Hull KR interim head coach James Webster insisted his side are still looking up in the table – and stressed the importance of today’s derby clash with Hull FC.
Webster’s side need to win their remaining two games, against Hull and Leeds, to stand a chance of making the eight, while also needing Wakefield Wildcats to fall to two defeats.
But despite their thin chances of sealing a place in the Super 8s, the 37 year-old admitted in the seemingly likely event his side are in the bottom four, their season will not be over.
“It’s worth the same amount of points as all the other games but saying that we understand a win on Thursday night gives us at least two days hoping we can get into that top eight,” he said.
“It’s just another big game and one that I think everyone will be looking forward to and we understand that we need to win to make that top eight.
“We understand the season won’t be over should we not win that game and obviously we go into the game full of confidence.
“We can’t control anything and people asked me if I was thinking about the Salford result and not at all. We can’t control that and we can’t control Wakefield playing Catalans over there but we don’t need to worry about that.”
But Webster remains focused on the mammoth task of overcoming Hull and Leeds, who have since returned to form, and will not allow himself to concede to the Qualifiers until anything is definitive.
The former Wakefield coach pointed to recruitment as one of the incentives for finishing in the top eight, as Hull KR look to appoint their new coach for the 2017.
His former side lie in the way of The Robins and that top eight, while Webster admitted even the Middle 8s will be a tough task for his squad.
“You’d rather be in the eight and the main thing is recruitment and I think as Rovers have seen this year other clubs in top four and top eight are recruiting for next year and while the club behind the scenes are working hard that’s main one,” he added.
“Make no mistake about it the bottom four is going to be a slug fest there’s some decent teams and it’s not like last year where Wakefield were not the greatest and Salford players were leaving and they were nowhere near the team yet are his year and Rovers probably had the better squad of those in the bottom four.”
