If you don't like it, leave, seems an awfully arrogant standpoint for a game which struggles to find players.

Perhaps some of our players arent reaching their potential because rather than devoting themselves to being the best RL player they can, they are spending their days bricklaying, plumbing, preparing to do something different to rugby league because theres a very good chance that a) Rugby League wont provide them with enough money to re-adapt once they finish their career and enter the job market with a knackered body and a decade plus behind their cohort and B) could end at any time.

We have a problem in this country that we don't have players of the requisite quality to fill our sides, yet we have players going to other leagues, going to other games, and choosing to stay part-time and simply leaving the game, Perhaps if the 'well go do something else' brigade look closely, players are going somewhere else and that is a big reason why the game struggles in the way it does.

And the most ridiculous thing about it is that for all the damage it does, not that many people will attend the MPG, not that many will watch in tv and hardly anyone will become a fan of the game because of it.

Cockayne could always get a job as a taxi driver.

Not when he's making loads selling coffee and Herbalife.

Cockayne is lucky to be earning any sort of income. Most employers wouldn't go anywhere near him given his "record" ...

Maybe cockayne Is thinking of himself because in reality any decent players on the losing side are going to get snapped up but Cockayne at 33 is not

You become more of a c0ck with every passing day.

I'd say that's unfair to say we hadn't learned lessons from last year, where we won what, 3 games and were the worst team by far, this year Top 8 and CC semi. Also when Salford didn't get their points back, we stated resting players for the CC Semi which obviously then became priority. It's why when we played Cas at the end of the season, we gave games to 2 guys who hadn't played all year, one on his debut. You say lucky, I say we played the cards dealt.

For all those crisising Cockayne, the Salford coach has now said effectively the same thing. This year's MPG is massively different to last year.

The MPG is a device the rfl created to get a champ side promoted because they never envisioned they could get auto promoted in the mid 8s (well done Leigh, they deserve it). This year we know for certain that one SL side will definately be relegated which means that this is the first time in ages an SL side has been relegated because of on field performances and not a restructure/bankrupcy etc.

Yes we had 30 other games we could have done better in to avoid this, but injuries, the odd dodgy decision by officials and our own defensive weaknesses all play a part. Some of those are out of our control.

Wakey avoided relegation last year, so the consequences of these mid 8s are only going to be felt this year.

Do the RFL really want either Salford or Hull KR to fold? Realistically, no. But that is a distinct possibility, hence the comments in the media.

The circumstances you mention contributing to losses over 30 games would still have occurred if 1up 1 down P&R was still being used. Why does this system make teams and players more vulnerable?

If Leigh go straight back down next season, the system could be deemed a failure. If they stay up at the end of the 8's, get a second season in SL and start to build on and off the field, it would be a success. Wouldn't it?

They all signed up to it! What do they want to do now? Cross their signatures out. The RFL gave two clubs parachute payments (one off payments) to support the transistion. Thats what they all agreed to! And now some dont.

There's some right tools on here iggy. They thought there cosy little SL family was protected forever and then some little upstarts from Leigh spoiled there virtual terrace love in. Earning respect from some of the idiots on here who deride anything lower league is not going to be anything I will worry about this coming season. It is quite amusing.

Who do I want to go down....HKR....no wait Salford....actually don't know TBH but will enjoy the game for what it is.

I dont think that fan's have any objection to relegation (unless it's their club that is affected), it's the concept of the MPG that is being questioned.
It's one thing losing in a cup final and having to get over the disappointment but, with so much at stake, there is little pleasure for fans, players and employees of the clubs involved.
My club, Wakefield, have been involved in 2 of these games, Bradford last season and Cas a few years back and we've also had plenty of "scrapes" over the years to survive in SL by the skin of our teeth on too many occasions.

Where the MPG is so fundamentally flawed is, the fact that we have this game every season.

There is a world of difference in being the bottom club and "deserving" to be relegated and having to play a game under such intense pressure, with everything on the line. It's just not necessary.

Btw, well don to Leigh, it's been a long, long wait and I hope SL is all that you have been praying for.

It's the whole Million Pound game thing for me. I'm a Hull KR fan and have no problem with promotion and relegation as thats how we got back into the top flight. But this season we didn't finish bottom of the league after 23 rounds, finished above Salford in the Middle 8's but still have to play a deciding game to avoid relegation. In two league formats this season we have not been the worse team overall but could still go down because of one game.

fold - why? the sl club relegated wont have any player contracts come the 1st december? its then up to that club to cut their cloth accordingly with the 800k+ funding they will still get.

The RFL planned for relegation by having relegation clause put into players contracts and also adjusting funding accordingly...

whats happening tomorrow is no different than the game at Belle Vue in 2006 which resulted in rovers replacing the loser...

IMO both Watson and Cockayne are talking crap and actually brin the game into disrepute and as for Cockayne's link to the State of Mind organisation, is a complete disgrace and he should apologise.

Fate decided it came down to the final game of the season that year and the team that went down was the worse over the course of a full season. That is how it should be if we are to have relegation. Not this Million Pound Game rubbish. Rovers did not finish bottom after 23 games and finished above Salford in the 8's but still have to play a decider to stay in the league.