Getting a game against the challenge cup semi and finalist teams the week after the semi or the weeks before and after the final will be a good draw for the rest of the top 8 teams. Playing the Rhinos or Saints away the week after the final would be the ideal draw in the 8s for Wigan

Playing them the week before the final might not be too bad either.

Don't really understand what you are worried about. After 2 or 3 games the 4th place will probably out of reach for the teams in 6th to 8th place now, so depending on when you play them, they will be playing for nothing. The matches will be irrelevant and if I were the coaches, I would field the academy side. With carrying over all the points (which is fine), there will be a fair few meaningless games on show towards the end of the playoffs.

There's 4 points separating 4 teams from 4th to 7th. There's going to be plenty to play for come the Super 8s. There's going to be far fewer meaningless games than there were under the old system and at least we're no longer rewarding mediocrity by allowing teams who've lost more than they've won to still have the opportunity to be "champions".

Home advantage in a one off playoff to go to Old Trafford is critical IMO, particularly for Wigan.

You'd have to think it's essential given our away form. Even our home form is fading and it feels like a loss is due but our away form is simply pathetic.

Given that away form though I'm pretty sure that 'if' we make the top four it'll be in either positions three or four.

when and how will they decide the next fixtures for the super 8s hope they do it all in one go instead of a week before hand to let us know who we play as that is no good to anyone

They will surely have it ready to announce on Sunday evening?

Knowing the RFL they'll probably announce it the Thursday afternoon of the first super 8 game.

Do the full Super 8 fixtures not come out on Wednesday . Next weekend is a free week for Superleague

Regards , EW

Yes, Wednesday they are announced. Saints away is the rumoured first game

you have a 1 in 7 chance of being right

Call me cynical but I'm betting the early rounds pair the top teams with each other, and the bottom teams with each other. Purpose? To give the lower placed sides a chance to close the gap on the top sides, otherwise 2 or 3 teams could be dead and buried after 3 rounds.

Either way theres going to be a lot of meaningless games towards the end, with maybe some teams "not turning up". Lets see

If my understanding of the fixture formula is correct we shall be playing Leeds, Saints and Warrington away and the other four at home. As it tuns out we would have been better off finishing 4th as we would have had a home fixture against either Leeds or Saints.

I bet the club are kicking themselves with how it's worked out fixture-wise, with us not getting a "big" game at home. To not get Leeds, Saints or Wire at home in this stage will have a big effect on the attendances.

I'll be interested to see if they do a BIG ONE or similar for the Super 8's phase. The average home attendance this season has dipped under 14k, and if the plans to take a game to London happen we could really do with at least one home crowd pushing the 20k mark. Guess Hudds would be the only game they could do it for.

They did say that one of the four home games would be played in London. I think they were hoping it could be one the teams we are now playing away. A London game against say Catalan won't bring in a big attendance.