I haven't allowed myself to think about 'what if we do get up?' and it is a pleasure to be able to do it now. When you say the qualifiers will be tougher next year, do you mean because of the likely involvement of Toronto, or is there another reason too?

They're a weird little mini-league, the middle 8s. It's kind of mad that Leeds and Warrington followed up really strong seasons by playing in them, and that we've spent a season in the championship having won 16 of 19 games so far across 3 years.

SL seems to have evened up these last couple of seasons. Cas, Hull and to a lesser extent Wakey have put some big cracks in the glass ceiling. I'd like to think we're aiming higher than scraping 8th next season. Aiming ain't achieving, but we seem better organised with Sheens in charge than we have been before. On the other hand, the cap going up (rightly IMO), should favour the wealthier clubs.

Man, that game yesterday, then I had to leg it back to Terrorist Towers to then go to a wedding. Suffice to say I am as rough as toast today.

Who is to say that they will be this comic stupid qualifier 8s It should go back to 1 up and 1 down

well done hkr six easy points next season for the black&whites

This quote is so 2006. Appalling lack of originality in trolling these days.

Congratulations to you all. Great to have you back.

I know it's getting very boring Jake posts it about 3 times a day

Yes Toronto, also think Toulouse will be stronger and expect London to kick on ( they have unlucky this year).

The top 4 will probably be

Toronto (who will spend the full cap)
Toulouse
London
Leigh/Widnes/Catalans

Add in 4 SL teams it won't be fun to be in.

I think your recruitment needs to be outstanding to even make 8th, McGuire is a good start, but not much quality available particularly with very few quota spots.

At least you have a couple of extra weeks to sort your recruitment out.

I wouldn't say the top 8s recruitment has been outstanding I think you need a good coach which we've finally got that can get the best out of the squad castleford been a great example

Wishful thinking I know if only we had had him instead of the last clowns we have had who called them selves a coach we would not have gone down

We definitely need to recruit and quality is definitely at a premium.

On the other hand, when I look at teams fielded by Hull, Cas and Wakefield, they don't strike me as being rammed full of brilliant, talismanic players. Obviously they have a handful, but we're not talking the best Bradford, Saints and Leeds teams of the noughties. What I do see, and tbh find more admirable in many ways, are decent depth and well-organised and coached teams that have found a way to play that suits them. And a sense of belief. That's what we need to continue building.

In Minns and Heff we have a centre partnership ready for superleague. Shaw has been excellent after severe injury .Carney and Quinlan we know are good enough .Moss I think has the potential also.add in Salter and Marsh, Oakes we only need 1 or 2 outside backs so can spend a bit more and get real quality. Over next few week we will probably release fair few players? Plenty of cap space so hopefully the talk of top class players coming in is true? We need quality rather than quantity. Can hardly believe with 2 games to go we can speculate over next year's squad? Woke up tired and rough head but main feeling was relief.Quite different to last promotion when it was a one off game but now it's going to be nice to watch season unfold and watch GF and MPG.Job done and everyone at the club should be proud of themselves