You really don't remember anything pre 1998 do you?

Been watching rugby since 1984 so I think I know my rugby and played too.As I said Wigan have been the most consistent team throughout the season and should be Champions.Years ago was Stones bitter Premiership which I did enjoy the day out at Old Trafford watching my team win it a few times.My point a team just winning the playoffs with just winning just over half the games in a season is laughable.Teams like Wigan and Warrington have burnt themselves out and just lost a one off game.Credit to Leeds though for winning but in my opinion I do think consistency should be rewarded for beating most teams in a regular season.It is just my opinion and not a big issue like some on here think.I was bored off the playoffs except one semi decent and the final.Coming 5th twice how can anyone say best team ever?Best playoff team ever maybe.

This is just a ridiculous argument and the point makes no sense. If the rules at the start of the season said the winners of the league are the champions, how do you know wigan would have won? Leeds would have had different tactics throughout the year and they may well have finished top.

Admit it, it's sour grapes all teams know the rules at the start of the year.

IMO the playoffs are necessary and not just that they are a great way to find the champions.

'Off the Cuff' is just a windup merchant......
He's been on the Wires board since Saturday windingthem up...... until the Mod warned him.

Just another Keyboard warrior ...with loads of spare time.

That "laughable" method was used to decide the Champions pre-1972 (Leeds would have a hell of a lot more Championships to their name if a league system had been used pre-1972 but it was decided by playoff then). You could say that in the history of rugby league the top of the league system was a relatively short lived and unsuccessful experiment from '72 to '97.

That "laughable" system of playoffs to decide Champions is also used by the NRL, the NFL the NHL, Baseball, the NBA . In football FIFA use it for all international competitoions and it's used for the Champions League. It's now been adopted by the RFU for the English premiership and the Heineken Cup has decided the Champions of Europe by league and playoff for years.

My own opinion, apart from it being the obvious way to increase interest and market your entertainment product (which is what sport is) by having an end of season finale is that it's also the best way to decide who really are "Champions". Wigan won one "Championship" under the league system on points difference. Really? You win a Championship because a couple of weeks you get better weather and/or play a crap team with injuries and run in 70 points?
The term Champion should apply to teams or individuals that turn up and perform better than anyone else on the big occasion. This is why so many sports use this system and why so many sports fans love it.

Don´t forget for one reason and another Leeds have barely been able to rest a player all season, on the other hand moneybags Warrington with a lot of depth to their squad have rested players throughout the year, and have deliberately undercooked this year, in comparison to last season in an attempt to peak at the business end, they did peak, but Leeds were better still.

The Rhinos have roved themselves the best at what needs to be done, to win the comp as the comp stands. Tremendous credit to them for that.

Best team ever? Don't make me laugh!

Leeds v The Storm
Will the home advantage, several games into the season compared to the Storm be enough?

Why not? The teamwork and the team mentality on show is something really special. Plenty of them could have gone elsewhere for more money but they stay together and continue to have success at the highest level as a result. I think (sure i'm biased) the current Rhinos team is one of the best examples of a real sports 'team' there has ever been and i'm making the most of it whilst it lasts.

This collection of Leeds players is without doubt the best they've ever produced. How does it compare with a pre-Super League Wigan, peak era Bulls or Saints? On a par probably. I couldn't say better because each of those three were beyond dominant on their day and I've never really been able to say that about this collection of Leeds players. They certainly appear invulnerable in Grand Finals but apart from the first couple they've not really faced the challenge of a team who have flown through the season like Saints did in 2006 or the Bulls in '97. Those teams crushed opponents. That said, we have to give additional respect to Leeds because they are playing in a league were the talent is spread about a bit more evenly and they've done it behind a largely British team, which is a credit in itself.

For those, struggling to come to terms with Leeds' achievements, I wrote this last year after their GF triumph - [url=http://mcclennan.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/heroes-not-villains/Heroes not Villians[/url.

Are you struggling to come to terms with leeds achievments?

I have the number of a psychiatrist, or, like McClennan suggest read his article from last year.

As an aside, it's funny to see how many hypocrites there are on these forums because there wasn't any wigan fans claiming the above last season about warrington before their final eliminator against saints, ditto warrington fans this year about wigan.

Going around in circles here mate.I will not agree with your opinion and vice versa.So let it drop now, as this is what forums are for mate.If we all agreed it be a boring world.

I am not struggling with Leeds achievement, as they have done well,but to state best team ever i do not agree with mate.I was actually supporting Leeds as you know been a Widnes fan we like anybody to beat them.It was a good final, but most of the playoffs i did find boring as a neutral.Anyway well done Leeds for there achievement and you know who i think should be named Champions.

If Leeds had finished top 5 years out of 6 then they could argue to be the greatest, but the fact they have only finished top once means they can't be regarded as the greatest or anywhere close IMO.

A great team should at least be consistent, this Leeds team simply aren't. Winning the playoffs aren't really any different to winning the Challenge Cup, and no one says Saints 06,07,08 CC winning team are great.

Not sour grapes at all as i do not support Wigan or Warrington.I was happy Leeds won to be honest and i disagree as knockout rugby or football is the team on form on the day.When Liverpool won the Champions league in 2005 they had alot of luck but where not the best team even though won it.I look at number of wins in a season from a team to be the best.As said before i have a different opinion and at the end of the day Leeds are Champions on record.It is only a game and does not matter either way to me.Must admit a few take things far too seriously.

Someone i agree with on here.

I get paid to this too.

If the team finishing top became champions would anyone complain?

They did not in the past before the competition of playoffs started.

Only if it was Leeds.

The simple truth is they weren't good enough to beat 4th and 5th. At home. Yet some would have us believe they'd be worthy champions.

Indeed i seem to remember a few murmours in 2004 and 2009. It didn't go down too well leeds winning.

Do you mean prior to 1906 or maybe between 1974 and 1997?

For the other 82 years the rugby league champions have been determined via play offs.

Do you know why we had playoffs prior to 1973? What is the reason for having them now?

The first answer is necessity, the second is simply money making.


If in the workplace you worked better than anyone else for 11 months, but for one month a year someone worked better than you, and for that month that person got the years bonus and you didn't, then the business wouldn't last long.
So why does it happen in RL?

Leeds were true Champions in 2004 & 2009. Undisputed Champions.

You can't say that about the other years.

Really they have only been real Champions twice in the SL era yet some people try to make them the best ever? Anyway, its not Leeds fault, its the RFL's and it needs changing quick.

Nobody would complain if the team finishing top became Champions.

No. But winning five out of six grand finals is no mean feat, albeit that four of them were against us!