i wouldnt say huddersfield had a good draw,even though they didnt win the thing, the quarter final against cass was hard and they were on form also the semi final against saints, nobody gave the giants much of a chance

Why would you judge a competition on what "could happen" or some ridiculous format you've just invented. Warrington won the cup avoiding any team that's won something in the last 5+ years, when Bradford won the GF from third (the least deserving by your logic) they beat the current holders and the previous year's cup winners and hub cap holders to do it.

Quite easy to see which is the better to win when based on facts rather than what-ifs.

Because the ridiculous format is with us now. It should be 1st plays 2nd in the Final end off story. Not giving an 8th place team who is closer to the bottom of the league a chance to become "true" champions....its rubbish.

the GF by a mile

clubs like leeds and saints at the moment, wigan and bradford previously, have only one measure of success come the end of the year, winning the GF,

anything less than making the GF for either Leeds or saints this year should and would be classed as a poor season, a challenge cup win wouldnt alter that,

the CC is a nice comp to win, but it isnt the basis of a season, and certainly not for a club which seriously believes it is one of the elite

it has great tradition and history and is a fantastic day out, but until the semis and final the attendances for what is for the most part, for most fans a 'free game' is awful,

saying that, i do agree with some of the criticisms of the current play off system, top 8 out of a 14 team league is a lot, but if we were to make it top 6 it would end the season too early for a fair amount of teams,

id be happy with the top 8, if it was made very very very difficult for the lower end playoff teams to win it,

i also think that giving a huge advantage to the top 2, with more for 1st would give greater relevance to the hubcap, the fact leeds saints isnt sold out yet shows the low esteem that trophy is held in

If they don't deserve to be "true" champions, then they won't win the play-offs, such is the structure. And low-and-behold no-one outside the top 3 have won it.

Having to win 5 times away from home sounds pretty difficult to me.

Four times, although at least two of those will be against top four teams (probably three).

Are you including the gf in that or are my maths wrong?

maybe, but not as hard i would like,

a team winning the playoffs from outside the top 2/3 should be nigh on impossible, it should be an extra-special effort, it should be a once in a blue moon occurence, not being so devalues the 27 rounds which have gone previously

Considering theres a good chance such an 8th place team, would very likely have to play the top two i think it already is nigh on impossible, even leeds or saints could easily not make it if they had to play that many away games, against top opposition, with no second chances.

And that has only happened once.