rovers have the advantage of 4 home games and really only need to beat 1 SL side in 4 attempts to either get a home fixture in the MPG (Although we all remember how that went for them last year ) or automatic promotion.

Personally, I feel the middle 8's is weighted in favour of the championship's best team(s) who have the luxury of being able to rotate and rest players in the weeks leading up to the games and also the advantage of the extra home game

One of widnes or leigh will be relegated

... next year, some poor team could be playing Catalans, Toulouse, Toronto and London away in the middle 8's.
You know it makes sense.

Talk of top 3 in the middle 8s is more aspirational than confident. We're keen, to put it mildly, to get back up without that participating in that particular spectacle. Leigh showed what can be done. But we also know they slumped in the 8s the year before. We just have to hope that the struggling SL teams didn't learn too many lessons from our mistakes.

Hudgell has been unequivocal that anything other than an instant return is not being entertained. Pretty clear that the MPG is a riskier way to deliver on that so would be highly surprised if automatic promotion isn't secured.

It is unequivocally the target, but targeting something doesn't mean it'll be achieved. The fact we're signing players to contracts that contain terms for both SL and the championship in 2018 shows that that simple fact is not lost on the club.

Depends who rovers sign up. With the team there have now there won't go up imo

At the moment I think Toulouse look the most likely to come up. They look more than capable of turning over a couple of SL sides at home.

What the Chamoionship sides don't have is the week in week out "intensity" of the Super League.
They have the luxury of having easier games with the odd tough one thrown in. Having to raise your game each week could be an issue for them.
I also think last years MPG will have put the bottom four SL teams on notice. They now know it's possible to get relegated and won't want a repeat.

Rovers losing 18-0 after 12 minutes at Oldham - middle 8's would be a struggle on that form.

Believing their own hype. Scraped home at the summer bash against a very poor bulls team. Lucky to get a point last week against Featherstone and now this. Even if they turn it around do they honestly think those last 3 performances would get them a result against the bottom 4 of sl. Love to have the derby back but wouldn't be to disappointed to see them stay down for few years. Find the whole arrogance that came from their relegation staggering. Be very interested how the fans would except another year of championship rugby.

.... FT 24-32 to rovers.

On track to seal automatic promotion. On another point London beat Dewsbury 52-8, so they go 8 from 8, seem to be building strong winning margins at the right time.

The middle 8's look like being the best yet