Salford docked 6 points. Guess we don't need to worry about them, then.

Puts them next to bottom.

Ouch!

Puts us 9 points clear of 9th.

They weren't a concern anyway really, but it's a big blow to them and a huge boost to the teams that were sitting outside the 8.

Anything less than 5th now would be a bit of a disaster really (barring mitigating circumstances such as one of our trademark 15 man injury lists). I think realistically Saints are the only team outside the 4 that could end up in it, and they are hit and miss this year. I dont see any of the teams ahead of us will pull away either. I think the current top 4 are all very well matched.

I recognise your sentiment, but I wouldn't judge 6th as a disaster, personally.

I suppose if you look back to the start of the season you would have said 6th was an ok season. Not great, but just about acceptable.

The way things have panned out we would have to make a real meal of the rest of the season to not finish at least 6th. Leeds, Huddersfield and Hull KR are too far back whatever they do for the rest of the year, Widnes are in free fall, Salford are now bottom, we've done a fairly convincing double over Wakefield, and Cas have the worst defence in the league.

I think at this stage of the season, being so close to the top of the table, and the fact we haven't hit top form yet, I think top 4 should be very doable.
in fact, I would be disappoint if we didn't make top 4 now.

with some players coming back, also with the size and depth of the squad, I believe we have a real chance of making top 4 and challenging.
the cup run, or lack of wouldn't bother me so much IF we make top 4 as the money we will recoup from playing the aussies should cover those costs.

although not ruling out a cup run yet, as we seem to have saints number at there place

I said fifth at start of the year but top four is a massive possibility for us now

Top 4 is very doable with the style of play you produced on Sunday, if your lucky with injuries you should be looking to get top side of those above you, and not worry too much about those below.

I said 5th also at the start of the year, But with teams like Leeds and Huddersfield having odd seasons top 4 should be ours! Hopefully

m.hulldailymail.co.uk/2006-Hull- ... story.html

m.hulldailymail.co.uk/2006-Hull- ... story.html

I realise you are looking to manage expectations and I agree with that strategy to a point.
You can't seriously say now that 6th will be a satisfactory result after tonight's win. Who are the 5 teams better than us? We've done the double over Cats, beat Wire and Saints. The only contender we've lost to is Wigan.
I think Wire will finish top but we should be aiming for 2nd now and a home semi-final.

I can say what I like, and don't really need you to tell me what is acceptable. I've lived almost a decade of Agar, Gentle and a couple of disappointing Radford years. 6th would not be a cataclysmic disaster. Long term context is valuable and relevant to me. I am delighted and surprised in equal measure with what the squad is delivering. You shift your goalposts if you like but my opinion, which I am entitled to, is that 6th would be progress. Anything else would be a bonus.

I said 5/6 would be a good year for us, so atm we are well placed, not hulls fault if hudds and leeds have failed to deliver, although have a feelings hudds might well get in the 8,