Definitely wouldn't happen under top 5, especially on 9th of October 1998.

Stop it, now my sides are aching

It's not a reason though is it, as others have explained the previous smaller formats had thrashing too. Their isn't anything to suggest or prove that we wouldn't have seen a similar performance/shoreline had it been top 5/6.

The biggest problem the playoffs have had is teams not fighting like their lives depended on it. The title is finally within sight and several teams haven't looked interested. And I wouldn't put it down to the 'gulf in teams abilities' because most of the bigger score lines haven't required the winning team to reach top gear, they've just played like they still want to be there next week.

The biggest problem is that the top 8 format has created apathy amongst players and fans.

There are less and less intensity matches in the preliminary 27 rounds and its only perhaps in the last 3 matches of the season there is a bit of effort to ensure teams get into the 2 tiers of 1 to 4 and 5 to 8. Apathy goes into the top 4 as these teams get a second chance, only 1 team from 5 to 8 manage to progress the others can,t raise the intensity in matches.

A top 5 would give more value to the 27 preliminary rounds by the very fact that less teams can proceed to the playoffs. Yes we did have some blow out scores in the earlier top 5 format, but I can,t recall teams playing as we have seen lately................showing little effort, intensity and fight.

They just don't see it do they.
BTW is the the definition of irony?

Congratulations to SL 2013 for providing it's second entry into the lowest 5 SL play-off attendances of all time hall of infamy and shame.

[uLowest play-off attendances during SL-era[/u
Wakefield V Catalan in 2009 = 4,008
Huddersfield V Catalan in 2009 = 4,263
=#FF0000Hull V Catalan in 2013 = 4,970 =#FF0000<----- CHEAP £15 ADULT TICKETS ALERT -----
Halifax V St Helens in 1998 = 5,451
=#FF0000Huddersfield V Hull in 2013 = 5,547 =#FF0000<----- CHEAP £10 ADULT TICKETS ALERT -----

To be fair, the top 3 of those you've listed all have Catalans playing away. It's very tough for Catalans fans to make it over the UK on a week's notice. Tonight's attendance figure is worse than all 3 of those when you put it into perspective as it had 2 English sides in it.

Looks like Hull are the common factor to me

Yes, get in – still top

.

hey,i just had a thought.
maybe this scoreline occurred because one team ( Huddersfield) were on fire and blew their opponents away?
but then I realised its Huddersfield so it must be other things that enabled this scoreline not the fact that a team played so much better than the opposition

the top 5 system only had one game that wasn't one of Leeds, Bradford, saints or Wigan at home. It's attendance was lower than tonight's game.

The average points differences under the top 5 system was higher than top 6 and higher than 2009 and 2010 under the top 8 system, in fact the difference in average points difference between the completed top 8 and top 5 systems is a massive, huge, unbelievable 0.5points per game.

The games in the top 5 system also had more points per game scored of all the systems. That would be down to the incredibly intense defences needed to win games back the I guess.

Hth

He's not suggesting it played any factor in us losing, you do realise that right?
Just highlighting the fact that the video ref got a pretty clear call wrong again.

Yes they were very good however, if you think any team coming up against them tonight would have been put to the sword, you’re very mistaken.

Great effort by Huddersfield, but not the workout they need at this time of the year.

Got it in one

A bit like Ganson then

.

As with many other things it’s a swings & roundabouts game, to even mention it as some sort of caveat is very funny in the concept of the game.

The team should hang their heads in shame.

we were supposed to choke tonight.
ah well maybe next week?

Have to credit Hudds for lifting themselves after being beaten. They were fired up for it, but Hull were absolutely toothless with and without the ball. Think it was 3 sets in the Hudds 20 in the entire first 40.

Front 3 for Hudds did the job to allow Brough & Robinson to run wild.

Can't see them being so dominant against a top 4 side at this stage.

If Leeds can lift like that tomorrow night, should be a cracker against Saints who will be a far tougher test than Hull tonight

Careful what you wish for !

Shocking isn't it, at least Ganson never snatched the game away from you tonight, that was done by yourselves in the first 20 minutes.

I was going to post something along the lines of what Meast did. However, reading these comments I realise it would be a waste of time. We were bad, Hull were worse. There, that should satisfy the blinkered on here.

Jesus, another one. What comments exactly? That Hull were shockingly bad? Well, yes, they were. That doesn't mean Hudds weren't impressive. Get over yourselves.

What's wring with Hudds fans lately, they seem to have formed some kind of victim mentality where for some reason they think everyone is having a dig at them, when as far as I can see no one actually is

I would like to say in hulls defence huds we far better then you and I think it was the only match i would like to see again it made me laugh so much i cried

Absolutely.Nobody has said Hudds. dont deserve credit, they were clearly up for righting some wrong's and played at the required level that should be attained to win a game of this magnitude.Hull were abysmal from the word go and that is why the focus is on them.We will see if Hudds. are capable of replicating it next week against a team that wont be tackling like fairys or giving the half backs the freedom of the pitch all night to do as they please.If they do, then they will be getting all the praise in the World from me.

I would have thought watching your team this season would have made you cry lots of times. How did you get on against Wigan??