I'd like us to sign a couple of experienced aussies/south seas players. A rough house prop like Sironen and a loose forward, if we can do that and hold onto Hitchcox and maybe Egodo I believe we can challenge for a top 5 finish.

2019 - Promotion to Super League
2020 - Win Super League
2021 - World Club Champions

The club has to say we are aiming and can challenge the top 5. That is what will sell season tickets after all m.

In reality, they will know just how competitive the championship will be next year. We need to strengthen if we are going to survive.

The first aim has to be to hit the ground running. And try to pick up a win or two in those opening fixtures especially with the good feeling running. Flip side of that if we get hammered by Toronto, Toulouse and Widnes in the opening three games you will get some calling for the panic button

Farce is - to me - a harsh summation when it's probably the most "sensible" way of promoting to SL in well over a decade compared to the last few systems of 8s, and franchising/no promotion at all.

This system guarantees promotion to SL - not so under the 8s, although the only year a team has failed to go up was the year we were in the MPG! - and guarantees it's earned on the pitch.

The last time there was regular promotion/relegation from the Championship it was a playoff final system, and that seemed to go ok.

I think with the squad as it, we'd be around mid table.

With 2 or 3 shrewd signings I think we'd have a good shot at the play offs.

The current guys will improve massively from playing competitive rugby week in week out too.
It's great piling on the points most weeks, but isn't really any good foe developing the players.

On the top 5 - get both sides of the argument, but I think it adds to season and gives a nice finale.
The top 5 format is my favourite of the play off formats too.
Where will the GF of it be played? At the home of the highest placed club?

I don't see why this division needs its own playoff system and grand final. It is literally nothing more than a money spinner.

If you can play through the whole season and finish top of the league then you've earned your place in SL imo. You shouldn't need to also come out on top of a sudden death playoff system where a few injuries or general bad luck could scupper things.
Imagine if a team finishes in fifth but makes a couple of signings right before the deadline, and then goes on to win the GF. I think that's what JK might see as being a bit farcical.

Quote ="Wigan Bull" Where will the GF of it be played? At the home of the highest placed club?'" No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.

Quote ="Wigan Bull" Where will the GF of it be played? At the home of the highest placed club?'" No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.

The top team of the Championship hasn't been automatically promoted for two decades. Not sure why it's suddenly a problem now - the imagined scenario described was literally every year of the system we've just had except a top 4 and not 5. I don't think there were too many crying off when we had a crack at the Million Pound Game despite Leigh finishing top. See also Torronto this year who will be in no worse position if they top the table in 2019.

If everyone knows the rules before it kicks off (a rarity in this sport, I know!) then everyone has the same opportunity. I understand the argument, but "farcical" is a bit OTT to my mind when you consider the complete absurdity the second tier teams have had to overcome since franchising came in.

Agree with this!

Correct, plus a top 5 playoff system is much for helpful for us than say Toronto. Toronto should be top easily next year IMO, and a straight one up system would lead to the Championship season fizzling out for all the mid table teams. But as it is, I suspect the fight to get in the top 5 will go down to the last week, and there's no reason why we shouldn't look to get in the mix for pushing for that 5th spot. Then we're in with a shot via the playoffs. Highly unlikely we'll go up, but to be even in with a shot next year would be awesome. I think the top 5 system was always my favourite one, if they implement it like we had it back around 2001 when coming top gave you two home chances to make the final, so finishing top of the league still meant something (unlike saints in this years SL where 1 bad game sees them gone despite being the best team all year.)

Cant wait for next season already!

Quote ="paulwalker71"No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.'" Quite! I think Warrington's ground lends itself to this type of occasion ans no reason it couldn't be a sell out with the right teams in the final! What's the capacity there now?

Quote ="paulwalker71"No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.'" Quite! I think Warrington's ground lends itself to this type of occasion ans no reason it couldn't be a sell out with the right teams in the final! What's the capacity there now?

15,200.


Ideal then.

Didn't the Champ and Champ1 clubs suggest a solution where it was straight up/down for the top/bottom clubs, and then the 2-5 placed clubs in the Champ play a knockout to play a one-off Million pound game with the SL 2nd from bottom team?

