Wonder what the odds would be that next year's final will be Saints v Wigan.

I certainly wouldn't bet against it.

..... I always enjoy the sly digs at Wire and their fans - Let's be honest here, outside of the trophy winning trio already named (Saints, Wigan & Leeds), most clubs would LOVE to be in Wire's position and the seasons we have supposedly endured since Tony Smith took over in 2009.

Financially stable, a modern stadium, which is filled to reasonable numbers most weeks, a competitive side, more trophies than any other side, apart from Wigan & Leeds, since 2009.

In truth, while we would love to claim a SL title, I'd imagine being a Wire fan is a far more satisfying experience than being a Huddersfield fan in their empty stadium, or a Wakefield, Hull or Hull KR with their seasons usually over by May, or a Bradford fan with their skint club, or indeed any other side outside the SL trophy winning trio....

The over-confident loudmouth Wire fans instance that every season was the 'year of the wolf' is what gave birth to that "it's always your year" chant that everyone in Super League sings at Warrington fans thesedays.

You gotta dream

Despite the regular arguments about the play off structure etc. There is a knack of doing well in the play offs and the clubs that are involved most regularly (especially at the semi final stage) generally fear better than the teams that haven't.
Also, the clubs that have won the GF in recent years have stronger squads and know how to manage them in order to make the final (notwithstanding the fact that Saints have played a good chunk of the season without a decent half back pairing).

The all new league structure will change the nature of the play offs, as it will be the top 4 who contest the play off series, which will certainly help the less experienced clubs, if they can secure a top 4 finish.

Having said that, they would still need to win the final

So is 3 Challenge Cups, 1 top of the table finish, and 2 GF appearances in the last 6 seasons and a style of rugby which is lauded by most within the game, a total failure then??

Of course, we would love to win the Super League title, but I think its fair to say most clubs, bar Wigan and Leeds, would swap their last 6 seasons for ours?

You and me both

*If* the only concern was how to get a new name on the trophy as quickly as possible, your best shot would be to completely eliminate the cap - provided you assume that Koukash has, in Rugby terms, a more-or-less 'infinite' budget - thus making Salford a likely candidate. Not saying a complete free-for-all is a good idea, just that eliminating the cap would probably get you a new name on the trophy faster than lowering it. This would not have been true pre-Koukash.

What is it with you and the asterisk?

The might *look* like asterisks but really they're *stars*

Why dont you just use "these"?