15,200.


Ideal then.

Didn't the Champ and Champ1 clubs suggest a solution where it was straight up/down for the top/bottom clubs, and then the 2-5 placed clubs in the Champ play a knockout to play a one-off Million pound game with the SL 2nd from bottom team?

That would keep the excitement of the MPG and keep competition alive, while keeping a promotion/relegation AND leaving things to play for too.

Of course the SL clubs poo-poohed it. And brought in repeat fixures instead; as that's MUCH more thrilling.

So remind me where the experts said London would finish this years and where they are now and who they beat to do it?!?!?!?!??!

Top 5 has to be target then with Cap'n Kear the sudden death specialist in charge who knows what could happen?!?!?

We've got to get into the top 5 first. I think Toronto, Widnes, Toulouse and Halifax have the top 4 pretty much nailed on with Fev not far off but possibly weaker after having to make cuts due to them missing out this year. There is a definite drop in quality after that top 5. I expect Leigh to drop down a bit with their troubles.

We may take time to get used to the rise in quality. The "easiest" opposition will be sides that gave us our hardest games this season so we'll need to step it up. Hopefully a proper pre season and a few new guys with proven championship quality will help.

Of course they did. Given the horror scenario that might have happened if the top teams in the Championship continued to strengthen while the bottom of Super League kept spinning their wheels meaning that a middle 8's setup could have seen 4 clubs drop, we should be damn grateful to the SL overlords that we get the scraps of 1 promotion spot.

I have always believed the top team in the league should go up but my fear with that system is that this year Toronto would have effectively killed the league by June.

I like the top five play off as long as the top team goes straight into the grand final. Who wouldn't enjoy the build up to a grand final at Headingley Vs Toronto or anyone.
The other four play off and probably down to positions 8-10 are still trying to get into 5th so the season stays interesting. If the top team still goes up then OK but the rest of us still had hope and some entertainment for the whole season.

As far as the argument about it just being about money then what about the extra 10s of thousands we have just earnt. That may help in signings if not just paying the bills over the next few month so I don't begrudge a club earning that extra money in the play offs and giving us fans something to dream about.

The 8s have helped to achieve the objective of strengthening the championship so mid table would be brilliant and any higher a bonus. The 5s were always a great end to the season (once you got your head around who played who when), as posters say it kept interest to the end of the main season, and heavily favoured the "minor superleaguer" team. I doubt any team would want to go straight into the final, a hit out against fifth is better than training ground games for several weeks.

Early doors but Im tipping you to make the top 5 at the expense of either Fax or Fev.

This was the basis of my thought that the new system was a farce, since I've never witnessed a system like that (probably too young). Perhaps, on reflection, the word was over zealous. I think a 6 or 8 team playoff would be a better end to the season to be honest. Plenty of games to play, second bites of the cherry for the top performers, and the ones that scrape into the playoffs playing for their lives.

As I read it, the SL teams didn't like so many teams "being in jeopardy" even if they finished out of the bottom spot. They don't seem to mind that you can finish mid-table yet still be "champions".

But, they have got their wish. Teams in the mid zone that won't make the playoffs but can't be relegated will have a second half of the season that is just a slow death. But crowd interest will be redoubled by being able to play the same teams several times a season. If a couple of those are in the same zone, then some meaningless repeat dead rubbers should really have both crowds and broadcasters buzzing.

Quote paulwalker71="paulwalker71"No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.'" You do realise there were 3 games that day? Castleford - Widnes Featherstone R - Oldham Bramely - Featherstone L

Quote paulwalker71="paulwalker71"No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.'" You do realise there were 3 games that day? Castleford - Widnes Featherstone R - Oldham Bramely - Featherstone L

I didn't, but if that's what it takes to fill Headingley, then I'm all for it. There will be a League 1 promotional playoff next season as well, I believe. So having a 'finals day' and getting a big crowd seems like a great idea to me.