it doesnt matter how many teams have been in the grand final what matters is the games during the season that shows it is an open tournament as alot of the results have shown through the last season.

how can you not see leeds as been the underdogs the year just gone, everybody wrote them off and they proved that this tournament is open just because they have been in previous finals.

This is the Leeds side with Sinfield, Peacock, Webb, Burrow, McGuire, Hall and Jones-Buchanan in it? They under achieved in the regular season, still made the cup final mind, but as the saying goes "Form is temporary, class is permanent"

Leeds proved that Super League is open because they won this season's grand final and have appeared in previous finals?

I suppose using this same fine logic it means that Super League is an open tournament because St Helens have featured in the last 5 Grand Finals.

the competition is an open one and if you stodd and asked any super league coach they would tell you there wasnt a team in the league they considered an easy game. just because certain teams make it to the final and bigger games does not mean it isnt an open contest i think the statement you arelooking for is that , super league although an open competition through the regular season come the business end certain teams rise above the others. just because its the same teams does not mean it is not an open competition.

the same could be said of championship it must not be open because featherstone and halifax seem to be always the higher rated teams. so should the cougars throw the towel in before its started ?

A super league coach would tell you there no potentially easy game is an easy game for the sake of psychology so that players don't become complacent.
The competition isn't as open as it could be.
The Championship is more open. For example the play off winners of the championship over the past 5 years have been: Castleford (2007), Salford (200icon_cool.gif, Barrow (2009), Halifax (2010), Featherstone (2011) i.e. 5 different teams

Also Featherstone have been strong the last couple of seasons but their rise in end of year league positions has risen over the past 5 years:
2007 Ch1 2nd
2008 Ch 8th
2009 Ch 6th
2010 Ch 1st
2011 Ch 1st
And this is why Keighley should not throw the towel in! Because if we match Featherstone we can top the league in 3 seasons and maybe sooner or maybe pickup other silverware along the way.

I do see where you are coming from. However I wouldn't consider the SPL or La Liga open leagues based on the shock results of last weekend, F.C Barcelona losing to Getafe and Glasgow Rangers lost to St Mirren.

By no means is Super League a completely closed shop when you compare it to say Spanish, Portuguese and Scottish Football. Neither is it the most open league either when you compare it to the NFL, NRL, NHL or Championship Football.

Now as regards your last point, I think this coming season's Championship will be a good one. You've mentioned Featherstone and Fax as the better teams and I think you're right. I have Fev as favourites, why? Because they're well coached, and have stability and continuity in the side. Fax have a new coach and have recruited heavily with good players, I think it may take them half a dozen games or so to gel. I don't think they're miles better than everyone else Leigh and Sheffield will be there or thereabouts and then the rest are pretty equal. Us and Swinton have come up and recruited well, Batley have lost the coach and some of their best players to Fax. Dewsbury always seem have a beast of a pack. Hunslet and York have some pretty good players in their side.

All the more need to keep the faith, I think we've a good chance at making the top 6 this season.