The SL clubs signed up to this idea you say, but I didn’t, and I’d say if it’s broke fix it. Not everything that is a rule/law or idea is necessarily perfect and this one is turning into a very bad one for the SL. I was told that it was once legal to kill a Welshman within the boundaries of the walls of Chester, this I’d think you’d agree was a bad idea if you were Welsh, and the way the play offs are structured and the title of champions is a bad idea for the weekly rounds of SL, and I would think the same no matter who wins a GF. Also with no P&R about half of SL has virtually next to nothing to play for all season.

Would Leeds have finished top if thats what they had to do to become Champions?

Winning the playoffs is no more harder than winning the CC. In fact, Wigans run to win the CC last year was harder than Leeds run to win the GF. Finishing top is the hardest thing to do, thats why that team should be the Champions starting next year. Give us all a reason to buy a season ticket as the regular is meaningless with just 27 friendlies at the moment.

Disagree with this point. Why not back your team to surpass Leeds' achievement: win the LLS and GF (throw in the CC as well and your team will definitely get the acknowledgement that you appear to so desperately need). But AEOTD it's a personal choice I guess; just don't be too surprised to find your team, having enjoyed lacklustre support throughout the season and displaying the lack of effort in regular rounds that many fans are apparently calling for, finds itself unable to lift itself at the seasons end.

In the CC you get weeks between the rounds. In the playoffs you have to back up, week after week.

From wigans run i remember them playing bradford away (who finished outside the playoffs) warrington away (1st) saints neutral (3rd) and leeds neutral (5th). I don't remember the game before bradford, but would i be right in assuming it wasn't an opponent worth mentioning?

Leeds had to back up week after week against 8th (h) 4th (away) 1st (away) 2nd (neutral)

So no, wigans cup run wasn't harder. And the weekly rounds aren't meaningless because you still need to finish higher up to have the best chance. Though i suppose, anywhere from 1st to 5th wigan generally fail to make the grand final so It doesn't matter for you guys.

-talk about missing the point!and to think,you actually *believe* your world champs of rl as well as *worthy* champions of sl

first can I congratulate Leeds on winning the vase, but in the weekend papers there was a quote that summed up the whole problem for me, the quote was from Brian Mcdermott who stated:

"we had to dig deep for 4 weeks"

so that really sums up the season, for 4 weeks Leeds dug deeper than anyon else, so I congratulate them on that.

IF we are going to stick to a top 8, this would be a far better playoff system:

Week 1:
winner to final, loser to week two:
1v2

Lowest placed loser eliminated, winner to week two:
3v8
4v7
5v6

Week 2:
Highest placed loser vs lowest placed winner
Highest placed winner vs remaining team

Week 3:
Remaining two teams from week two

Week 4:
Final

Well done! Enjoy the Tea Tray. However, you are missing his/her point. They are saying in a first past the post competition Tony Smith wouldn't rotate his teams as he did and would have comfortably finished 1st. I agree with him/her. But it isn't a FPTP competition as we all know and teams and coaches ,including Smudger, are aware of that.

But he said Warrington were the most consistent but they weren't as that would mean they had finished 1st not 2nd.

And he doesn't take into account that wane wouldn't have rested that many against widnes in that situation so we would probably have won that one.

Blueprint for next season (team) pick which games we need to win in the weekly matches so we get to a playoff place (not too high up because the top four play each other, and though they get another chance if they lose they would also lose momentum) rest your best players for most of the games, and be careful during August, don’t want to many injuries and big name suspensions. By the way, why is it that Cats lose and go home for another chance, Saints win go home lose and they’re out?

Blueprint for next season (fan)don’t bother buying a season ticket (far too many meaningless games)pick and choose the games to go to derbies, CC rounds, big team games. We know it’s less cash for the club but at least we can get a chance in the silverware dept. Like the people who know say, what’s the point of being top if you don’t make the GF and miss on being champs and losing out on a shot at the top of Oz.... H G Wells is alive and well..
I hope this sh*t never happens!

Do you have a better system? given that the RFL won't shift from a 'top 8'

it would be two weeks off btw

It's 2 weekends off which is almost 3 weeks.

P.S. I don't have the answer. In fact my alternative gave the league winners the same length of time off.

If it has to be a 'top 8 system' then i'd have the following

1th vs 8th
4th vs 5th
-------------
2th vs 7th
3th vs 6th

Winners play each other in both sides of the draw, very simple imo

Works in the majority of every other sport in the world without complaints, you lose against the 8th placed team then you don't deserve another shot/to reach the next round! Knockout competition in all games

And yeah you win on the Friday of week one, it's 3 weeks later until you play the grand final, so I wouldn't be in favour of it.

My perfect thing would be a Top 3 playoff system, winner through to grand final, 2 vs 3 to qualify, not the biggest money spinner for Sky I guess but then the regular season becomes meaningful!