Whatever you think about the play-offs the fact is that the SL trophy is given to the winner. It's the biggest trophy in RL.

The regular rounds in the league are now devalued, with teams trying to peak at the end of the season and not trying to finish top, a situation made worse because of the play-off format that allowed Leeds to win from 5th last season.

Jeez.

Let's hope it was a misguided attempt to take some pressure off a mentally fatigued and underperforming side. Not good though!

Well I think the shine is coming off mainly due to disenchantment with the play off format and I think Wane's comments are a reflection on that. I don't think he has said it to try and be clever but because he genuinely believes its harder to win the league than a grand final. And I think it is.



The logical conclusion to what you say above is that no one should give a monkey's about the league. It is pointless buying a season ticket or even actually going to league games because they mean diddley squat. Once a top 8 place is assured we may as well stay at home, the teams best players can go and have a holiday and the reserves can play a few games.

Thankfully whenever I attend a game everyone there wants the team to win. And the team that takes the field is usually the best one available and the same usually goes for both sides. I don't think I need the fingers of one hand to count the number of games coaches have sent out way under strength sides.

Down-under in Oz they have had the play-offs running longer than us in the modern game and the weekly rounds are also full-on affairs. If they weren't there wouldn't be a game to watch as people would have twigged long ago they were being short changed by sides not giving 100%.

Given the league games are played as they are and they are as well supported as they are any switch in sentiment that is putting the League Leaders Shield on a higher pedestal is taking things in the right direction IMO. Nigel Woods can [i say[/i the play offs are how the champions are decided but when it stands out like a sore thumb the competitions format is complete garbage he ought not to be surprised if it isn't a popular as he thinks it should be.

There appears to be doubts over the long term future of CherryandWhite and I for one hope Bilko ditches it and this forum folds. Its severely worrying how so many Wigan fans are stuck in the success of the 80's & 90's. I lose the will live reading this forum sometimes its full of nothing but deluded argumentative morons, I've lost count of how many negative posts there are in match discussion threads and those are after the wins. I'm also fed up of genuine and serious threads that descend into 15 pages of nonsense about body fat percentage or such other similar garbage, Whats highly worrying is that i'd hazard a guess that those that spout said garbage are grown men who probably have families. Please either ditch CherryandWhite or just simply grow up join the normal genuine fans in 2012 and SUPPORT your club. One last thing the person/person's responsible for Big Aunties want locking up or the alternative is shooting.

An easy option for you is don't come on here.

Stupid thread based on someones interpretation of what wane said to the press... Ironically, something that most on here would agree with....

Another negative thread, gotta love this board

I was at yesterday's game and left in disgust when Hodgson went over to make it 36 points to 26 with about 15 minutes to go! We had just clawed our way back into the game to get within 4 points and an unlikely victory. I listened to it on Radio Humberside though and although relieved that we won I was still fuming at the inept attacking display and even more inept defence that were both shadows of our early season form. We were saved by the individual brilliance of a few players and the ability of one Tommy Leluai to open up our attacking options. To put a positive spin on it though we now have a bit of momentum and whilst it presents us with an opportunity to rest some players on Friday I think that we should put out a strong team to allow Pat and Tommy to get us back in the groove again and, hopefully, regain some of our early season supremacy in time for the playoffs.

I wouldn't be worried with what Wane said i'm more worried with how the team is playing

I wasn't going to post this cause it's going to get stick but sod it Finch over the last 6 weeks is a weak link in our team now i'm not saying he's crap or anything but something isn't right and it sticks out like a sore thumb, Mistake after mistake coming from his slow passing and taking the wrong option he needs to be rested on Friday

Micky Mac another one gone off the boil been awesome all season last few weeks mistakes creeping in and some of the old player coming back with brain farts,I spoke to a guy this morning whos view i respect highly and he thinks Logan t should play on friday instead of Micky but i disagree his plays from dummy half are too slow plus you get that agression with Micky

Mossop seems to have bottled it last couple of weeks he's been nothing short of outstanding all season and his game has dropped i dont know if he's tired or what but we need the guy from 2 months back

This is not a pop at any of these players we all know what they can do just not on the ball of late

I don't think we disagree about the flawed play-off format. The problem with the play-off format is that it makes it too easy for lower ranked teams to win the GF.

Since the SL trophy is officially the most important "league" trophy, this means that teams will be less concerned about topping the table and more concerned about entering the play-offs on top form. This devalues the weekly rounds and the LLS. I don't think I'm the only person who has said this.

Saying that the flawed play-off format means that people should value the LLS more than winning the GF ignores the reality (whether we like it or not) that the SL trophy is awarded to the winners of the GF and that the holders of the SL trophy are the champions.

Very few people will remember the winners of the LLS, sadly, but unfortunately that's the way our sport has gone. A decent playoff structure that rewards 1st place and gives them an easy passage to the final is what's required from it all. Not a system that allows 8th place to be in with a shout. It should be heavily stacked to favour the LLS winners with a good mixture of an easy playoff and some rest. The other finalists should come into the final the hard way, battered and bruised.

I agree. The old top five playoff system weighted in favour of the top two, hence why most Grand Finals were played by first v second. (With third getting the odd look in).

And that's exactly how it should be. 5th place shouldn't get anywhere near. I do wonder if Leeds would have finished 5th if they'd have been rewarded an easier route the higher up they finished. It looks to me like Warrington have cruised this season knowing that 2nd will get them a route every bit as easy as first but without the potential injuries of going full throttle, like us, for the full season.