I think the point is that it is big for us (Cas) as a club as it represents the first time we have ever finished at the top of the league.
Would it mean as much to a club who has won it before? No.
Will it mean as much if Cas win it again in the future? No.
Similarly, the GF would be massive for us, more so that it would be for a team who has won it multiple times already.
It's not the trophy that's important, it's the signifance of it to the winning team.

The grand final is a cup comp, sure you have to get yourself into a position to be in it but either side can be decimated by injuries or the ref has a mare and cocks it up for a team. One of game that can go either way for any number of reasons. Being champions of the league should represent who the best team was that season.

It's a complete irrelevance as regards the rest of the season. Powell was simply taking up the game to generate interest. Powell & all the players were stressing straight after the game that the job is only partly done. It also generated more faux drama from the easily offended. If I was you I would worry about your own mental state than Powell's.

Congrats to Cas. Good for the game that someone else finishes top for a change.

DAM I was hopping you would forget it was water you drink

A different team has finished top for the last 6 seasons. Had Hull not ran out of gas after Wembley last year, it would have been 7.

2011: Warrington
2012: Wigan
2013: Huddersfield
2014: Saints
2015: Leeds
2016: Warrington (nearly Hull

)
2017: Castleford

Hull, Catalans, Wakey or Salford's turn next year...

If ANYONE can win a one off GF then why do the same few teams keep winning it or even reaching it.

That's one of the points though, if Cas win it again or a few times in next few years it won't mean as much so this talk of first past the post etc. should take into account that you shouldn't look to change things just because of this one seasons end result.

If Cas win a few more LLS the next 5 years and are 10 points clear with several games to go will people still stay we should prioritise the league over the GF....which is one of the few good things the sport has going for it over here.

can they? ask warrington fans. they cant win one

Well done to Cas, and i hope their supporters enjoy it !!

When we won it in 2013 we were told the same that it didn't matter and we only won it cos Wigan, Leeds, Saints etc didn't want to win it !!

I guess if your a fan of clubs who taste regular success then this is 'just another trophy' but to fans like Huddersfield and Castleford who are not expected to win things and have both seen their team playing in the 2nd tier recently it's a massive achievement to finish top of the league.

There is no set importance to the LLS, it's as important as every club or supporter sees it, i know i was over the moon when i saw us lift it as were many other Fartowners that night.

Winning trophies is what it's all about and seeing your team lift any is a great feeling.

Well done Cas! Though the LLS may not be viewd as the big prize or the prize that makes you the champions, it is the hardest to win.
Grand finals are hard to win. The pressure will be there but The salary cap is going okay and in a few years time different teams will be winning them. Hopefully this year.

Maybe one day the league leaders will start with points in the semi final and final to give them a deserved advantage.

The LLS would be the hardest to win if that's what all the teams were targeting at the start of the season, they're not. At the start of the season what every team is dreaming of and planning for is victory at Old Trafford because that is (currently) the mark of champions. All clubs, coaches, players and fans know this at the start of the season so I really don't understand why we keep having this debate towards the end of every season.

F'ing hell, if I see one more "if every team were targeting it but they're not"...



It's another trophy. If it isn't regarded highly, why did everyone bleat on about Leeds doing the treble. Double standards here.

Don't be ridiculous! The advantage is a home semi-final versus the team in 4th place. Points start? How many? Let me guess - 15? Ha,ha!

Couldn't buy one mate

We do need to return to a top 5 playoff as the current play-offs 1 v 4, 2 v 3 isn't long enough to generate real interest. I'm happy with the Super 8s format but we do need to extend the play-off structure by bringing back the top 5. I can't see a return however because the "player welfare brigade" will once again argue that the elite players play too many games during a successful season. Throw out the Magic Weekend game it only brings a small percentage of regular supporters together for an annual up.

Maybe he's like a few more of us who see the play offs and Grand Final as the worst system anyone could choose to produce the Champions. Most of the seasons games are still meaningless.

I bet you the response will be "but everyone knew it at the start of the season".

i don't care what anyone says, and if Cas fans (or others) don't like it, tough . the LLS is one of 3 trophies available and it is worth winning, but the Challenge Cup is bigger and the Grand final is the pinnacle. will the Cas fans and Powell be saying the LLs is more important than the grand final if they go on and win it, will they say we don't want it we've got the LLs. will they bolllox, they are just edging their bets and getting their excuses in early in case they can't do it.

when Leeds one our first LLs in 2004 i really wasn't too fussed as it was only half the job. it meant absolutely nothing and would be little consultation if we had not gone to old Trafford and won the grand final. the ecstasy when mcguire scored the clinching try will forever be with me. never got that with a challenge cup or lls, and it has been the same with every GF win since.

the last one in 2015 was great, mainly due to the stunning end last move in last ten seconds on of last game and one it, it also meant the treble was on, but if we lost at Huddersfield and won at old trafford then that game at Huddersfield would have been quickly forgot.

Grand final is here to stay anf 70k every year will testify to that.

You do realise the Cas Tigers have never won the LLS or finished top of the league in our 91 year history don't you ?

You've answered your own question. It's the treble. Every trophy available. It's the least important of the three but you have to win it to win the treble.

Really well who'd have thought it, no ones mentioned it.

I think people get that, they just don't agree it should be the case

CC Is great if won the right way. You can get to Wembley winning against lower league opposition like Leeds nearly did.

The LLS shows which team has been the best throughout the season and for a little town in Wakey called Castleford this is a big thing after what we have been through in the last 15 years.

Yes we understand the Grand Final is the number 1 aim and that's what we will go for now but there is no reason after winning the shield we should not celebrate our first major trophy!!
As well as that we will host an NRL team down lane.
As well as that we win £100,000

For the club of Castleford this is huge. Just like it would be Wakey, Salford or any other lower club.

No surprise to see supporters of Cas's bitch pouring scorn on what is a fantastic achievement.

They've dined out on the treble for 2 years, but it's now been downgraded to a double and a token piece of tin.