So, playing like that... : Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:45 pm  

Where are our wins coming from in the next 5 Super 8's games?

You better believe Huddersfield are going to come up on us.

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 5:24 am  

A stroll to 4th would have been preferable, especially as we've got Wembley to contend with.
If Hudds get the 4th spot they would have done it off the back of an incredible turn of form. Also if they win every game they take points off Cas and Wigan too, so it's not necessarily us or them.
Our last three games iirc are Saints, Wigan, Wakefield.
Our Friday night tie against Huddersfield before that run-in is a massive game. Hopefully a win there would finish off their challenge to our top four spot at least.

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:47 am  

Form says Huddersfield will finish level on points with us and it will go down to points F/A.

We won just 7/15 games (46%) against the other top 8 sides in the first 23 games.

If we win the same percentage of games in the Super 8s we only have two more wins in us all season, that puts us on 35 points.

Can Huddersfield win 4/5 to finish the regular season? On their current run of form (they are 11/12), yes, and one is against us!

If we win 2/5 we will be on 35 points. If they win 4/5 including one against us, they’ll finish on 35 points.

At present there’s a 339 points F/A advantage to us over Hudds. That’s a lot to turn around and what might keep us in fourth.

Of course we might lose another more than I predict. We were actuality just 4/11 (36%) against the other top 6 sides in the first 23 games. That run of form might just leave us with one more win in the Super 8s and we’d finish on 33 points.

It’s going to go to the Wire unless we turn some form around from out of nowhere.

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:07 am  

Our home tie vs Huddersfield is absolutely crucial. Under normal circumstances we might have expected a home win vs a struggling Hull FC side but, with the Cup Final, that is now going to be a tough game. Huddersfield are the team in form. I can't imagine that they will win all 5 of their remaining fixtures but, barring injury, they are looking very strong.

If we can beat them at our place plus one other win then, with our superior points difference, we will be certain of a top 4 spot.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:30 am  

I'm not saying that it's in the bag far from it but our results and performances over the last two games aren't remarkably unexpected are they? Batter a depleted Catalans side at home following their semi final heroics and presumably a bit of celebrating followed by a pre Wembley defeat away at Cas.

Yes two points last night and an unlikely win for FC might have given us a boost but we are where we were all expected to be shirley and the game v Huddersfield at home was and always will be key.

Not a moan from me happy to be going to Wembley but should the Final be rescheduled to a more traditional May date so that it minimises any disadvantage to top 8 competing teams?

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:53 am  

Have to agree.

If a player is a week away from a Wembly appearance, it's hardly surprising if he protects his body rather than risks an injury. A lot of our players seemed to be running at 80%, but next week it will be 110% and a totally different game. A bit like Catalans when we played them the other week. What was surprising was the number of errors, and Price needs to answer the question as to why it is happening because if it is repeated next week, it will be bye bye CC.

George King seemed to go well. At the start of the season I would have said there was little chance of a contract extension, but he seems to have gradually improved. Sita on the other hand seemed to explode onto the hallowed HJ turf at the start of the season but has been gradually fading away, and I think the performance curve of the two players has now crossed. Has Price tried to turn Sita into a 40 min / game prop when he is better suited as a bench impact player ? Either way, I think I would pick George rather Sita for next weeks game.

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:01 am  

I was at Cas last night and the performance was what you'd expect, especially given the bad injury to Mitch Brown showing just what could happen to any player on the eve of Wembley. Interesting though, that Dec Patton played as if he was full of confidence when he came on for Roberts. I agree that Hull at home will be the crucial test.

Spoke with a couple of Wire directors last night and they agree with moving C Cup final earlier in the season and avoiding a final less than 3 weeks after the semis.

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:14 am  

Well we lost 62-18 on the same date in 2012 away at London and beat Leeds in the CC Final the week after.
_______________

Looking at the CC run, we played:
21st April
13th May
2nd June
nothing in July?
5th August
25th August

We could easily put the semis on in July and the final on the weekend before the FA Community Shield in early August, every year.

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:20 am  

We will be 4th and I’m not worried about that seeing as Saints bottled a semi final already. Be interested to see what King James says about that

Re: So, playing like that... : Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:39 am  

To be honest if we win next week not too bothered if we're 5th. It's if we lose the final much more pressure to ne there in the top 4.