Winner Takes All

[bartman]

After tonight's results.

Final game of the final round:
Wakefield v Castleford, winner stays up next season. :crazy:

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

They certainly shocked me. I must appologise to Wakefield for writing them off after last week. That performance has gone some way to keeping them up. A win against Castleford next week and they will have done it.

John Kear is a vastly underrated coach in my opinion. He is either a tactical genius or a supreme motivator as he ALWAYS improves the sides he coaches massively. He is the ultimate quick fix man.

Another big congratulations has got to go to David Solomona tonight too. Playing with an obvious arm injury he still had the quality to unlock Bradford tonight. A supreme athlete he is not, but he is one of the most gifted players anywhere in the world of rugby at the moment. A few moments of unadulterated genius from him tonight.

Terry Newton was horrificly poor again tonight, and there was simply no need for the off the ball elbow on McGavilray. Shades of the Sean Long incident from last season, despite a few months ban the idiot hasn't changed. That man really is stealing a living from Super League at the moment.

 

[bartman]

Yeah I thought last week would have taken the wind out of Wakey's fight, thsi came as a big surprise. Regardless of the outcome next week Kear is a class coach and motivator, not sure what went wrong at Hull early on this year. Solomona is very skilled, he was fantastic for the Kiwis in Game 1 in London last year.

Newton has never impressed me too much. Don't know if I missed his best years before I arrived or what, but he's not a stand out to make the GB 9 jersey for mine. They could do just as well going with any of the other options.

 

[JasonE]

Wakey have all the momentum after their last 5 games with 3 wins and 2 narrow losses to Leeds and Saints.
So i think they will beat Cas and send them back down which i think is a shame because they Cas offer the game more in terms of junior development and crowds etc.
A draw next week between Wakey and Cas would relegate Harlequins if they lose their 2 remaining games.
I believe Quins have signed Sione Faumuina for 07

 

[deluded pom?]

After last night's results It's all set up for one humdinger of a match next week . Cas v Wakey , with the winner retaining their SL status . On current form you've got to take the 'Cats to win . Whatever the outcome though I expect to see a great game in front of a large and passionate crowd .

 

[bartman]

I feel for the Cas fans, as this could be an exact repeat of the final game of 2004 that saw them go down. The tension at the ground is going to be as thick as mist.

Based on reports Cas were going fine in the first half, but let it slide in the second. Wakey were pretty much in control throughout their game. So on current form you'd favour Wakefield, but if Cas can recapture the form that had them win a few on the trot and climb up the ladder a month or two back, then it will be fought right down to the wire.

 

[bartman]

A draw next week between Wakey and Cas would relegate Harlequins if they lose their 2 remaining games.
I believe Quins have signed Sione Faumuina for 07

Well spotted. Another possibility, with Harlequins needing to play out their skin to try and get a point out of either Wigan or Salford...

Someone's got to sign Sione I guess, hope they help him get in control of himself. London can be a hard place for that.

 

[deluded pom?]

The thing with Newton is he can be a talented footballer when he puts his mind to it . Only thing is that's not often enough and he resorts to the stupid stuff we see on a regular basis . It's now down to the RFL to get the message across that they will not tolerate thuggery from ANY player . Noble signed Newton for the Bulls so I hope he doesn't show his hand again and pick him for the TN .

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

I reckon at least two will walk and there will be several all out brawls.

I'm already looking forward to it as a neutral. Popcorn in hand, TV on loud, pure entertainment watching two sets of passionate people being tortured for 80 minutes.

 

[bartman]

[Merged Deluded Pom's thread with my own on similar subject]

Been made the Saturday night (presumably TV) game now. I think that's good as it prevents any possible collusion to a draw should Harlequins lose today and next Saturday night.

Please note that Wakefield Trinity Wildcats v Castleford Tigers in Round 28 of engage Super League XI will be now played on Saturday 16th September (ko 6.00pm).

Further announcements regarding re-arranged fixtures in Round 28 will be made in due course.

This way the Quins result will be unknown and it will be an all-out battle for a win. Not suggesting it wouldn't have been anyway, but should that draw and Quins relegated scenario have played out on the Sunday questions would have been asked...

 

[freeridermx]

its seems a little unfair now as both team have a few wins on the board. is the team coming up going to be better probs not. eg leigh last year were way behind the pack but this year but these team aren`t that far from the semis i hope the team that comes up is at the standard of these teams or what is the point of having them there.
you don`t want a team that is a basically a bye or training run for the other teams in the comp

 

[JasonE]

I think the team that goes down this year will have the highest ever points total

 

[spook]

I think the team that goes down this year will have the highest ever points total

by some margin...


and only 8 points from a playoff place

thats top 6!

 

[bartman]

Still faint hope for the loser - cheering on Whitehaven to win NL1 and then there'll likely be no promotion...

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

Still faint hope for the loser - cheering on Whitehaven to win NL1 and then there'll likely be no promotion...

Is the problem with Whitehaven predominantly the home ground? If so what is so bad about it? And are they likely to seek an injunction if they do win NL1? I wouldn't mind if no team went down this season. They all deserve to stay up in one way or another. But I'll be hoping Wakey stay up.

 

[bartman]

I think there was some uncertainty about their ground plans, obviously a bit more uncertainty than the past two years when they've been given the all clear? Or perhaps just a lack of progress on those previous plans? Don't know that their plans or ground are that worse than Hull KR's...

They've been quoted in media as saying they will seek an injunction should they win. I'm in too minds about it all - until 2009 you have to keep a door open for clubs that legitimately qualify, but given that there's no stand out loser of a team this season and that Cas will get stronger if they don't yo-yo, and given that the drop is unlikely to change Wakefield's approach to signing non-European players (in fact may make it worse?), then if Haven wins I could live with no promotion.

But it's probably unfair on Haven if they win third time lucky but don't get the spoils they were eligible for the past two attempts?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

C'mon Cas.

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

I think there was some uncertainty about their ground plans, obviously a bit more uncertainty than the past two years when they've been given the all clear? Or perhaps just a lack of progress on those previous plans? Don't know that their plans or ground are that worse than Hull KR's...

They've been quoted in media as saying they will seek an injunction should they win. I'm in too minds about it all - until 2009 you have to keep a door open for clubs that legitimately qualify, but given that there's no stand out loser of a team this season and that Cas will get stronger if they don't yo-yo, and given that the drop is unlikely to change Wakefield's approach to signing non-European players (in fact may make it worse?), then if Haven wins I could live with no promotion.

But it's probably unfair on Haven if they win third time lucky but don't get the spoils they were eligible for the past two attempts?

Thats the thing. I've only seen photo's of Whitehaven's home ground on their website and it doesn't look significantly worse than Hull KR's. It is hard to tell just by looking at photo's. I find the whole process a bit odd. I've been thinking lately that with a salary cap is a promotion/relegation system even tenable? Thats another argument altogether though.

 

[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]

C'mon Wakey!

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Wow, the tension of it all.