I know exactly where the OP is coming from with this thread (and likewise Bilko on the main site). This should have been a great season... excellent crowds, loads of home grown players in the 17 every week, tries coming from all angles, nice kit... we had all that, but I was bored to tears this year.

For me, the season peaked with the great trip to Montpellier in June, but off the back of that, I couldn't begin to feign interest in any of the games (even v Saints or Warrington), and remember driving to the CC semi v Leeds wondering why I was bothering when I could have just stayed at home and watched on TV.

I think it all stems from the fact that the intensity that surrounded the play-offs a decade ago when I started watching the game has been killed with this crazy top 8 system. Win half of your games... you make the play-offs... you have virtually the same chance as anyone else of winning the GF as long as you have the big game talent.

The Challenge Cup Final seems to be slipping further and further from the general public's consciousness every year. As a result, the games leading up to it seem to have little point, until the actual enjoyment of being there for the two respective clubs involved.

To cap it off, we have a truly pathetic dribble of minor internationals at crap grounds coming up (Lens excepted for the France v Wales game, and maybe not Salford if only it was credibly big enough to contest a supposed 'international final') - no-one seems to know they're taking place because the plans have been kept secret until the 11th hour and we know that the only competitive game will be the only one England aren't in. At least if we had another Four Nations - a nice warm up to the World Cup - I'd be genuinely keen to see those, as something inside of me always ludicrously assumes it's finally our year to beat the Aussies.

I've had a season ticket for virtually every season over the past decade and renew it without thinking, but since the mid point of the season - watching us walk to easy wins against unmemorable opposition - I've been thinking that someone will have to give me a good reason to renew, because at the moment I really can't be bothered and would rather pick and choose random games involving clubs my mates support for a change of scenery, rather than repeat the boredom of this year.

Leeds are a GREAT team. Five Grand Final wins in six years is the mark of a GREAT team. Nine of the players who beat Saints in 2007 played in their win V Wire on Saturday.

They have beaten the fourth and first placed teams away to get to the final, and then beaten the second placed team in the final.

Leeds DESERVE the accolade of a GREAT team.

Sadly, they are a great CUP team, and that is what the league has been reduced to.

I'll be there again next seaosn, but I can FULLY understand anyone not renewing their season ticket.
Maybe a half-seaosn ticket might be a better investment - Just watching the games that teams might actually care about winning.

but you need to accept that the 3 MAJOR trophies available WCC GF & CC arre all knock out cup competitions and that the LLS is a MINOR trophy.

It has always been that way in the SL era and largely throughout the preceding 50 years in various formats.

I understand if fans want value for money in terms of the ST but the difficulty is if they reduce the number of SL teams to 10 to make the league a more intense competition week on week then the clubs will need to charge a much higher ticket price per game.

!0 SL Teams League with a reintroduced Top 5 Play Off.
Leeds
Warrington
Wigan
Saints
Catalan
Huddersfield
Hull/HKR merger
Wakefield/Cas merger
Bradford
London

I have no problem with Leeds being champions because they won the competition as set out before them. What I find odd and slightly irritating is the insistence of certain Sky pundits calling it a great achievement from fifth.

One of the ideas of finishing higher in the league is that you get home games in the play offs whereas we all know that's not ideal, look at Wigan's home and away record this year.

I know it's hypothetical but doesn't anyone think Wigan could have done a much better job from fifth.

Re: We need cheering up

Paul Wellens knocks on Sam Tomkins door, Sam opens it and Wellens shouts "trick or treat!"
Sam, stands there scratching his chin and asks for a "trick" ,
Wellens says " sorry I havent got any" and walks off....

Com'on I least I tried,...