I will be disppointed if we fail to win the shield on Friday night (I don't expect us to BTW).

Two games for me that stick out this season:

Stains at Cardiff, cruising at 16-0 with fifteen/twenty minutes to go and were lucky to get a draw in the end.

Similar story at Cas away, storming away at 20-0 (Pat Richards dropped ball), again screwed up and only came away with a draw.


Those two games for me have probably lost us the shield.

To win the sheild and not win the GF would be devastating for any team.

The shield doesn't get enough recognition for me. I know the whole point is to win the biggest title; the GF but potentially this can be done from being mediocre over the season coming 8th in the league and having a great run of form.

I love the concept of the Grand Final as it means theres still so much to play for but it should not take away and devalue the sheild. Winning the sheild is a much harder feat and this 'i'm not bothered about the hub cap' wah wah wah really grates on me.

League leaders should be champs but we know its not like that anymore. When we finished top last year nobody gave a poop until we won the GF. Its sad imo but thats the way the game has gone. League leaders is more of a self satisfaction thing nowadays, the club that wins it will be proud but nobody else gives a crap unfortunatley.

I agree with this, however, cast your minds back to the Leeds away game. We fall heavily behind and Sam kicks a penalty with seconds to spare to earn us a draw.

I think this cancels out one of the ones we should've won above. Therefore we should be one point ahead of where we are now which would be level with Warrington. With their huge PD, they would still be top. Fair play to them they've had a wicked season and completely deserve it.

However, three little words - COME ON HULL!!!!!

I said last year and I will still say it this year when we wont get it but I think the league leaders should be equal to the GF. The league leaders shield requires consistency and being able to push out those dirty close wins that other teams would lose. I think at the very most the Play-Offs should be a seperate competition with the participants decided on league position.

This way this year it would be something like(in order of competition won by calendar not importance before a Wire moans):
Challenge Cup Winners - Wigan Warriors
Super League Champions - Wire (probably now)
Play-off Winners - whoever probably Wigan/Wire

IMO the league leaders shield doesnt get the credit it deserves you look back at previous years its all about the GF which i thinks wrong as winning the league is harder than winning the GF maybe a better incentive could be offered for finishing top

Thats the point i made on another thread but got shouted down. They are inconsistant, none of them has even mentioned Salford turning them over in their own backyard earlier in the season, they have always done that.

I'm not actually convinced that people don't rate winning the LLS. imo it's simply opposition fans trying to minimise the success of their rivals. If they won it they would rightfully celebrate being the most consistently successful team of the season. They more than likely still believe that when somebody else wins it but will say things like "the hubcap" to lessen the blow of failure and minimise the success of others.

Only you could label the team sat at the top of the league with the best attack and best defence and having played 26 games and won 21 of them as inconsistent.............

Winning the Grand Final is the only thing that matters.

Eddie & Stevo say so, so it must be true - after all, Sky invented our sport!

Battering most teams and also losing to Salford at home is probably one of the biggest inconsistencies you can have in this league.

True. But on the other hand we did the same at Leeds which has to be seen as a point gained that didnt look likey with 25 mins left