Huddersfield Giants will be keeping a close eye on the Championship finale as they watch for which clubs they will play in the Middle 8s.
Halifax RLFC head coach Richard Marshall is demanding an improvement from his side as the final two rounds of the Championship unfold.
The Shay club currently head the race for the remaining Championship places in the Middle 8s, but the battle could hardly be tighter.
Halifax are third but face two other top-six rivals in their last two games.
While they are at the Shay for both those crucial clashes – against Featherstone Rovers on Sunday and London Broncos seven days later – the Halifax coach has plenty to think about following a 58-18 reversal at Leigh Centurions, whose victory saw them finish as Championship Leadgue Leaders Shield winners for a third consecutive season.
“We’ve done a lot of work this year and beaten some good sides and we’ll need to be good next weekend against Featherstone,” said Marshall, who is reported to have signed Underbank Rangers centre Adam Ryder who was previously on the books of Swinton Lions.
“We’ll have a good week this week and look for a response.
“We had 10 minutes in the second half when we scored a couple of tries and put some momentum together, but overall we were nowhere near.
“But we’re a good team and I’d be very, very disappointed if that has a bearing on how our season ends.
“We can bounce back from that – I’d like to think it’s a blip.”
Batley currently hold the fourth and last spot in the Middle 8s but have a tough home test on Sunday against London Broncos – who like Leigh are already confirmed in the battle with Super League’s bottom four.
Fifth-placed Bradford Bulls and Featherstone will both like to think they still have their fate in their own hands.
The Bulls are home to Oldham on Sunday and then face Featherstone in the final round of Championship matches at Post Office Road.
Rovers will keep their hopes alive with a win at the Shay which could then make their game against Bradford a winner-takes-all finale.
Championship contenders remaining fixtures
Halifax (Pl 21 W 13 D 1 L 7 F 573 A 419 Pts 27): Home to Featherstone Rovers (Sunday 3pm), Home to London Broncos (Sunday, July 24, 3pm)
Batley Bulldogs (Pl 21 W 13 D 1 L 7 F 496 A 441 Pts 27): Home to London Broncos (Sunday, 3pm), Away to Swinton Lions (Sunday, July 24, 3pm)
Bradford Bulls (Pl 21 W 12 D 2 L 7 F 673 A 414 Pts 26): Home to Oldham Roughyeds (Sunday, 3pm), Away to Featherstone Rovers (Sunday, July 24, 3pm)
Featherstone Rovers (PL 21 W 13 D 0 L 8 F 551 A 364 Pts 26): Away to Halifax (Sunday, 3pm), Home to Bradford Bulls (Sunday, July 24, 3pm)
