Most of you hate the Grand Final because you've yet to win it. You're not kidding anybody.
The reason the atmosphere is tensor than the Challenge Cup is because it means so much more to actually win it.

Exactly.

As for there being more trouble last year than in the past, I can only think the ban on drinking at your seat led to people trying to neck as much as possible in a short space of time.

Like Mr Cat I got to Manchester in the morning and had plenty to drink enjoying the atmosphere in the pubs, the tension/excitement when we got there was something else so obviously the agony afterwards was a killer.

Shame that people can't handle their drink, but that is the case when you go to any major public event.

Quite right. It's not as if people don't get hammered for the Challenge Cup either, all this late kick off stuff is misleading, people just start drinking even earlier in the day.

Not trying to kid anybody, I found the atmosphere like a pre season friendly and walked away last year not bothered.
The atmosphere at the Challenge Cup was far more intense.
I have said many times if we could win only one trophy each year, give me the Challenge cup every time. Couldn't be bothered with the Mickey Mouse Cup. Probably a generation thing, having supported over 50 years, but cannot buy in to all this Sky hype .

really? why did i see fans from other clubs -->not involved in the final causing trouble in and around the old trafford? how can they be tense? ed yup,tense?!imo there has to be more than tension as too why the g/f has a more *horrilble* type atmosphere when being compaired that of wembley and ,to a point,magic weekend.might just be a was in the wrong part of o/t at the wrong tlme,but i for one did not enjoy the day,even if we won i would have felt the same.

totally agree mate...better atmosphere at wembley and yes i have been there watching wire lose and still enjoyed the occasion...much better than manchester and watching ugly incidents and people urinating in those daft outdoor toilets...

If you've supported 50 years, the first 10 of those would have witnessed the 'champions' being the team which won it via the playoffs. Of your 50 years supporting, 26 of those have seen the champions being the team which won via the playoffs.

So which 'generation' are we talking about?

Totally different situation. In those days teams didn't play everybody home or away. In fact the year we finished top 1972/73, Leeds finished 2nd and if my memory serves me correctly we didn't play Leeds that year. There was no other way to decide the "Champions" and in those days there were more trophies to be had and the same emphasis wasn't placed on it.

If the Grand Final, as some are suggesting was fabricated by Sky and a thoroughly enjoyable experience, there would be a noticeable drop in the number of Leeds fans attending over the last few years. But no, they keep going back for more.

Just to add that according to the rugby league tickets website, the winners of the Wire-Hudds game will be given the East stand - not the West stand as posted earlier in this thread by somebody.

Wembley for me. Don't get me wrong a trip to Old Trafford is better than going to Castleford. At the end of the day only two teams get there so let's just hope were one of them.

+1 I still value the GF, but give me Wembley anyday. That's the traditional showpiece and the one I want every year. Each to their own I guess.

It was the SL's twitter account ...... so if they are now saying 'East', there'll be quite a few fans (from all 4 teams) miffed if they've ordered tickets in the corners thinking they'll be near the bulk of their own fans.

The rugbyleaguetickets website does indeed say our semi winners will have the East Stand and Wigan or Leeds will have the Stretford End. That seems strange as Leeds have been in the East every year and I think Wigan were there in 2010, while we where in the Stretford last year, so it's weird that they've swapped it round from what seemed natural.

Tickets at both ends are now on sale on the RFL website too.

I was in the East Stand upper tier last night, and although it was very high up where I was on row 32, the view was great from the front of that tier and tickets up there are a tenner cheaper than the lower so I think that's what I'll be buying online tonight if we get through.

Plus, you'll able to throw your flare further from there.