Fair enough, i also think we will need an element of luck i.e. few calls going our way or "rub of the green" as stevo calls it

Do you not think the challenge cup defeat will have strengthened our mentality and that we will have learnt a lot from that? Im referring to your point about the psychological side of playoff rugby. Maybe a year too soon, time will tell

and as for you booking your holiday for the 2nd of October... Schoolboy error

Perhaps, although we didn't seem to learn much from losing to Saints last year, we've just had a slightly less bad run of form following elimination.



Shocking decision, I know. The last time I did something like that was when I booked a weekend away because we had no chance in a home CC quarter final against Wire...

The Play Off system is heavily loaded to giving 1 & 2 a significant advantage (rightly so in my opinion). I don't see us winning at Sts twice in 1 season, or indeed winning a high intensity Play Off game at Headingley. I would be happy to win 1 play off game at this stage. We are miles off Grand Final material.

No you're right, the same thing happened so i guess we didnt really learn from it

and Note to self- Refrain from booking holidays between the months February and October

Should stop it happening again mate

If i read it right and the table does not change and all games go to the highest team each fixture , you would have to play Saints Away, Wigan at Home, then back to either Saints or leeds Away.

A very difficult path to OT, especially for a team who has not beat a team higher than 7th in the league since Round 8

Slightly o/t, but if you were Saints coach and it got to a choice of Leeds, Hudds or Rovers at home, would you be tempted to try and take Leeds just to avoid losing at OT for a 3rd year on the trot?

Sure, it's a high risk gamble, but better to face them on your own park than in the final?

They can't choose Leeds can they? They can only choose from the other two.

Thats a good train of thought, but im sure they wouldnt risk not making the finaland all that goes with it and would still back themselves for the OT game.

Just had a read up on the rules as i didnt think that could happen unless Leeds lost but it can, Highest place overall gets pick of the games, then second placed highest overall gets whoever is left. I thought there was some slight structure but it appears not

Quote PAUL M="PAUL M"They can't choose Leeds can they? They can only choose from the other two.'" i thought that too, but it appears they can rugby-league.suite101.com/articl ... yoffs_2009

Quote PAUL M="PAUL M"They can't choose Leeds can they? They can only choose from the other two.'" i thought that too, but it appears they can rugby-league.suite101.com/articl ... yoffs_2009

The League shows we have been the fourth best team during the season (though form has dipped from that run of 10 wins in 12, it is hopefully coming back gradually at the right time) and I'd say we have the fourth best chance of being champions. The teams above us have been better and we'll be underdogs against all, but in a one-off game you never know. We've got a couple rest weeks coming up while Hudds and Saints hopefully knock seven bells out of each other in their semi and one of them plays at Wembley. If our luck holds with injuries, it could be our year. I'd have smapped your hand off for 4th at the start of the year, but I'm getting greedy now. With a second chance in the play-offs, I'd make us 10 or 12-1 to win the GF.






Aren't stats great? 7th at the start of their game with Rovers or 7th now? I can't be bothered to work out the first, so I'll assume the latter.

Only 6 teams are above 7th (obviously) and we are one of them. We haven't played Saints or Wakefield in that period, so we are down to 3 - Leeds, Hudds and Wigan. We beat Wigan in round 13, though they won't have been top 6 then. Quins were in round 10 though, weren't they? Also I've just noticed who the top 6 club we beat in round 8 was!

Based on current form anyone in their right mind would choose to play us instead of Huddersfield.