That would keep the excitement of the MPG and keep competition alive, while keeping a promotion/relegation AND leaving things to play for too.

Of course the SL clubs poo-poohed it. And brought in repeat fixures instead; as that's MUCH more thrilling.

So remind me where the experts said London would finish this years and where they are now and who they beat to do it?!?!?!?!??!

Top 5 has to be target then with Cap'n Kear the sudden death specialist in charge who knows what could happen?!?!?

We've got to get into the top 5 first. I think Toronto, Widnes, Toulouse and Halifax have the top 4 pretty much nailed on with Fev not far off but possibly weaker after having to make cuts due to them missing out this year. There is a definite drop in quality after that top 5. I expect Leigh to drop down a bit with their troubles.

We may take time to get used to the rise in quality. The "easiest" opposition will be sides that gave us our hardest games this season so we'll need to step it up. Hopefully a proper pre season and a few new guys with proven championship quality will help.

Of course they did. Given the horror scenario that might have happened if the top teams in the Championship continued to strengthen while the bottom of Super League kept spinning their wheels meaning that a middle 8's setup could have seen 4 clubs drop, we should be damn grateful to the SL overlords that we get the scraps of 1 promotion spot.

I have always believed the top team in the league should go up but my fear with that system is that this year Toronto would have effectively killed the league by June.

I like the top five play off as long as the top team goes straight into the grand final. Who wouldn't enjoy the build up to a grand final at Headingley Vs Toronto or anyone.
The other four play off and probably down to positions 8-10 are still trying to get into 5th so the season stays interesting. If the top team still goes up then OK but the rest of us still had hope and some entertainment for the whole season.

As far as the argument about it just being about money then what about the extra 10s of thousands we have just earnt. That may help in signings if not just paying the bills over the next few month so I don't begrudge a club earning that extra money in the play offs and giving us fans something to dream about.

The 8s have helped to achieve the objective of strengthening the championship so mid table would be brilliant and any higher a bonus. The 5s were always a great end to the season (once you got your head around who played who when), as posters say it kept interest to the end of the main season, and heavily favoured the "minor superleaguer" team. I doubt any team would want to go straight into the final, a hit out against fifth is better than training ground games for several weeks.

Early doors but Im tipping you to make the top 5 at the expense of either Fax or Fev.

This was the basis of my thought that the new system was a farce, since I've never witnessed a system like that (probably too young). Perhaps, on reflection, the word was over zealous. I think a 6 or 8 team playoff would be a better end to the season to be honest. Plenty of games to play, second bites of the cherry for the top performers, and the ones that scrape into the playoffs playing for their lives.

As I read it, the SL teams didn't like so many teams "being in jeopardy" even if they finished out of the bottom spot. They don't seem to mind that you can finish mid-table yet still be "champions".

But, they have got their wish. Teams in the mid zone that won't make the playoffs but can't be relegated will have a second half of the season that is just a slow death. But crowd interest will be redoubled by being able to play the same teams several times a season. If a couple of those are in the same zone, then some meaningless repeat dead rubbers should really have both crowds and broadcasters buzzing.

Quote ="paulwalker71"No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.'" You do realise there were 3 games that day? Castleford - Widnes Featherstone R - Oldham Bramely - Featherstone L

Quote ="paulwalker71"No, history shows it has been at a neutral venue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Grand_Final It's been a grounds such as Warrington, Widnes and Headingley. Some pretty decent crowds too. If its done right, it could be a massive occasion - imagine us playing Widnes for a place in SL at Headingley with 20K there? That's not a pipe dream - see the crowds in that link above.'" You do realise there were 3 games that day? Castleford - Widnes Featherstone R - Oldham Bramely - Featherstone L

I didn't, but if that's what it takes to fill Headingley, then I'm all for it. There will be a League 1 promotional playoff next season as well, I believe. So having a 'finals day' and getting a big crowd seems like a great idea to me.

It will all change after Christmas and a few beers, or when SL come up with a different plan to keep more money.

I'm not expecting silverware but, for services to tourism, I don't see a mechanism by which we're not guaranteed [url=https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/awards-tributes/tributes/key-to-the-city/a little gold[/url.