That SHOULD be the way but it isn't. The rules were there before the season kicked off that the Champions would be crowned at Old Trafford on October 6th. Yes, its nice to win the sgield vut I would swap it for the Grand Final win each and every time.

Good to see the German language lessons are paying off !!!

But I bet big red nose has no problem with his 2nd placed team playing in the CHAMPIONS league now does he .
Also every league under the prem have a play off system for promotion

In Super League, the Grand Final decides who are the Champions. So Warringtons 58 year wait continues.

I don't see the relevance of the champions league other than the fact the top four getting in means they have a mechanism in place that means even if the league is won early there is still something for other teams to play for. So they have that and still didn't screw up how the league champions are decided.

As to the lower leagues the champions of those leagues become champions by winning the league not the playoffs and they also get promoted automatically without having to play off.

The football league know the idea that the champions of the various divisions after a season long campaign could be denied the prize and/or promotion due to having to play off will never fly.