Proves my point the league leaders shield should decide the champions.

It's a bit ridiculous that two teams can be consistent for 2/3 games get to a final and then win it but wire can be so consistent over 27 games and not be.

Playoffs aren't the way and this shows why.

Imagine next week saying to a football fan that the champions finished 5th in the league (if Leeds win) they'd think our sport was silly.

Thats the system we have and the GF brings in much needed publicity and revenue. Wether we need a change to the system which sees a side form the top 2 in the GF thats another matter.

Come back when you tell us how 75% of all RL 'Champions' have been decided ... Or are you suggesting that you can only win the title when there's a league format to deciding the winners ?

By the way, in 1973, Stevo's Dewsbury were Champions after finishing EIGHTH .... Are you suggesting those titles are any less valid ?

But if you said it to fans of most other sports they would state that the champion is the winner of the playoffs. Theres only really football that decides it's champion team without a playoff. The playoffs have worked for years to provide an exciting finish to the season and, more importantly, another showpiece to help the coffers.

I agree with you there mate, I think it is a bit of a shambles that 3rd or 5th can win it now, whilst the two consistently better sides this year are out (which is deserving, but you get my point)


I'd like to think that this will open the eyes of some about the playoff system, and how it needs revamping, however the RFL will probably spew out some nonsense about how it proves the league is so competitive, that the team who were ranked 5th can win it.

But your team didn't finish top so why the whinging?!

They need to go back to the 1st vs 2nd qualifier at least one of the two most consistent teams are in it giving it more credibility and yes winning from 8th isn't right depending on the size of the league I wasn't alive then but if the league has 20+ teams in then it isn't as bad but 5th isn't far from the middle of the table.

And I'm saying it's proven my point from a debate about this subject two weeks ago.

But acceptable that the 2nd placed team can win it though?

1. Had Wigan finished 5th yet reached the GF would this thread have started? No.

2. Have plenty of you p!shed yourselves laughing at Wires' failure to reach the GF? Yes.

Hypocritical clowns!

I think like has been said its not all its cracked upto be.

if u finish top and dont make the GF u are well peeved, but finish 5th like leeds and u are rightly so happy.

I think more needs to be made of finishing the weekly rounds 1st defo.

but i think it keeps it interesting if u can reach the GF from a lower position.

if you were the better team you would have won

so getting to the premiership from 6th is wrong

get a grip dont winge about the rules now you knew them at the start

it takes mental strength that wigan did not have when it mattered

any announcement on the new coach now your season is over

Finish top and you are champions .
If we are going to include 8th in the playoffs we should include the other 6 teams and have an end of season KO competition . If we were to win next week then I for one wouldn't consider us as champs as we finished in 5th in the regular rounds . I wouldn't consider Saints as champs if they win . WIRE ARE THE CHAMPIONS .
OT is a good end to the season , but who plays there , and why they play there , needs to be sorted out so that it rewards the winner with something the really deserve .

Nuf said .

How long do you think SKY would keep investing if the league was over in August?

In football you can be the 'Champions' of Europe without even being the Champions of your own country (See Liverpool for details) so I hardly think they'll take the moral high ground. There's a possibilty this season a team could be the Champions of Europe and not even be the best team in their own city - now that's laughable!

Irrespective of my own thoughts on the play off system I can't help but feel you've really picked a bad time to air yours.