1st vs 4th
2nd vs 3rd

Loser out. Winner GF.

Or better yet, scrap the play offs all together.

Don't think that will happen. Like it or not the play offs are here to stay. Not sure I would want to scrap them. The GF at oldtrafford is a brilliant occasion and great atmosphere, and I quite like a big game to end the season rather than picking up the title away to someone like Salford, etc...

The RFL had a great system that for me satisfied the core requirements; an incremental reward for each qualifying finishing position at the end of a then credible regular round competition, while requiring the eventual Champions to really earn the title in a winner takes all grand finale to the season. The Champion club therefore almost having to be both the most consistent and also the best.

Yes it favoured the top two over the rest but that was their reward for a season's long endeavour and whilst one of the two was (quite rightly) guaranteed a place in the final the other still had to earn it and quite often benefitted from the Elimination game in between, usually resulting in a fitting showpiece finale to the domestic season.

__________

That said, hopefully Warrington and Wigan will not be missed as St Helens and Leeds duke it out on Saturday.

I don't give two feckin pence how badly we played earlier this year, if we win on saturday I'll be delighted. I'll be slightly less delighted if we lose but still pretty happy none the less. If I was in the habit of sulking about poor performances past, I'd be a miserable fecker because in 35 years of watching Leeds the bad still far, far outweighs the good overall. That's why I'll accept a trophy win as a superb achievement, regardless of what has preceded it because there may not be too many more in my lifetime, nor in yours.

In my book, anyone who feels we don't deserve it might as well go support wigan - you can share their pain, knowing that really, deep down, they are the most deserving of all teams and bemoan the fact that Leeds won it on the back of two good performances.

But I won't be joining you, I've got other plans for Saturday evening

I'd like this year to have been more consistent, yes. I'd like us to improve in that area next year too.

If we lose on Saturday I will feel like Rocky did in his first fight with Clubber Lang in Rocky III. It will be like Mickey's death.

But that will make next season the second half of Rocky III and the re-match with Clubber. That said, here's where I'd like the Rocky III analogies to end because the first thing that pops into my head about that film is the gay scene with Rocky and Appollo frolicking in the sea in shorts and crop tops. Maybe that says more about me. I am imagining Kirke and Buderus in short shorts and crop tops right now. But they're both being attacked by a shark so that's a happy ending.

As you were.

If you have that system you might as well tell the rest of the league to pack it in at the half way stage....

Till the shark popped up I was starting to get disturbed and trying to get the image of kirke and buderus in crop tops out of my mind

I think next season will be the one to judge Mr.McD by. We've done far better than any of us could have expected a month or two ago, lets hope we're on an upward curve that'll last.

Surely the solution to all this is to get a bloody big cup to replace the hub cap and give the League Leaders Trophy some extra status.

Once you accept that there should be a playoff competition at all then it is illogical to somehow make out that a winner from a lower qualifying position is somehow unworthy. It is very healthy for future playoffs that a winner can come from below the top 4.

If one of the top 2 cannot win it with all the advantages they are given then they also cannot be considered as true champions.

You can discuss just how much advantage/handicap is fair till you are blue in the face but if these are the rules this year then just accept it.

You could also say that a team with serious injuries to key players leading to losing extra games is unfair!

Warrington and Wigan had their chance and didn't take it. Thats sport.

All they had to do was win two home games against teams that finished below them to reach the GF. If they could not, are they really worthy champions?

Excellent post. OMG this is becoming a habit

In week one, the team in 2nd had to beat the team in 3rd, while the team in 5th had to beat the team in 8th.

Great format?

The irony is the RFL actually had a good system and then binned it.

Every teams knows the rules before the season.

It's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Agree the old system was better. But there is still an advantage. The loser of 5 vs 8 went out. 2 vs 3 the loser got to fight on again next week. As said I preferred the old system, but with no religation cannot see number of PO spaces being reduced

Mate you can't just say that. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. At no point did I suggest I didn't want to support Leeds. I'm just suggesting that the system is wrong, and we shouldn't be in a position to play this poorly and be called Champions.

The facts are that we ARE in this position, and if we grab it, then fair play to us. That's not our fault. Well done us. Go Leeds!

What I'm saying is I will feel a bit embarrassed that the system of a 9 month long competition allows a team that's put a Champion-like performance in for 7% of its matches to be called "Champions". What I'm not saying is "I want to support Wigan!".

Please read things properly. Christ... even Gotcha understood it! It can't be that hard!!
[size=50(Sorry Gotcha!)[/size

I have no problem with that and it's a common mantra that I use myself.

Doesn't mean I have to like the current system or think it has the balance right though, especially as I consider it inferior to the previous format which in turn was inferior to the original format adopted to decide the SL Champions since 1998.

I propose the Bloodbath for this "Official Stalker" role as I think he has the right sort of qualifications. Besides it would give him the chance to get close up with his hero.

Or I could go and watch the England squad train.



Alot of people will be eating huge slices of humble pie come Monday.

My list is present.

Thanks for mentioning and thinking about me and TMFMISL......again. You got it bad. It must be my glowing rugby acumen and pumping guns that do it.

Sorry about the wigan bit, I meant no offence. However, I clearly don't share Gotcha's powers of perception. I really don't understand your embarrassment at winning a competition fairly and by playing good rugby [iwhen it matters[/i. Granted, the play off system could be improved but it's inevitable that, whatever the format, every now and again a team that's been less than scintillating through the regular season will win it. Were you embarrassed by any of our three-in-a-row wins?

Don't worry about that one mate. It's a gift. Not a lot of people do.

Bradford were awful for the first half of 2005, no-one questioned their right to win it from 3rd (apart from the salary cap breach

)

So, they have a home game against a team below them. Win it and the reward is a week off and another home game against a team below them. Not forgetting the luxury of a 2nd chance.

Had to is the correct phrase. Because there was no second chance. The reward for a win, an away trip to a team above them.

It's OK. Could be better but not as bad as some think. I have much less sympathy with Wigan and Warrington than most. To be fair to Warrington fans, unlike a large majority of silly Wigan fans, they didn't cry and whine about it either.

Bradford were really bad at start 2005 but timed there run well and peaked at right time

Edited for accuracy!