I think that's splitting hairs somewhat. Most of the comments on here are opinions. I don't really see that everyone should need to spell it out that everything they say is "in my opinion" as opposed to a fact, as other people can work that out for themselves and contradict it if they wish.

(What really annoys me is people who spell out "Fact!" after a sentence which is clearly an opinion!)

You're probably right. Got myself into a bit of a box there. I still don't believe that he's produced an argument to justify his opinion though.

Not guilty. FACT!

For Jay. This season in NSW Cup Grand Final (reserve grade) was contested by 7th place NEWTOWN (Roosters) v 8th place BALMAIN.
Newtown won, coached by Greg Matterson, our former player, Terry's brother. ie. it happens, rightly or wrongly in your opinion.



As for McDermott. He must still be a naff coach apparently, but what will change people's minds? In the meantime, give the geezer some credit ffs.

On here we get so emotional at times sadly, sorry but as Prince of Denmark states you are slightly "splitting hairs" it is of course my opinion!

Rooster Booster, it does not change my opinion of Australian second grade rugby league do the same, do they also give teams at the top who lose as second chance to go through?

The system is wrong, would love to know who thought it all up, can't see it being Richard Lewis, was it the person who has been put in charge of shaping the future of the game? most likely!

No, it's in line with the NRL from this season.

Some People are saying here in the UK we are far too negative about Super League, but it is because we love the game and want to see it grow and develop even more.

Yes teams who finish top have the chance of another bite of the cherry (most of the time) if they lose their first game. That is the reward for the consistency that you spoke about earlier. As it happens the 2 most consitent teams of the year contested this years Grand Final. So the system can work it's more a case of some coaches are better at game plans for those one off games than others. So even though Warrington have a muche better squad than most, McDermott had the better game plan. I'm all for it.

I can barely understand you most of the time.

The play-off system essentially comes into force after a 27 game league season and turns SL into a knockout comp, similar but not the same as the challenge cup. Are all forms of knock-out wrong? I don't understand

Leeds have been rewarded for being able to successfully negotiate a knock-out competition and raise themselves for the big occasion. McDermott's key contribution here is clearly instilling a sense of belief into his players that, despite finishing 5th, they could go on and win. Leeds do not (IMO) have the strongest squad in the competition - Wigan and Warrington have more depth and some outstanding individuals - and yet they came away with nothing.

The players did it all, the play-off system is unfair, the weather was too dry - how many more excuses are you people going to come up with before you just back down and admit that McDermott had proved us all wrong, he clearly has got a great amount of coaching ability and he's going from strength to strength?

stevo was moaning about the play offs what he tends to forget was when he won the title with dewsbury in the 60s they won it from 8th place the play offs arent a new format

So lets step back a few years and go back to what it was!! team finishes top, bottom couple of teams get relegated end of! So you have a runaway team, they have won the league with 4 rounds or more to go, bottom team know with same time they are down, whats the point of the remaining games.
Our comp has made the decision to go this way! finishing top has tended to benefit that or second! apart from the last couple of years.
I personally think the play offs have got too complicated and should prob be top 6 but!!!! thats my opinion, sat night was a spectacle of rugby league, there were supporters from every club there and yep its taken over from the challenge cup.

As for the thread, yep Mac is rubbish!! has no control or influence on anything thats happened with Leeds the last 2 seasons, the players singing his praises today mean nothing

Am I right in thinking that certain posters are suggesting BMcDs success at Leeds is solely down to inheriting a great Tony Smith side (circa 2004-07) but his perceived failure at London was all his own work and nothing to do with the players he inherited? Seriously?
I'd suggest we finish 5th lately because there's more sides capable of beating us on the day coupled with the emergence of Wigan, Catalans,Warrington and even Huddersfield in the last few years. We'd regularly take 12 of the 16 points against them but recently have been getting 4 or 6. Also Bradford, Wakey and Cas like nothing better than beating us and the two Hull clubs are hardly our best friends either. As the team everyone wants to beat I think Macca has done a great job. He's a successful BRITISH coach FFS!