Not sure how you have made this assumption based on what can only be described as a terminal spiral at Headingley. Wakefield, if they turn up, will more than likely beat Leeds. Widnes showed us recently that they can play and without the albertoss of Betts hanging around them they will improve.

If we lost our last 3 games we finish on 22.

Catalans can finish on 24 beating Warrington, Salford & Wigan
Huddersfield can finish on 23 beating Wigan, Castleford and Wakefield
Wakefield can also finish on 22, beating Leeds and us and losing to Huddersfield. If they eroded the current 47 points goal difference between us and them in our 3 defeats and their 2 wins, wouldn't we miss out? It's been a long weekend, sorry if my maths is wrong.

…. but leeds, rovers, Salford and widnes can no longer catch us.

This. Leeds can only get 21 points. Another year away from the middle 8s.

Marvellous. More Pimms needed. I'm becoming one of those people who openly declares victory in a quiz and then humiliatingly realises they've added the score up wrong.

Well, that's our preliminary goal achieved. With the worst injury scenario in years, a hugely honorable defence of back to back challenge cups and more gametime afforded to younger players than I can remember it's not been too shabby.

The Middle 8s look like they could be a right dogfight, I reckon Rovers will replace Huddersfield in the top 8 which could mean we play them at home again.

With Toronto and Widnes the only teams confirmed so far, the last 3 games could throw up absolutely anything. Could be quite the ending. I'm just glad we're no where near it!

Amen Brother. Pass the popcorn.

I agree the 8s maintains interest for more clubs for longer. That is one of its strengths.

However, selling it as ‘every minute matters’ set the bar too high, especially for those who interpreted that most literally. I’m also not sure it is sufficiently better in that regard than the version of 1 up, 1 down that was used before before 2008 to compensate for how much of the interest is based on fear rather than hope.

If Wakey beat Leeds next week, they’re okay. If they lose, they’re under real pressure. Which makes it an intriguing game. But, on the other hand, if they went down now instead of Widnes, it’d feel a bit messed up imo.

I sort of agree. The counter to that is that for us this year we've effectively been condemned to midtable mediocrity through a crippling injury list, so making the 8 feels like a milestone. With one up one down effectively we'd have 7 teams on the sunloungers in early July - barely any chance of troubling the top 4 and no threat of relegation - I like that there's interest at every level until the end of August at least. We're probably the only team with nothing really on at this point - in the 8 but too many key players out until the 8s start to make a meaningful push for the 4. That said if we had a number of them back we could mount some sort of charge. I prefer the 8s to 1 up 1 down. In a sport where jeopardy has decided the champions more often than not I like rolling that spirit across the different layers of the competitions.

Abdul was at our game today still had a bit of limp is he out for the season or due back sometime this