Exactly this. Many questions are asked about why the game isn't bigger than it is or why it isn't promoted as much as it should be. The simple answer is we don't deserve it.

For me the Grand Final has never felt like anything but a gimmick and the 'champions' tag is a tad cringeworthy. Sure I'd celebrate if my team won it but I'd much rather see them lift the Challenge Cup at Wembley. As for the league leaders shield, it gets nowhere near the respect it deserves.

The GF is a gimmick at the end of the day, to try and make something different for the sport, and stand out compared to others (i.e. football).

Problem we've had over the last few years is that the teams finishing top in the league and winning the LLS haven't always gone on to win the GF, which is why fans from the rest of the teams are never overly concerned about finishing top because it doesn't matter as long as they win the GF - and why other teams fans will always put winning the LLS down to fans of the team that does win it.

I do agree however, that something more could/should be made of it, but just like the NRL or NFL, doesn't matter how you do through the weekly rounds, the focus is all on that one big final!

You can and should celebrate it but they way some are going on about it you'd think we should just cancel the GF and give Cas the main trophy now.

All this Cas will be the true champions even if they don't win the GF BS, we all know that if roles were reversed and you won from 2nd-4th plenty of points behind you wouldn't be calling the LLS the champions.

The LLS is a good achievement but it doesn't become a greater achievement this year just because of who won it and how.

As for Leeds yes they had an occasion LAST WEEK for the South Stand. This giving Cas credit and making out the LLS is the bigger prize nonsense has been going all most of the season as soon as Cas opened up a gap at the top.

There wouldnt be all this wailing and gnashing of teeth, if Cas fans hadn't abanonded their own board in favour of the echo chamber forum they created for themselves; since they've found success and come out from hiding, the only place to get any reaction is on here, which naturally invites comment from fans of other clubs, who don't seem to be showing the required amount of adulation - and that's upsetting some Cas folk.

Personally, I think the LLS is a great achievement for them - given where they've come from; it may well mean less to clubs who have higher expectations, but it's all relative I guess. If they go on to win the GF, then they can demand some eating of words - but expecting supporters of other clubs to celebrate this with the same vigour as them is tilting at windmills; it's not what happens, especially on the VT, where snark is the main currency.

The thread was started because of what DP said regards the value of the LLS and his belief of it being a better achievement than going on to win the GF, it was not started as a Cas appreciation thread although the vast majority of people on here have actually congratulated Cas in spades for a great season so far, so i can't see why some Cas fans are dummy spitting TBH.

You do realise that for the majority of Rugby Leagues history the champions have been crowned by winning Grand Finals!?

The only reason for moving to a first past the post system from 73-98 was to mimmick soccer.

Going to be fun on here if Cas win or don't win the GF.

If Hull don't win it, I really hope Cas do, ok some fans have gone over the top, but the majority of fans deserve some success and they have been good to watch this year.

Powell is still talking nonsense in what started off this thread.

In the interests of fairness/completeness, (take your pick), perhaps you, or another 'historian' could confirm how that pre-play off league was structured in the majority of our collective history?

What by saying finishing top is the truest test of being consistent over a whole season? Or last year Warrington were the best team and they finished top to prove it? Just because headline writers might splash controversial headlines doesn't mean Powell actually said that statement.

The only board we've abandoned is the one on RLFans.com and we all know why that is. Casforum is by far a better standard of chat than on here IMO and the move has been replicated by Salford and Saints fans as well.
Your tone Bren is imitated by most posters on here and I'm of the opinion that is the main reason why we don't get many new RL fans joining these boards. Everyone is fighting their own clubs corner but some want to take it further and it just isn't working on here anymore sadly.

A lot of it is down to a lack of moderation too compared with a few years ago. There's a noticeable lack of presence, and a lot of trolling, slagging matches/bickering, insults etc go unnoticed because there isn't an active enough moderating community to keep an eye on everything. The Hull board for instance have 5 mods, 3 of which I can't recall seeing post in over a year.

Edit:
"wolfinwidnes", the designated mod for the VT, last visited 18 months ago. It's not rocket science is it, an active moderating community helps facilitate genuine debate, which surely in-turn encourages people to visit/post and drive traffic for the site?

I much less inclined to post on here these days.
Moderation is non existent, meaning the likes if the faux Frenchman more or less derail every thread with drivel.

P1sses me off we win our first trophy in quite sometime and all most of rugby league family can do is put it down.

Aye I bet Cas fans have never put down other teams successes in the past have they.

we had first past the post and it was regarded has the winners of the league and we also had play offs 1v8 2v 7 and so on if I remember right my team HKR were the first team to win the league and the play of

Oh give it a rest you're sounding pathetic now. What do you want exactly your not the first team to win the league! Most of us don't support Cas you do know that don't you? We only have a limited interest in their well being and that of their fans.

You've done well, well done - what more do you want



PS: Jeez I hope you don't win the final now else we'll all be expected to crawl on our hands and knees in homage.

Brilliant post, could have wrote that word for word myself - i was over the moon when we won it, still remember the night fondly, this less than 20 years after we were saved from oblivion - again, fck em - let us who have suffered watching our teams enjoy our moments however little they mean to others !!

I think most people are pleased for Cas and have been benevolent with praise. Ok a few Leeds & Wakey fans are a bit begrudging but given they've not beaten Cas for years there's going to be a bit off frustration and bitterness.

Clown shoes Vastman has probably not slept for a week given how consumed with Cas he invariably is.

"This ones going to come back and haunt you and I can't wait to be the ghost "

Vastgobs response to a wakey fans prediction at the start of the season that cas for the LLS...he did have wakey in the bottom 4 so i suppose he could bite back that he was on about that not happening.

I hope you realise that local rivalry and bragging right's apart, vastmans bitterness and sarcastic comments' and his hatred of all things Cas are not the views of most Wakefield fans, you've every right to bask in the glory of your teams achievement and if you go on to win the GF it will be well deserved.

Go back to predicting us to be a mid table team at best. That worked well for you.

He could go back to designing those lovely pictures of dream stadiums and new stands for Wakey. That was great.

Peter Smith's of the YEP view on the LLS here :- www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8717766

Peter Smith's of the YEP view on the LLS here :- www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8717766

This is the problem - *most* of the RL family hasn't put you down; but equally, since most of the RL family doesn't support Cas, they haven't expressed the same joy as you guys (understandably) have. As far I can see, the majority of the posts in this thread are positive about Cas' achievement - but through the lens of DP's perhaps ill-advised comments about the LLS, which was where the thread started, they're bound to have a view. If you only want the unadulterated positivity - I guess that's where the other forum comes in?

Maybe go back and see what you and your fellow Cas fans had to say about Shudds or Wire winning the LLS and sod all else? If you go on to win the GF, then by all means come back and gloat to your hearts content - that will really upset the apple cart.