Simon Grix might argue the players getting injured point? He was unlucky or committed to a cause, take your pick.I wouldn't go into work and risk what they do for a 'meaningless' game.

Westwood didn't look too good either. A big few games for James Laithewaite me thinks!

totally agree,but im not going to go down that road any more

Why not do away with meaningless fixtures thus....

At the start of the season put all the SL teams names in a hat & draw them out for league positions ,come the 3rd week in September the top 8 teams can go straight to the play offs with injury free teams. The bottom four or six wouldn't need to play all season.

I know it sounds a great idea but i would miss my six months fix of rugby.

Is the most consistent side necessarily the best? Saints have been dire at some points this year and would well win the shield by default.

We are about to go into a play off series which could be wide open with the season culminating at one of the most famous stadiums in the world. Sport at it's best!

so if saints have been dire at certain points this season and still head the league ladder by 2 points with a game to go what does that make the rest..if you win the league then you must be the best.or are teams holding back for the play offs,if so that makes a mockery out of the league

I don't know whether you watched us on Thursday or Leeds and Wigan on Friday but I certainly haven't seen anyone holding back!

leeds at london maybe..wire at home to wakey wire at widnes,the list goes on,,sts are top so therefore must be the best atm..if they avoid defeat next week they are worthy champs and not a team that has won the league by default...

Clubs are always going to rest players prior to a cup final, regardless of the competition structure. Wakefield and Widnes were simply better than us on the day.

What about Wigan they had no such Cup distractions and have had more than the odd off day just look at the Wane thread "not the Wigan way" or whatever it's called on their board? Saints have been unlucky with injuries/their squad was thin depending upon your POV but I'm with SAM and others if they win it then they are better than an team that has won it by default.

BTW if Cas overhaul them will they have won it by default also, or will attitudes change? Will they be feted as a team that has come from nowhere got to a cup final and became a champion team?

Lets assume that for the next three years the RFL really gets behind the league winners...... A nice big silver cup is designed, a very big cheque is presented to the winners and each team member, there is a massive presentation with fireworks and dancing girls, Sky endlessly prattle on about who is going to finish top and who is getting close etc etc. And what happens ? as with any advertising, the consumer (RL fan) starts to come around to the view that this is an important cup and they want their team to win it. After five years, the league leaders cup is the 'one to win'. Surprisingly though, attendances have been falling for the playoffs. Old Trafford is cancelled and the final moved to Swinton. Fans talk about a meaningless knock out competition at the end of the season .... 'why bother with it ?, the best team has just won the league trophy, we don't really need a playoff series do we ?'

..... and club revenue falls because nobody is interested in the playoffs. And club revenue also falls because in some years one club wins the competition with 5-6 games still to play, thereby extinguishing any further interest in the cup.


Nobody in the RFL / Sky / club management are ever going to promote the league leaders trophy, it will always be a hubcap. Ergo teams will always field weakened sides at times to save their best players for the playoffs.