Top post.

Firstly, congratulations to Leeds....last night they were class, never panicked when they went behind, and played like Wire, with great pace, and unlike against Wigan, continued to play open, flowing rugby!!! But I do believe they have hit upon a flaw to a degree with the play-off system:
finish 1st or second and you have atough game against 3rd or 4th,
finish 5th or 6th you play an easier home tie against 7th or 8th,
Win their game, and ok they play away, but are playing against a team that has lost and maybe low on moral/confidence, as play-off games must take something away mentally, while being high on moral/confidence themselves,
Win that game and they are playing against a team that will have lost some momentum for having a week off, as well as even more confidence/moral,
Bang ....in the final!!! This is the real one off game with all at stake, and Leeds have proved they have the big match experience to pull this one off, and would be wholely confident!!!!

Despite all this....finishing 5th or 6th you are playing instant knockout rugby, and it takes some nuts to pull it off!!!! So again well played Leeds!!

Matt

Leeds also won the World Club Challenge.

Even if you start from the premise that the Challenge Cup has equal value to the Grand Final - and objectively nobody seriously would - you'd still be pitching runners up for the hubcap as being better than a WCC.

In football terms its almost like saying a team that wins the league cup and are beaten finalists for the FA cup have been more successful as the league champions who also won the Champions League.

Games between the top sides the home advantage doesn't matter that much. The fact they get basically a week off the first week against a crap team, then have to away games whilst the teams in the top four have to play a tougher opponent.

Hate the idea of the play off's as the weekly rounds are so devalued. Well done to leeds they were the best team on the night. I attended 2 league games this season, London and Hull k.r , no intensity in those early round games and scant reward for finishing top.

Me thinks you speak false words.

Can't see how you win a league by winning a cup competition. But there you go.

"totally und"...... Really?

I dont want to get into the argument about the playoff format again as its been done to death, and I do have sympathy with Dropkicks view that Leeds deserve their trophy. Particularly as 'everyone knows the rules'. But, but, but I wonder whether 5th winning the final again will have a bad affect on the weekly rounds next year ? I imagine supporters may well take the view that they will take an interest towards the end of the season rather than at the beginning. Does it really matter if they lose games during the first half of the season ? Can they expect their best players to be played regularly ? If they are short of cash, they may avoid a season ticket, attend their derby / attractive matches, but miss out on some of the early rounds. Perhaps watch more TV matches ?

I suspect the result this year will drive home the point yet again that the comp. is really all about the last few games, and whilst its good to watch attractive rugby during the regular rounds, nothing really matters until the end of season.

I would hope Wire increase their ST sales for next year after a fantastic year, but I will be interested to see the sales figures for teams like Wigan and Saints and perhaps even Leeds.

This is how I would like it to be. If the SL are bothered about losing a bit of income from the fewer games then add an extra game to the regular season.

The current formula makes a mockery of the regular season & rewards mediocrity.

Fans voted with their feet on the playoffs, including Leeds fans, the comp is on the slide, hopefully it can be rescued before its too late.

The playoffs never rewarded us for mediocrity in the pre Tony Smith era?

We made the playoffs from 6th, 4th etc but never managed to get reward for it.

John Monie once said "Great teams are not great all of the time, but are great when they need to be"

This is a great Leeds side.

I have already decided not to renew my season ticket next season so that I can pick my games and save my money for the so called "business end" of the season.
Warrington would have topped the league had they not put out weakened teams against Salford and London, to name two, but there is no due reward for finishing in that position. The weekly rounds are, therefore, denuded of tension because we all know the make up of most of the top eight before it starts.
Surely the idea of a "World Club Challenge" would is to pit the best team fro Oz and this country against each other. To say that Leeds are the best team in this country belies the fact that Wigan were the best team over the weekly rounds, but failed to win an end of season knockout competition. Laughable.
Was disappointed at Wire performance last night, but not devastated at the result. Better team won. But I cannot accept that the countries best team, ie Wigan, pause for retching, are not representing us in the WCC.
Hence my decision. So there!