It was not intended to be a mathematical argument, smart . The 8th team only has a theoretical chance of winning because the probability of it happening is extremely low. When a team has won it from 8th you can come back on here and tell me it is possible in practice.

Being a football fan first and foremost, I'm of the belief that the league should always be the number one priority. I watch American sports and the play-offs is very 'them', in the NBA and NHL, they have 82-game regular seasons, only to crown the champions on the basis of what happens in the play-offs.

We do the same with RL, but how can winning a few games in a row, or winning a few X match series (America it's best-of-seven) mean more than winning something over the course of the season?

For me, the Challenge Cup should be credited more than the play-offs, as you don't get second chances and it is a knockout competition played over the course of the season, so you rely more on consistency over momentum.

I think we as fans should also credit the league winners more. You get silly idiots saying things like 'We're the champions, the league trophy is a minor trophy'. Embarrassing.

Agree with this

The playoff system is silly but i do try to embrace it, but being brought up a football man its hard to get used to the fact that the league winners get basically no credit... we have playoff games whereas you can lose and be okay because you have another chance and all this 'choosing' who you play... for such an entertaining sport it is indeed embarrassing, hence we get the 'Rugby League is a silly minority sport' drivvel from non rugby league fans. I concede that times are changing and we have to move with the times and it isnt daft to imagine one day football leagues like the English Premier League will adopt a similar kind of system in 20/30 years time or even sooner, though it would purely be a financial move. Sport is Business remember the days of it being a game is long gone.

This year seems to be different though. The sky numpties are talking as though Wire are already champions whereas when Wigan won it last year they were playing it down. Don't get me wrong I believe that finishing top of the league is a great achievement. My point is just how the sky anti-Wigan numpties have changed their tune now that Wigan haven't finished top. It was farcical how they had to keep reminding themselves that Wire still have two games to go to become true Champions. Just to be clear I am not knocking Warrington's success so far and I actually think they will win the GF if they keep playing like they are doing at present.

For me, whoever finishes top at the end of the regular season are the champions (unless of course we get to OT & win ) - the playoffs should be a separate competition, like it used to be in the old days.....I'm not sure I like the current playoff format, too many teams and too many meaningless matches - like last nights and ours v saints. Finish below 6th and you shouldn't be in...mini league of the top 4 top 2 het home advantage, top two after 3 matches to OT anyone?

Yes and No....Ordinarily id say no...but this year is the fairest way of sorting it all out IMO.

Can you imagine how short changed we would have all felt had wire been deemed champions on the back of piping us to top spot, in a game where we were well below par due to a wembley hangover!!

For once, the play offs this year are the fairest way of sorting it, otherwise wire would now be champions by virtue of having the good fortune of the championship decider falling a week after wembley!

At least now in all likelyhood it will be us v wire in the GF and the winner will be able to rightly say they are champions without any comeback....Personally I think that will be us, as long as we play in top gear, which we should in a GF, we're too good for anyone, and as close as wire are, i include them in that. However, if it was to be wire, and wire are good enough to beat us when we are on top form, then fair play to them, they deserve to be champs and i will be as happy as I can be with the GF outcome. After all, at least the result of that game will be fair, instead of the alternative being us losing the championship on the back of unfortunate fixture scheduling, which would have left me pretty miffed!!

Dewsbury won it from 8th in 1973 captained by Stevo. Don't know what route they took though. Probably the main reason why they got rid of playoffs to decide the championship after that year.

Totally support this top 4 mini league that has been mentioned. Think thats a good idea.

It gets rid of the also rans.
It would force clubs 5th to 8th to have to up their game to force into that top 4.
It would produce top class high quality RL with top 4 playing each other for 3 consecutive weeks(help internationally as added bonus).
It reduces the luck factor of a bad refereeing decision or glut of injuries for a specific game prior to GF.
It still gives a GF with a 70k plus crowd.

Personally I like the Play-Offs (Would go to the Top 5/6 format though) but as long as people remember 1 thing.

"NO TEAM" who finishes top of the league after the 27 rounds (Or whatever it has been in previous years) under the current system (i.e Since 9icon_cool.gif have won SL!
It applied when Wigan won it last year and it applies this and any other year whilst this sytem is in place.

Reason?

Because "IF" the league was decided on who finished top after the regular season rounds then the teams playing those 27 rounds would treat it differently. In other words the league table may/would have looked different if every team had been playing towards 1 goal at the end of the season i.e The League title.
They are now currently playing for 2, the 1st one being a position in the Play-offs decided by those 27 rounds and which they may wish to sacrifice league points due to other commitments i.e cup & international matches.
The 2nd is the Grand Final SL Title in which every team will give everything it has to win as as this is currently the ultimate goal.

As I say, if the 27 rounds decided the Super League then the 27 rounds would be treated differently than they are now by the clubs due to the play offs for the actual SL title so although a good achievement for me it doesn't actually mean that much in terms of Silverware. I would treat it as good recognition of a consistant achievement over the season and bring No1 in the starting grid when it comes to the Real fixtures that matter a good reward for those efforts.

Good point. We wouldn't have had that scoreline at HJ the week after Wembley if the title was at stake. Then again if the title was at stake they wouldn't have Wembley unitil after the league has finished.
Still, i believe top of the league should be champions. The league is the bread and butter, then you should have other comps built around it ie, Chall Cup, Premiership playoffs, Regal Trophy.

As long as we don't have this top 8 format next year. The playoffs will have been improved.

The play-off system is a very good idea, it adds a huge amount to the end of the season, especially to the mid table clubs. But I would prefer it if the top 6 were involved, not the top 8 - too bloody hard to explain to non rugby friends!

Are you suggesting that every side doesn't play to win? IMO, the entire point of the league is to provide consistent competitive rugby, if every side didn't turn up with the aim to win, then they wouldn't even be competing in the league. The problem with what you say is: most sides can't treat 27 games as play-off games. You make it out as though every side could up their level every week if it meant more, ask most sides and I'm sure they'll say after every game they gave their all, the point of the league is to ask the biggest question of all; are you consistent enough? I personally believe it's easier to motivate yourself and 'peak' for 3/4 games. Futhermore, last year, for example, Wigan were defeated in their first play-off game, but still went on to win the trophy, maybe it's just me, but I prefer the idea pure KO rugby; however, if we were to make the play-offs pure KO, then this 1st vs. 4th and so on would have to be revamped.

For me, even if the RFL/Sky prefer to hype the GF, we as fans should put more emphasis on winning the league, as I believe that's the biggest test for any side.

I knew it was only a matter of time untill you posted this.

Couldn't be more true.