The top 8 system is a disaster.

You know it's bad when even the players are saying it's a bad idea.

And now we have Gary Hetherington saying that he is going to have a say in who Leeds pick to play

rlhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME

Also I agree with DaveO that the central pot harms the ability of clubs to offer a discounted entry to season ticket holders.

Couldn't season ticket prices include the prices of a home fixture but if Wigan fail to reach a play off position or fail to get a home tie then either a) allow the ticket to be "exchanged" for a full refund at the ticket office or if that isn't viable then b) reduce the season tickets the season after by the amount charged for tickets.

If we used b then if we got a home tie that year we would get in with our season tickets and the money paid the previous year would cover the cost and if we fail we don't lose anything and the club can put the prices up accordingly the following season.

Or I'm talking gibberish, either way it's an idea

Bring back the Top 5 system for the playoffs. The regular season will be more competitive then also IMO.

Don't let the little clubs drag us all down!!

Quote: Mick Hogan "Folks Thanks for all the feedback. You are right in thinking that both the RFL and clubs are concerned about the attendances at the weekend. I believe that it is a combination of kick off time, price, short notice, game being live on TV and some fans not understanding or supporting the new playoff system. We will now be pressing the RFL to instigate some research into why a large proportion of our fan base did not attend (the playoffs are a central event with all monies going into the central pot so its only right the RFL do the asking). It's ok the clubs/RFL thinking they have the answers but nothing beats good quantative research. If anyone has any thoughts/ideas that they would like to share with the club then either post them here or email me direct via Mick, the top 8 does not work, the first two games between the top four were a waste of time , the away team knew they would be at home even if they lost, so did the fans so they saved their money. Our KO time on a Sunday did not help. And for the two of us with petrol, programme , drinks etc it was £50, the RFL should bring down the price of tickets for the play offs to fill the grounds. It will be interesting to see if OT sells out if Wigan and Leeds are not there.

Quote: Mick Hogan "Folks Thanks for all the feedback. You are right in thinking that both the RFL and clubs are concerned about the attendances at the weekend. I believe that it is a combination of kick off time, price, short notice, game being live on TV and some fans not understanding or supporting the new playoff system. We will now be pressing the RFL to instigate some research into why a large proportion of our fan base did not attend (the playoffs are a central event with all monies going into the central pot so its only right the RFL do the asking). It's ok the clubs/RFL thinking they have the answers but nothing beats good quantative research. If anyone has any thoughts/ideas that they would like to share with the club then either post them here or email me direct via Mick, the top 8 does not work, the first two games between the top four were a waste of time , the away team knew they would be at home even if they lost, so did the fans so they saved their money. Our KO time on a Sunday did not help. And for the two of us with petrol, programme , drinks etc it was £50, the RFL should bring down the price of tickets for the play offs to fill the grounds. It will be interesting to see if OT sells out if Wigan and Leeds are not there.

Thanks Mick, appreciate the post.

I don't like the top eight.
With the six I could just cope with clubs 1 & 2 getting a 2nd match if they lost. With this top 8 teams 3 & 4 get a 2nd match. That is just awful.

As for the club call, I think once fans see Hetherington making the decision it will be dead in the water. It is also demeaning for the club chosen and they do not deserve that treatment after a full season and the early play off rounds.

Fans have voted with their cash and they are not buying.

What fans are buying into is the full Super League season. Crowds have by and large held up and the games are very popular. So if fans are buying into SL expand to 15 clubs, 2 extra games and drop an early round from the Challenge Cup which again is poorly attended and reduce the play offs, again poorly attended, from four to three weeks which may require us going back to a top five.
Simply give people what they want to buy, not what the RFL thinks they should buy, then don't.

Had Wigan been top, who would you think would make the decision for us?

IL?
BN?
The players?
The fans?

I think we can all answer that one.

IL. But it would be November before he made his mind up

why not make it top four ,the top team goes straight to old trafford the team who comes second plays the winners of the 3rd and 4th match.the competition being won by the 8th team who qualifies is a possibility ,that seems wrong to me.

Good idea !

