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We did make 7th as I predicted, though I'm not proud of my cock-up in saying we could get to GF from 5th

The big question now is, can we make 4th?

Tempting as it may be to get into an "If Saints lose to Hull and ...." conversation, there are too many variables.

The Mystic Morley alternative is to start with 56 points to share between teams in Super 8s. Most leagues end up with a slope from top to bottom with a few bumps in it. So how will the 56 points be shared.

The BEST I can see us doing, given cup distraction and poor form, is 10 points from 14. If Cas also get 10, that leaves 36 for others to share, an average of 6 points each.

I'd say Wakefield, Huddersfield and Salford will fade/ continue to fade. I'd give these teams a 2 and two 4s during Super 8s. If I'm right, then Saints are our main rivals for 4th place.

That's 26 points between Leeds, Hull and Saints: 10, 8 and 8? That would leave us 5th, 2 points behind Saints, probably with a worse points difference.

Conclusion: the only way we'll make 4th is (i) to beat Saints
(ii) to win 6 out of 7
(iii) hope two of Cas, Hull and Leeds beat Saints
AND (iv) hope neither Wakey or Salford find form.

A tall order

If :conf: but theoretically possible :doz:

We can help by getting behind the lads, Great Escape fashion :eusa3: :eusa10: :thum: :eusa2: :eusa2: :eusa14:

I personally think Salford's head has been turned by the CC i think Wakey will bip and bop,win a few,lose a few,same with Wigan,the dark horse in all of this are Saints..i just cant get a handle on the new coaches's impact on them at all.

Top 4 at the end of the super 8's from the man who can't predict the weather is..

Cas,
Leeds,
Hull,
Saints,

I just even with my cherry and white tinted glasses on see Wigan making the top 4 indeed if they do get through on sunday the side will call it a season well done considering the problems,but more on that later in the year.

I did the math the other day looked at all the fixtures an was incredibly generous to Wigans prospects (think i had us winning 6/7) and the best i could get us to with realistic results around us was joint 4th on points but losing out to hull on Points difference.

It will take everyone from 3rd to 7th to be completely inconsistent and us to be overly consistently. Neither of these seem likely.

I said on another thread though the very fact that we can still possibly win the GF and the CC is a shocking advert for our game, we should not be able to win it end of story.

The system needs to reward the league, i know someone said that this system results in marginally less dead rubbers, but the whole regular season is a dead rubber now, we got into the top 8 while suffering the longest winless streak in 100 years.

Agreed,the sooner,not that itll ever happen,the sport returns to the league structure the better,as its been said the fact Wigan are even in the running for a top 4 place is a mockery of "super league"and reveals how threadbare the sport is.

We only have to look at skys treatment of the sport with the new channel theyve basically thrown us in with tiddly winks and crown green bowling,the sport is in its backside the sooner everyone wakes up and realises this the better

Wigan_forever19​85​ wrote:I did the math the other day looked at all the fixtures an was incredibly generous to Wigans prospects (think i had us winning 6/7) and the best i could get us to with realistic results around us was joint 4th on points but losing out to hull on Points difference.

It will take everyone from 3rd to 7th to be completely inconsistent and us to be overly consistently. Neither of these seem likely.

I said on another thread though the very fact that we can still possibly win the GF and the CC is a shocking advert for our game, we should not be able to win it end of story.

The system needs to reward the league, i know someone said that this system results in marginally less dead rubbers, but the whole regular season is a dead rubber now, we got into the top 8 while suffering the longest winless streak in 100 years.

Can't disagree with any of that, WFE. I'd predict us 5th unless we throw the towel in and just go for CC.

As for making the league structure more competitive ("every minute counts"), what about prize money according to position, or something similar? Maybe even allow a bonus to players outside of salary cap on a sliding scale according to position? Just a thought.

morley pie eater wrote:

Wigan_forever19​85​ wrote:I did the math the other day looked at all the fixtures an was incredibly generous to Wigans prospects (think i had us winning 6/7) and the best i could get us to with realistic results around us was joint 4th on points but losing out to hull on Points difference.

It will take everyone from 3rd to 7th to be completely inconsistent and us to be overly consistently. Neither of these seem likely.

I said on another thread though the very fact that we can still possibly win the GF and the CC is a shocking advert for our game, we should not be able to win it end of story.

The system needs to reward the league, i know someone said that this system results in marginally less dead rubbers, but the whole regular season is a dead rubber now, we got into the top 8 while suffering the longest winless streak in 100 years.

Can't disagree with any of that, WFE. I'd predict us 5th unless we throw the towel in and just go for CC.

As for making the league structure more competitive ("every minute counts"), what about prize money according to position, or something similar? Maybe even allow a bonus to players outside of salary cap on a sliding scale according to position? Just a thought.

Both good suggestions but the major issue with them is we are still a very poor sport so depending on who wins the league could spell curtains for lower down the league who don't have much money to start with. In theory the teams likely to win the league are the richer clubs so under than scheme they would get richer.

Similar with offering extra marquee signings if the team cant afford it then it means next to nothing to them really.

The issue here is Sky, they have a vested interest in keeping the Grand Final as the "prize" so they will not allow the league to steal its glory.

I have two suggestions

Back to the old scheme, top 4, 1st plays 2nd and 3rd plays 4th. Loser of 1st vs 2nd plays winner of 3rd vs 4th and thats your final.

That rewards finishing in the top 2 with the extra bite at the cherry

The second suggestion and far more radical

Do away with points for win and points for losses. The league is based on your points difference during the regular season instead. This would hopefully promote both attacking play and would stop a team throwing the towel in or like leeds fielding weakened teams periodically

I like the radical suggestion of points difference. Play-off idea is good, but adds a week to season (effectively in Feb if GF date is fixed), which may be a problem.

I favour a radical solution to a different problem: have 2 divisions of 8 teams. Possibly play each other 3 times giving 21 games. Since 2nd tier would be fully pro, there could be automatic promotion/relegation for 1 team and a play-off formula to decide on a second. (7th v 2nd for "million pound match"?)

Criteria for SL top tier would include a good standard academy set-up and an A-team. Money shared to allow for this.

All those ideas are a big improvement on what we have now!

And what's the problem with moving the CC back to the Spring, where it always used to be? We managed then, why can't we now?

moto748 wrote:All those ideas are a big improvement on what we have now!

And what's the problem with moving the CC back to the Spring, where it always used to be? We managed then, why can't we now?

Am I missing something with people asking for CC to be in spring, especially those quoting the expense of Wembley followed quickly by Old Trafford, They were both at the end of the season before Super League, albeit the Premiership Final didn't hold as much weight then