Re: Route to Old Trafford : Sat Sep 06, 2014 8:46 pm  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

Wigan have shown they don't perform well after a week off. A momentum building game against Widnes/Cats could well provide a better route to OT for us.

I think as long as the team is mentally and physically fresh enough, that is the better route. I don't think the week off is any real advantage to a team that doesn't really need it.

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Sun Sep 07, 2014 8:05 am  

It's all about attitude rather then having a week off that costs us. We did ok with a week off in last years play offs before we beat Leeds at the DW for example.

We could win it from either route but I'd fancy our chance more in the top four even if we get a week off.

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:11 am  

Right, my initial predictions were poop so how about this....

Castleford lose in France so Saints win league leaders shileld
Huddersfield win their last game.
Wigan beat Warrington
Week 1 .... We would be second and play Huddersfield at home
Week 2 .... Week off as we beat Huddersfield but saints lose to Castleford so we have club call for week 3
Week 3 .... We pick Leeds leaving Castleford to play Warrington
Wigan 27, Castleford 12 in the Grand Final

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:09 am  

FlexWheeler wrote:

I think as long as the team is mentally and physically fresh enough, that is the better route. I don't think the week off is any real advantage to a team that doesn't really need it.

Leeds could suffer from not having had a week off all season.

Let's see how we go against Wire but I'd like to play Cas in the playoffs having lost to them in the cup. It would also be fun to be able to spank Saints and end their season. I'm not really worried about anyone other than the Rhinos as long as Wigan can continue to turn up and improve like they did on Friday.

Not a prediction but i would enjoy this.

Week 1 beat Cas away.
Week 3 beat Saints at home.
Week 4 beat Leeds at OT.

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:36 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

It's all about attitude rather then having a week off that costs us. We did ok with a week off in last years play offs before we beat Leeds at the DW for example.

We could win it from either route but I'd fancy our chance more in the top four even if we get a week off.

It's all depended on our cup run in previous seasons. In 2010 we got knocked out in the QFs so had already had two weeks off by the time the playoffs came round. The defeat to Leeds in round 1 of the playoffs was a blessing in disguise IMO, as it meant we got another game to put things right. In 2011 and 2012 we had gone further in the cup and we looked desperate for the week off, once we'd lost the round 1 playoff game it was the nail in the coffin. Last year we'd gone all the way in the cup, but managed to win week one in the playoffs which meant we got a much needed week off. This season has gone the same as 2010, and the team look like they would benefit much more from game time than a week off.

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Mon Sep 08, 2014 4:46 pm  

Major Tom wrote:

Leeds could suffer from not having had a week off all season.

Let's see how we go against Wire but I'd like to play Cas in the playoffs having lost to them in the cup. It would also be fun to be able to spank Saints and end their season. I'm not really worried about anyone other than the Rhinos as long as Wigan can continue to turn up and improve like they did on Friday.

Not a prediction but i would enjoy this.

Week 1 beat Cas away.
Week 3 beat Saints at home.
Week 4 beat Leeds at OT.

Leeds had a week off the week before Wembley and have another one this weekend.

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:26 pm  

Major Tom wrote:

Leeds could suffer from not having had a week off all season.

Let's see how we go against Wire but I'd like to play Cas in the playoffs having lost to them in the cup. It would also be fun to be able to spank Saints and end their season. I'm not really worried about anyone other than the Rhinos as long as Wigan can continue to turn up and improve like they did on Friday.

Not a prediction but i would enjoy this.

Week 1 beat Cas away.
Week 3 beat Saints at home.
Week 4 beat Leeds at OT.

Leeds have a week off this week

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:49 am  

This week:
Wigan v Warrington - Just think we have turned the corner at the right time.
Salford v Widnes - Can't see why Widnes would go all guns blazing to win an away tie to Leeds. Better to lose and face Hudds!
Huddersfield v St Helens - The LLS isn't very important but it should prove motivation enough for Saints to get the job done here, with Hudds having one eye on the play offs
Catalans v Castleford - Cas' cup run and the trip to France to sap their energy, particularly as I don't think the LLS will be up for grabs at that point
Other three games - Who cares? All dead rubbers

Play offs Week 1
St Helens v Warrington - Really don't fancy Saints in the play offs without Walsh.
Wigan v Castleford - Time to get that monkey off our back. Think the cup run and Cats away will have taken it out of Cas as well
Huddersfield v Widnes - Obviously
Leeds v Catalans - Obviously

Week 2
St Helens v Leeds - See above for Saints. All that experience for Leeds to see them through. Eddie and Stevo to carry Jamie Peacock around the stadium on their shoulders and accidentally refer to Leeds as champions
Castleford v Huddersfield - Cas fans will love me for this! Everyone seems to have forgotten Hudds this season, but they looked pretty good when they drew with Wire a couple of weeks ago and they're unbeaten in the last six games. Plus the pressure would be on Cas as favourites at home.

Week 3
Wigan v Huddersfield - Think we're a better team anyway, plus beating Cas would take it out of Hudds whereas we would have had a week off.
Warrington v Leeds - Leeds will have Sinfield and Peacock, Warrington won't have Briers or Morley. Those key experienced blokes really make a difference in those games

Final
Wigan v Leeds - Genuinely can't call it. Leeds may be knackered but they have a bloody good track record of getting the job done at Old Trafford. It would be a classic!

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:07 am  

Grimmy wrote:

St Helens v Leeds - Eddie and Stevo to carry Jamie Peacock around the stadium on their shoulders and accidentally refer to Leeds as champions.

This made me LOL (as young people are wont to say nowadays)

Re: Route to Old Trafford : Sun Sep 14, 2014 12:02 am  

Quite a few teams look like they are running out of steam at the wrong time. Cas look like recent efforts have drained them and injuries might catch up with Saints and Wire now things are getting serious. Catalan and Widnes might pull off a shock but they aren't serious contenders. Leeds have yet to show their hand and who knows which Huddersfield will show up.

Wigan v Leeds final.