Quote: Mick Hogan "If anyone has any thoughts/ideas that they would like to share with the club then either post them here or email me direct via It is very good that you are willing to ask the fans the reasons why they did not attend or do not support the playoff system. Hopefully the RFL will do the same and take it on board. I did go to the match on Sunday but as I mentioned before on this thread my sister and nephew (both season ticket holders) did not purely because of the kick off time. I noticed that a lot of people that normally attend with chidren also stayed away. I appreciate that it was for reasons of TV coverage but I think that the RFL should ditch the late sunday evening game in future. The playoff system needs to change as well for two important reasons. 1)The games involving the top four teams are a waste of time as no teams go out as a result of them. That is why fans won't attend in large numbers, if it costs two of you £50 to attend a playoff game and you know you will have at least one more to watch you will save your £50 for a match that matters. So matches where no team goes out should not occur in my opinion. 2)The 8th placed team making the playoffs has been a source of annoyance for fans (as well as some chairmen) ever since it was first announced. The idea that a team in the bottom half of the table can end up as champions is ridiculous and should not be continued. I think a better system would be as follows.(Was suggested by a poster on another forum) 7 teams qualify for the playoffs. 1st placed team gets a bye in week 1. Week 1 2nd v 7th 3rd v 6th 4th v 5th The three winners go through. The losers are eliminated. Semi finals 1st v lowest placed winner from week 1 Highest placed winner from week 1 v other winner from wk 1 Winners of these go to Grand Final With that system all games have survival at stake so should appeal to fans. The team in 1st gets a reward and nobody else does so more incentive/reward for being top of the table. Also only teams in the top half get a shot at the championship.

Quote: Mick Hogan "If anyone has any thoughts/ideas that they would like to share with the club then either post them here or email me direct via It is very good that you are willing to ask the fans the reasons why they did not attend or do not support the playoff system. Hopefully the RFL will do the same and take it on board. I did go to the match on Sunday but as I mentioned before on this thread my sister and nephew (both season ticket holders) did not purely because of the kick off time. I noticed that a lot of people that normally attend with chidren also stayed away. I appreciate that it was for reasons of TV coverage but I think that the RFL should ditch the late sunday evening game in future. The playoff system needs to change as well for two important reasons. 1)The games involving the top four teams are a waste of time as no teams go out as a result of them. That is why fans won't attend in large numbers, if it costs two of you £50 to attend a playoff game and you know you will have at least one more to watch you will save your £50 for a match that matters. So matches where no team goes out should not occur in my opinion. 2)The 8th placed team making the playoffs has been a source of annoyance for fans (as well as some chairmen) ever since it was first announced. The idea that a team in the bottom half of the table can end up as champions is ridiculous and should not be continued. I think a better system would be as follows.(Was suggested by a poster on another forum) 7 teams qualify for the playoffs. 1st placed team gets a bye in week 1. Week 1 2nd v 7th 3rd v 6th 4th v 5th The three winners go through. The losers are eliminated. Semi finals 1st v lowest placed winner from week 1 Highest placed winner from week 1 v other winner from wk 1 Winners of these go to Grand Final With that system all games have survival at stake so should appeal to fans. The team in 1st gets a reward and nobody else does so more incentive/reward for being top of the table. Also only teams in the top half get a shot at the championship.

I think its quite obvious the play off system this year isn't working and is just going to get worse with the introduction of the choice system and the involvement of chairmen/owners.

I think the best idea ive heard and the one i tend to agree with is the top 4, as the league winner should be rewarded and if you finish 8th you shouldnt be winning anything really.

Shortening the paly offs by a week or 2 would perhaps allow time in the year for the re-birth of the County of Origin, which i would love to see.

What needs to change, if i understand it correctly, is the central money pot which is obviously a dis-incentive to the bigger teams. Why should they do everything they can to attract the bigger crowds generating money for the pot of which Leeds or Saints are going to take the largest chunk. Hence the lack of marketing for Sunday.

the money goes into a central pot that the RFL shares out depending on final positions. if any club contributes more to the pot, they get more out of it at the end.