Your right in what you say, the grand final doesnt take place in february, but my point about huds and quins was a purposfully absurd one to show up the grand final series for what it is, which is essentially a form competition for 3-4 weeks, which in its current set up, demeans the league far too much IMO.

Your also right in that these are the rules and everyone knows and plays to them, and so fair play to saints and leeds for playing to these rules, and whoever wins next week will be champions. but it doesn't mean that we cant critisise the rules, due to the fact that you end up with absurdities such as next weekend's 'Grand' final, where due to the current emphasis placed on form, it is all too easy for average teams to get a shot at becoming the 'champions', which IMO is wrong!

Just because these are the rules doesn't mean the rules shouldnt be looked at, because in mine, and many other fans opinions, they do not adequately place credit on the teams performance for 6 months in the league, and make the last 6 months of little point.

What IF for example the RFL said that from next year we have a top 12 play off, with the top 4 from NL1, where there would be no seeding but just a straight draw like the challenge cup, to decide the champions at the end of the season. Daft but not beyond the realms of possibility with the prats we currently have running our game!!! You could then end up with Quins coming 12th, playing Leigh, Bradford & Featherstone to make the Grand Final, before beating Huddersfield in the Grand final to become champions. Would they have deserved it = Yes because they had played to the rules and won the required games - However, would this necessarily make this fair, give fair credit to the league, and not undermine our game? No IMO, yet this is only a couple of steps away from where we are currently!

Lets go back to the top 5, cut out the reward for medicoricy, and give the play offs a little more credibility. At least then, if Leeds did win if from 5th, it would surely feel a little more justified and earned to them, by the fact that though they had an indifferent season, they proved their 'champion' worth by beating every team above them away from home, rather than in its present guise, where they have only needed to beat a couple of also rans and one top team to possibly end up as champions!

That is my argument tbh...scrap the play offs altogether, but if we cant have this then at least have some semi credible play off system, which at least makes some sense, and gives more weight to a team's performance in the league! (ie the old top 5 or 6)

Champions are made when they do the business when it matters most which usually requires beating the best, when the pressure is on and when silverware is on the line. That's when champions are made and not when they're fighting over two points at The Willows.

That was the last time Wire won the league

Well said my Wigan friends. We should ignore the farce of Old Trafford next week and get together and petition the RFL to "recognise Warrington as the true champions". Having the Wiganers support would be a huge boost to our campaign and it's great to know that we stand shoulder to shoulder in times of a crisis.

Totally agree and I'm not saying this to argue really but just to point out that you couldn't decide a true league champion prior to 1973 without play offs because the fixture list was never even. Granted it isn't even now with the extra magic match but in those days the Yorkshire teams would play Yorkshire teams and the Lancashire teams would play Lancashire teams with random inter-county matches throw in to make up the numbers.

I don't exactly think we should petition for you to be champions because we all knew that before a ball was kicked you had to win the GF to be champions! But i would petition for the rules to be changed ready for next season! Imagine Wigan, Wire, Leeds and Saints all knowing the HAD to finish top! Imagine the intensity throughout the season rather than just for the last 6 games! imagine the crowd surges towards the end of the season!

Unless someone walked the league like occasionally happens in football? What do the other 10 teams do who have no chance of winning it as opposed to having the chance to play in the playoffs? What would Salford's aim be in a season for example?

Check the previous thread where I say that wire are champions I stand by that except with the wire fans at work (they're the type of non real fan that acts like a football fan). Wire are champions we are runners up and Leeds or saints will win the playoffs.

The playoffs that crown you champions you mean??

That is exactly what is wrong with our game. Instead of trying to impove the top end by 'forcing' them to increase the intensity for 27 games and have to finish top, we concern ourselves with average sides so they have 'something to play for'
Salford would have to aim to improve season on season, until eventually they can keep their level of performance so high over 8 months that it outstrips every other team and they finish top and are crowned champions.
There would also be the Premiership playoffs to play for and the Challenge Cup. Average teams could always target cup competitions - a bit like Leeds this year.

Spot on. Having to be better to win is better for salford than having the 8th place spot ever will be.