you actually win it!......

Exactly. Leeds went from being in a play-off for 4th in Round 27 to the comfort of a week off and a home Semi Final in a very short space of time.

The playoffs as they are now make it a lot easier to have a sloppy start and still finish well - and a playoff tie away from home holds no fears for me.

Well Leeds spent just three rounds (incl. the last two) in the top 4 all last season at the expense of Hull who spent 14 rounds in the top 4 and finished 6th right at the death.

Its so difficult to maintain consistency from week to week this year that whichever team finishes top this year after 8 months and 27 games would fully deserve to be champions. I could easily see Wigan finishing 4th/5th and still winning the GF.