To be fair to Wire, I don't think you can count the Salford game. It was on the same weekend as the Exciles game. We went 22-0 up at Cas and ended up only drawing.... think most of the top teams should ignore that weekend's games when doing a season review.

Correct. No matter what you think of them you cannot dispute their quality throughout the whole season. Their blip against Salford is easily explained away. Also, the way they coped effortlessly without Briers and Morley for extended spells has to be acknowledged too.

It might not taste too good, but Wire are a top side - possibly THE top side.

I know they used to gone off football a bit so I can only assume they still do haha.

But I think it would be superb and a lot better than now where the league champions have got nothing to do with consistency. I mean the team that finishes 4th can win the league by playing the same amount of games 1st place would have needed to or 8th place can win by playing 1 more. Its not really a fair system to the most consistent team in the league all year.

Btw centralparkforever. Wire are not inconsistent they have had what are called drops in form they just bounce back a week later. Think of us with the Cas game.

It's going to be interesting to compare the games played by whoever wins the GF in the playoffs to those we had to play to win the cup.

If it's us or Wire you can guarantee it won't be as hard a path to the GF then we faced to get Wembley.

Of course that is the reward you get for a good season in the league but it also means winning the cup should not be by any means a second string competition in terms of merit.

It certainly isn't financially as you get more money from a cup final appearance than that of GF one.

The current play-off system also needs to be scrapped. Top 8 is rubbish and the best of the lot is top 5 because that does give THE most direct link to league performance and the advantage you get for finishing higher up the table.

As to which is best league winners or GF winners I have always thought the league but acknowledge the sport has chosen a different way to crown the champions.

But you watch, I expect Wire tyo get the shield by beating Hull and when they do look at the headlines. They will read Wire's first championship since 1955 regardless of the fact the sport deems the GF winners the champions. That is because in our country compared to OZ the concept of playoffs are still not part of the sporting psyche.

Yes, I well remember your signature on RSRL for a long time, wasn't it something like: "Wigan Warriors - 1998 Champions (oh and we won the Grand Final as well)" ?

Sadly, I suspect that prediction (IF we beat Hull tonight, it's not a given) is going to be proven accurate. And it will be pretty embarrassing.

Correct!

I think there SHOULD be a lot more recognition given for finishing top, but there just isn't.
I know that personally, winning the LLS in 05, 07 and 08 were of no consolation to me when we didn't win the grand final, it still felt like a bad season.

Sky are this weekend concentrating on whish team will finish 8th! ffs its not even the top half! I could just about stomach top 6 but top 8 when not even all the teams are top half is an absolute farce! It hurts to think they prob will never go back to first past the post.
People will argue that we have had playoffs to decide the Championship for the majority of RL history but there were clear reasons for that prior to 1973.
Wire should be crowned champions should they win tonight and they should be taking about 6,000 fans over to Hull to celebrate the fact. Even though i'm still convinced we wouldn't have had last weeks scoreline had the title been effectively on the line.

Would be a bitter pill to swallow especially after 3 times. I will defend Saints though i bet they never went above their station and thought they were nailed one to win the GF. Class teams dont (which you were then) and us now. We always take one game at a time.

Really ??? thought you were already nailed on to win the GF