The next 5 games will shape our season : Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:34 am
Wakefield: We need to put Saturdays performance behind us. Leeds were very good and although we were flat, I doubt many teams would have kept up with the Rhinos. Wakefield is a must win game and one we are very capable of winning if we do the basics right. I doubt some of our players who had "mares" on Saturday will play as badly again all season. WIN
Wigan: We owe them a tonking for the act of larceny they got away with in Feb. Let's hope HKR knock lumps out of them this weekend, because they are a "confidence" side and if they get tonked this week, we will need to hit them hard and fast. WIN
Huddersfield: This one depends on which version of the Giants turn up. If it is the version that played us twice this year already, then I can't see us getting anything out of this game. Huddersfield are the second best team I have seen this year after Leeds and their forwards will dominate us (again). LOSS
Catalans: We will need to be on top form to take the points in this one. The French are beatable, but we seem to almost choke when we play them. A big effort from the pack and a red hot first 15 minutes to shut the crowd up will be needed here. WIN
St Helens: If saints really are 4 points better than Leeds, then we will be in trouble here. Our home form is not the best and I can't see anything other than a damage limitation job here. LOSS
So, we are on 20 points and I believe we should get 6 points from the next 5 games, cementing our place in the 8. Of the bottom 6 teams, I believe Wigan and Bradford will press for a top 8 finish, so it is vital we keep the buffer between us and them and I believe we will get 3 away wins over the next few weeks.
All in all, I believe Salford, Catalan and Celtic our out of the running for the play-offs, so it's 11 teams chasing 8 places.
Leeds and Saints are bolted on, HKR are nearly there, so we need to keep on winning to stay ahead of the likes of Warrington who are definitely over their bad start. There are still 22 points on offer this season and I believe that 10 will get us in. With Salford and Castleford still to visit TW2, we should comfortably make the top 6 and potentially a home Play-off match.
Lastly, off the pitch, it would seem that the seating/ticketing arrangements are still causing grief, but the 4k+ crowd on Saturday was good to see and has bumped our average up a bit, but it's still running at our worst figure since 2001.
