9-10 Jun: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Fax having a reserve team and bigger squad and not reliant on Dule Regs could be the difference beating Fev and London who both are running low on troops and fresh players. But still very close to call between them all. Fax have not beaten Fev at home for years and Fev probably start at favourites. Fax have beaten London at home already and wont fear going to London with the way they are playing and having rested some players at key times. But London are a quality team.

I think if Toronto beat Leigh, Fax can afford one loss and Fev 2, as I cant see London winning all 3 of their tough games, especially as must win away at Toulouse and Featherstone. I would say the favourites to join Toronto are Toulouse and Featherstone with Leigh and Halifax fighting in out for the last spot.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

3 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Just a thought Wellsy,

The Championship has obviously sparked a lot of interest for yourself if the trouble you have gone to in producing this post is anything to go by.

Considering that the Chair of your club is reputedly firmly on the camp of Leneghan and Co, are you in agreement with him re the end of the Qualifying 8's?

I love the Qualifiers.

The other 8s are terrible though. The momentum of the season is killed, it's hard to plan for and crowds drop drastically.

I'd love to see the qualifiers remain in some kind of 3-week series - beginning with 1st v 2nd Championship Grand Final for the first promotion spot (guaranteed SL team relegated), with a series of other cross-league games to determine a potential second or even third relegation spot.

Something along the lines of:

1) Championship Grand Final (SL Qualifying Place 1) - 1st v 2nd (winner promoted, loser in semis)

2) SL Qualifying Place 2 - SL10 v C3 (winner in SL, loser in semis)

3+4) SLQP3 Quarter Finals - C4 v SL12; C5 v SL11 (losers out, winners in semi)  

5+6) SLQP3 Semi Finals - Highest ranked loser (of games 1 and 2) vs Lowest Ranked winner (of games 1 and 2); Lowest ranked loser vs highest ranked winner. (Losers out, winners to final)

7) Million Pound Game (SLQP3 final) - Winner of 5 v Winner of 6 (highest ranked at home)

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Just to add context to that, had that been in place last season and we used the M8 results to determine the route (obviously ignoring H&A), you'd have had:

1) Grand Final: Hull KR 35 - London 30 (Hull KR promoted)

2) Catalans 24 - 0 Halifax* (Catalans safe)

3) Featherstone 10 - Widnes 58* (Fev out)

4) Toulouse 16 - Leigh 18** (Toulouse out)

5) London 16 - 38 Widnes* (London out)

6) Halifax 6 - 40 Leigh* (Halifax out)

7) Leigh 8 - Widnes 24 (Leigh relegated)

 

* - other team was at home in last year's 8s.

** - based off this year's fixture due to not playing each other last year.

Ultimately the same result mind - Hull KR up, Leigh down!

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Sad I know, but 2016 would have been:

1) Grand Final - Leigh 34 - 30 London (Leigh promoted)

2) Salford 42 - 14 Batley* (Salford safe)

3) Featherstone 16 - 62 Huddersfield* (Fev out)

4) Bradford - Hull KR**

5)  London 4 - 40 Huddersfield* (London out)

6) Batley 18 - 58 Hull KR* (Batley out)

7) Hull KR 22 - 23 Huddersfield (Hull KR relegated)

**Hull KR win by default due to no result to go by so highest ranked chosen.

 

Still same result... Leigh up, Hull KR down...

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Can't help it. Need to find a different result! 2015 guaranteed difference:

1) Grand Final: Leigh 16 - 32 Bradford (Bradford promoted)

2) Hull KR 38 - 28 Sheffield* (Hull KR safe)

3) Halifax 12 - 30 Wakefield* (Halifax out)  

4) Featherstone 16 - 70 Salford** (Fev out)

5) Leigh 16 - 17 Wakefield (Leigh out)

6) Sheffield 34 - 53 Salford* (Sheffield out)

7) Salford 34 - 26 Wakefield (Wakey relegated)

 

** - 2016 fixture used