This ^^^^^^^.

There is nothing in the operational rules about who plays when in the play-offs.

While "traditionally" the higher placed team might well have played first, that was when Sky had both semi finals, now there's two broadcasters with Sky first pick.

Add in the fact that over the last ten years there's no advantage to playing in the first semi-final, in fact, the complete opposite.

=> A huge nothing burger as the Americans would say.

2006 helped shape the future for sure and it was probably a good reality check for a lot of our fans. Stu likened it to Man U currently and they're getting towards that sort of low point but unlike Wigan, it won't be anywhere near as straightforward to rebuild it. There is too much money in the game, too many good teams and too many rules around spending now to get anywhere quickly.

[quote="MattyB":1778imjw]I agree the atmosphere and increase in attendances were incredible as each game came and went. Not sure any other team before or since has had such an instance of this. I think the worst I felt personally (more so than the 75-0 / 70-0 fortnight) was Wakefield away where Richards 'scored' in the final seconds which was ruled out. At that point I thought we were gone. The Wire home win out of nothing gave us the smallest glint of hope, I think we struggled a win v Hudds with a late Danny Orr try under the sticks. One of the reasons I can only slightly recall certain events is that I won't rewatch anything of that season as it still sends shudders. [/quote:1778imjw] The 75 and 70 point defeats were actually in the 2005 season and we briefly flirted with relegation that year as well. Our recruitment for 2006 was actually very good aside from moving Terry Newton on for Micky Higham. I think we had a lot of injuries but clearly there was a huge breakdown in relations between Millward and the players. Agree completely about the Wakefield game - there felt no way back after that. The run of games towards the end starting with Fielden's debut and the Warrington is still one of my best memories as a Wigan fan. Leeds away right after the salary cap breach was a huge effort from the players.

Was the away game to Bradford that we made the great comeback in, in the same season, as my memory is shot but it is one of the games that really stands out to me. We were 30(ish) points down at half time and I remember chatting with family and saying, well they scored 30 points in one half so no reason we couldn't in the second half, then Mark Calderwood scored a brace of tries and we pipped them at the end, the atmosphere that day was electric, the atmosphere in the games when we were on a roll was the best it has ever been at the stadium.

[quote="Warrior Winger":2rbl5zna]Was the away game to Bradford that we made the great comeback in, in the same season, as my memory is shot but it is one of the games that really stands out to me. We were 30(ish) points down at half time and I remember chatting with family and saying, well they scored 30 points in one half so no reason we couldn't in the second half, then Mark Calderwood scored a brace of tries and we pipped them at the end, the atmosphere that day was electric, the atmosphere in the games when we were on a roll was the best it has ever been at the stadium.[/quote:2rbl5zna] That was the 2007 playoffs. Amazing game.

[quote="MattyB":347k0hwa]I agree the atmosphere and increase in attendances were incredible as each game came and went. Not sure any other team before or since has had such an instance of this. I think the worst I felt personally (more so than the 75-0 / 70-0 fortnight) was Wakefield away where Richards 'scored' in the final seconds which was ruled out. At that point I thought we were gone. The Wire home win out of nothing gave us the smallest glint of hope, I think we struggled a win v Hudds with a late Danny Orr try under the sticks. One of the reasons I can only slightly recall certain events is that I won't rewatch anything of that season as it still sends shudders. [/quote:347k0hwa] I remember the Wakefield debacle with Pat not being awarded the try ,I also thought we were done after that but fairplay, things changed and our fans backed the team even more after that.