These cup games show... : Sun Apr 19, 2015 5:03 pm  

With even the iconic Bulls and a good looking Eagles side being comfortably beaten the middle 8s are not looking good for the championship. (Super Leigh aside of course!)

Seems the SL status quo is just as likely to kept under this system as licensing.

Any thoughts (plus it's really quiet on this board!)

Fax have got a really long way to go and another year of part time could see us fall further off the pace - regardless of the massive improvements this season. By the same token, wouldn't want to see us go for broke and end up potless!

Re: These cup games show... : Sun Apr 19, 2015 5:08 pm  

I dont think Bradford are that far off really,to score 30 point against a team from a higher division takes some doing, plus a couple of late tries from HKR gave it a much more flattering look than it should have been

Re: These cup games show... : Sun Apr 19, 2015 5:50 pm  

Could have sworn Leigh beat Salford yesterday
So much for status quo

We weren't far off today, think 38-30 would have been a more fair result.

We were missing quite a few players today and hopefully we'll keep improving. The middle 8's will be tough but not a forgone conclusion at all.

Re: These cup games show... : Sun Apr 19, 2015 6:09 pm  

Bull Mania wrote:

Could have sworn Leigh beat Salford yesterday
So much for status quo

We weren't far off today, think 38-30 would have been a more fair result.

We were missing quite a few players today and hopefully we'll keep improving. The middle 8's will be tough but not a forgone conclusion at all.

Read it back - I did mention Leigh winning!

It's good you think the middle 8 may be competitive, although I think the better competition in SL will mean the SL clubs will be in a higher gear by then.

Do you know how the funding works next season - less, more or the same? That will be the real test of the RFL's desire to have promotion. Good luck for the rest of the season and in the Middle 8s - I doubt it will be troubling us!

Re: These cup games show... : Sun Apr 19, 2015 6:11 pm  

Full Time Championship teams will compete. PT championship teams will be beaten comfortably. But if 2 teams a year can chance their arm and unhinge a SL club from their previously guaranteed SL place then that's good. It's what the game needs - a shake up.

Re: These cup games show... : Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:43 am  

I think Leigh will be good enough to prove themselves in the middle 8, most likely at the expense of my club on current form I also think Bradford are in with a shout too but they are maybe going to finish 5th in the middle 8.

I agree that the PT teams will struggle with the intensity. Over this weekend I attended the Wakefield v Halifax match and Sheffield v Hull FC. Of course I watched the match on TV on Saturday too.

I think Fax showed a lot of enthusiasm on Friday. I do however think fitness and a little bit of difference in skill made the difference.

I wish you well though, you have a great bunch of supporters and that is the best vocal atmosphere from away fans I've heard for a while (although I guess the roof helped too).

Re: These cup games show... : Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:17 pm  

freddies wig wrote:

With even the iconic Bulls and a good looking Eagles side being comfortably beaten the middle 8s are not looking good for the championship. (Super Leigh aside of course!)

Seems the SL status quo is just as likely to kept under this system as licensing.

No - this is worse. Somebody would've been up in 2015 under licensing - probably Leigh - instead of playing for a place in a league to play in another league for a place in $uperleague in 2016. And they would have had three years in $uperleague instead of having to go through the whole Middle Eight Process again at the end of the 2016 season.

I don't see the attraction of Twelves and Eights. I suppose it's today's "I-want-it-all-and-I-want-it-now" attitude to life. Nobody's prepared to work for owt these days.

Re: These cup games show... : Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:20 pm  

Don't get the reference to hard work. Surely it's harder to keep a club running, and enthusiasm as a supporter if there's a closed door to progression.

Re: These cup games show... : Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:50 pm  

It wasn't closed.

The downside was you could only go up every third year.

The upside was that you had three years to consolidate before you came down.

Re: These cup games show... : Mon Apr 20, 2015 5:54 pm  

Widnes v Batley
Leeds v Giants
Hull FC v Castleford
Wigan v Hull KR
Catalan v Featherstone
Saints v York
Wakefield v Leigh
Dewsbury v Wire