Hello I know we covered this last year but I am still looking into writing a book about the idea of play-offs deciding the Champions in sport. I was wondering what the opinions are of fellow Rugby League fans on the play-offs. Do you think play-offs are the best way to decide the champions or do you prefer whoever finishes top being champions? And what do you think of the current format? So feel free to voice your opinion again, say whether it has changed or if you missed the post last time, take this opportunity to give your opinion. Personally I think play-offs are a great concept, sport is about peaking on the big occasion and beating your biggest rivals head to head when it matters. fantastic music, thought provoking lyrics and great merchandise from singer/song writer Sandi Thom: tiny.cc/loveablelyrics

Hello I know we covered this last year but I am still looking into writing a book about the idea of play-offs deciding the Champions in sport. I was wondering what the opinions are of fellow Rugby League fans on the play-offs. Do you think play-offs are the best way to decide the champions or do you prefer whoever finishes top being champions? And what do you think of the current format? So feel free to voice your opinion again, say whether it has changed or if you missed the post last time, take this opportunity to give your opinion. Personally I think play-offs are a great concept, sport is about peaking on the big occasion and beating your biggest rivals head to head when it matters. fantastic music, thought provoking lyrics and great merchandise from singer/song writer Sandi Thom: tiny.cc/loveablelyrics

I would not rather have the playoffs, however I do love the chance of being able to watch my team playing at Old Trafford.

I would prefer a Top 5 playoff competition, with the League Leaders/Winners going straight to Old Trafford, resulting in...

2 v 5
3 v 4

Then the winners facing each other to get to OT. Unfortunately though the League Leaders/Winners would have a two week break which can not be beneficial.

No way but tbh the sport would die without the revenue and sky money from the playoffs! The ticket price for this pointless saints match is a disgrace though, the rfl are an absolute joke!!

If there has to be a playoff I'd rather it was just between the top 4. Anyone finishing outside the top 4 doesn't deserve the chance to compete for the biggest prize because they haven't earned it during the season.
Just having a final between the top 2 sides wouldn't be too bad either.

Not sure, a normal league table obviously rewards the most consistent team over the weekly rounds but I also quite like the idea of playoffs, though not in their current format. A top 8 is too much for a 14 team comp, 1st place should have more of a reward than just the club call (which they lose anyway if defeated in week 1) whilst also rewarding mediocrity.

Plus ticket prices should be lower, the fact that a Wigan Saints derby game is expecting a crowd of somewhere around 12-14k is a joke. The fact it is highly likely we will face them in week 3 is another reason the current format needs revamping.

As a minority sport we count on the play-offs for a bigger sky deal and a big final. Without it I think the game has a lower profile.

We need to get the crowds in with dirt cheap tickets for play-off games though. We need to market the best games of the year.

No! The team that wins the league are the champions (simples).

The play offs are great for the game and the Old Trafford experience is a good occasion for all to celebrate the greatest sport in the word.

No, absolutely not, but as said above the game has been engineered over the last few years to become wholly dependant on the play off format. Without it and the cash it generates the rest of the season wouldn't be as entertaining.

Yes I like the idea of the playoffs, although I'm not sure I like the current playoff system.

I love the play offs as can be seen from the regular season with no disrespect the likes of CRusaders, Wakey and to a lesser extent Bulls over the lasst couple of years. There have been to many one sided results. A good exampole of this is the recent Wolves Wigan match, not to take anything away from the Wolves performance but would they have played that well if they had to play the Saints the week before just like Wigan had to play Leeds? IMO I doubt it.

The play offs ensures that the the champion now has to put in the work and be constantly tested to be at the very top of the game. Although I do like the club call concept I wouldn't have it. I like the top 8 format as it would work ideally like this. The team that finishes 1st plays the 8th team, 2nd team plays 7th and so forth. One chance loser knocked out. This way the top two teams in theory shouldn't play each other until OT.

The play off comp is a great idea and I'm sure if you were'nt crowened champs at the end they would not bring is as much revenue as they do.

Having said that I'll say what I've said countless times in that if you come top of the league after 27 rounds you should win the league.

It does grate on me that potentially you can become champions from 8th???!!!

It was much better when it was top 5 but again this doesn't bring in as much money as top 8.

There needs to be a greater reward for finishing top and the playoff format really does need revamping. However how many of us would be hitting the season over depression if the playoffs didnt exist. February is a long time without any club rugby and to be waking up this morning with no build up to a Wigan game to look forward to till next year is a horrible thought.

Christ - why can't people accept that SUPER LEAGUE is not the Wendyball Premiership. The competition has a league and play off element, the ultimate winners of which are the champions.

Even though there are eight teams in the playoffs, realistically, it's only one of the top two - three at a push - who can win it. It is FAR better to have a champion side who has a good regular season, but also shows they don't bottle the big games. Under the first past the post system, you can grind out a load of dour wins and draws and still be crowned champions, and you don't necessarily have to hold your nerve, or finish the season by beating the best teams. A playoff system ensures you do.

Why does the NFL, RU Premiership, NRL and virtually every other sports competition in the world not come in for the same criticism?

It's a tiny likelihood that it will actually happen though, isnt it?

it's like the joke where a man asks his wife if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for £1m, and she says yes, then asks his daughter if she would sleep with Justin Bieber for £1m and also says yes. Potentially, he's sitting on £2m, but in reality he lives with a pair of slags.

I'm not sure how you know they don't but a possible reason is that for the previous 90 or so years we always had our champion team selected according to league position, just like football. Re the NFL I don't think all teams play each other, re RU they have not got our long tradition of league tables. The NRL I will grant you because I don't know if they have always had play offs or not. As for virtually every other sport in the world I take it this was a flippant comment?