I don't want to change the format and that was my point it's good that the top 4 aren't nailed on to finish 4th at the start of this phase of the competition. We were too far away last year to have any realistic chance of replacing anyone above us, lose a game early on it's too much to make up season effectively over.

Yes Saints finished 4th but current form apart Catalans can't be written off and as I said it would be good if 5th finished 4th for the format and the game but not at our expense

I do want a format change. Just because this year suits, it doesn't make it right.

These super 7 games either go and make a top 4 only or keep the format and bring in a 4/5th play off.

The bottom 3 will be mathematically out of the top 3 should the top 3 win and will rely on Saints winning no more than 2 while every game the bottom 3 must win thereafter.

Cats are the only team that can retake 4th but beating Saints is a do or die.

As I read it.

If fact we almost are playing 7 utter useless ties....all this can be sorted out with just one game now....Saints v Cats for a 1/4 final spot.

I prefer that the season means more, why should a team be poor all year,scrape 8th and have a chance of winning in 3 knockout games? At least this way a team that finishes 8th has pretty much no margin for error to make then playoffs as reward for their inconsistency.

No margin for error?
I mean they have zero chance unless the top 3 loose every game and the bottom 3 win every game. There's no margin whatsoever.

I think the quality of teams 5 to 8 this year is better than last season so there may be more chance of shock results. If the play offs are done away with though the season could be done & dusted for August Bank Holiday. I for one would like more rugby not less.

Top 3 is irrelevant if they catch 4th, who they are a lot closer to. Fair reward for the consistency of the top 3 that they would have to experience disaster to miss out.

Saints have been poor for a long time and so are under more pressure (although they've been helped by convenient fixture scheduling as to when they play us). I feel for catalans so good pretty much all season but it has to be said their predicament is their own doing, injuries are unfortunate but they still have a capable side which is underperforming.

So would I like more rugby!
..but varied!!
Shortening the league was the problem.
I would extend it by 4 teams now and another 2 within 2 years.
Reduce some fixtures so you don't play every team twice as in Australia. It's possible we can play the same team up to 5 times in a season! That can't be right Shirley?

Six actually.

Home and away in the league
Magic
Challenge Cup
Super 8s
Play Offs

Lol. Yes.
I actually put 6 then edited.
I recounted a second time and forgotten the magic!

Yes, i must agree with you there Duckie ,increase the number of teams & possibly revert to 2 divisions. To be honest ,as far as the middle 8s are concerned, it is always going (horrible sky phrase) "to be a big ask" for part timers to deal with even the worst SL team. We've already lost York for next season & Bradford are up before the taxman again.

and just to be clear that my view wasn't expressed from a standpoint that this year is right because it suits us whereas last year it didn't. It was based on a notion that 5 teams are genuinely in the mix as opposed to last year who knows next year it might be six genuinely fighting for four spots and even if two are involved in dead rubbers you might take some joy in keeping one of your bitter rivals out of the four meagre pickings I know

One thing last year proved was get more points round 1-23 it just might count about now

I don't thing we should be swapping and changing formats every couple of years and we should be prepared to let this run even though I was a 'first past the poster' and agree with P&R on moral grounds that a closed shop is unfair

There isn't enough quality/interest/cash to run a 16 team 'premier' league at the moment IMO although the top 4 in the championship plus Bradford and Halifax might disagree in addition to the ambition of Toulouse and Toronto in the future.

If it were to happen, I'm not a fan of every team not playing each other twice it's a return to a format pre M62 and the internal combustion engine where the quality of your 'local' league had too much say in proceedings..... not for me thanks

I really like this format

I think this format is okay. We've been royally stitched up with a Thursday night game on the back of the semi though. None of the four teams involved in the semis should be playing on Thursday next week. As it is we've drawn the short straw spectacularly because not only are we playing too early, but it's the fixture we never win.

We will make the top four though and then it's two wins required. We could lose it from first just as easily as we could win it from fourth so the order doesn't worry me too much, but form does. Trailing in fourth on the back of a losing run would be a concern, but finishing fourth after a tight Super 8s where everyone has taken points off each other would be okay if that makes sense.

I expect us to win tomorrow but would hand Hull or Wakefield the Cup now without any hesitation in exchange for a Grand Final win, so I'm going to be nervous right up to October regardless.

Format not ideal and has its flaws, but as has been said, it's better than a team strolling along for the season, finishing 5th-8th and winning the whole thing!
In the next few seasons, hopefully, more teams will be involved in fighting for the playoffs which will lessen dead rubbers at this stage. Until then it is what it is.