That sounds good to me. I'm actually surprised that no-one has mentioned that this years final is the side who finished 5th versus a side who lost a play-off game by 22 points. Although it's my team, is this right?

Sorry but disagree, having time off for 'good behaviour' doesn't seem to help, well not this year or last.

Do agree that something needs to be done about the regular season and profile of finishing top of the league. Well done by the way

But that would mean the team finishing top going two weeks without a game.
If we're going to have a play off system then I think the original Top Five way was the best we've had, if we're stuck with eight teams then it should be a straight knockout competition, 1v8, 2v7 etc.

Out of curiosity do you have a season ticket or pick and choose your matches? Such as don't bother from Febuary until mid September then show up?

I think if you win it from 5th under the old top five system it is far more credible because not only is it harder for the 5th placed team it is progressively easier for all the teams above them which IMO is not true with the current system and is a fact often lost on people when comparing systems.



That is a knockout competition and playoffs are not supposed to be knockout competitions. That system, like the current system, also negates all 27 rounds reducing the competition to two games.

That brings us to the other advantage of the top 5 system. The higher you finish the better chance you have of winning the GF so it makes the league competition a true qualifier for the play offs and therefore meaningful. There is a definite reason to try and win the league in a top 5 system.

-true--we will

Whatever happens on Saturday I hope that we will be as gracious in victory as in defeat, the former naturally gets my vote, but, it's time to show a bit of class. Either way it's not been a bad season?

I'd prefer Wire to win because they've been by far the better team over the season but some of their fans on here will be absolutely unbearable. What's the over/under betting on the amount of threads started or bumped on here after the game by whinos/wire fans?

chill-its a j/k

Wire because they are actually a good team and have been consistently for a few years. They deserved it last year probably.

Disagree. Leeds winning it from 5th goes to show how even the teams in the league are. On their day, any of the top 5 teams are capable of beating each other. I look forward to the day when the team that finishes 8th is good enough to win the Grand Final.

I think your comment about the parity between the top 5 may be valid but that doesn't validate this playoff system. Catalans reward for finishing above Leeds was to come to Wigan and get battered then have to back up against a Leeds team who had the easier task of playing Wakefield at home. Granted, you still had to do the job over in France but don't you see why people are questioning the format?

Yes, all we had to do was win at their home ground. A feat that we hadn't managed to do during the league. In fact, throughout the league they had only lost 1 game played at their home ground. If they had turned up against Wigan in their first play off game, things could have been very different.

You are entiltled to your opinion, of course. However, my opinion is that when a team has a 58% win return over a 2 yr period people shouldn't be criticised for questioning the system that allows them to be crowned champions, nor be criticised for deciding the previous 27 weekly rounds have an ever decreasing significance.
Of course we all knew the rules when we started but some of us have been airing our opinions for quite a while now, well before league positions were decided. The way things are at the moment it is virtually inevitable that 2 of the top 4 must play each other twice. Saints couldn't manage it this year and in my opinion Leeds' task was made a little easier because they didn't have to.

how even teams are in the league

i wonder what the actual-point-diff was between 8th and 1st,or 1 st and 5th,the present play off system is killing off normal league games,hence a lot of ppl not bothering to go most weekly games unless they are derby or cup games

No need to roll your veyes at me Mr Flyer, it wasn't particularly aimed at you.

I'm just hoping if we do it. we can be good winners and get rid of this notion that all Wire fans are crass, when in reality every club has their share.

BTW I'm all for a bit of banter and not a total a do gooder, but, most of the Leeds support on here is based on the rep of our fans, whereas most of the support for us is based on the rugby we've played over the last couple of years and the fact that most posters don't agree with the play off format and the impact on the regular season.

Sorry a bit dull carry on with the 'jokes'

Warrington and I am confident that they will.

Now THAT, Pemps, is the only way the system can work imo. That would make winning the league all that more important again and it would be a real slog. Media would like it and the semi's would all be geared to who go to Old Trafford to play whoever. For the side that finishes top it would be a great spectacle to watch the others battle it out.

Wires to win easy.
Similar result to Challenge Cup Final.

I want Leeds to win, no doubt about it. If wire do the double we will NEVER hear the last of it. I'm used to Leeds winning things and can put up with it, but wire.....no thanks

However I think wire will win with at least 12 points

I can't support either although will probably be cheering for Leeds when it does come to it.

That said for the good of the game my head says a Wire win would be best just to try and keep any integrity the sport has left. For a 5th placed team to be called "Champions" two years in a row makes a mockery of the game.

So the Wigan fan in me will be cheering for Leeds but the RL fan in me will be cheering for Wire.

The system we have now is a joke.
For me it should be top 5.

Finish 1st, straight in final.
2nd vs 5th(Friday)
3rd vs 4th (Friday)

Winner vs winner (Monday)

Play the games Friday and Monday night, this way if you finish first you only have a week off not 2. Also gives an advantage to the team finishing top. Making more teams fighting each week to finish top.

Top 4 mini league, top 5 system

Week 1
4v5 winner in mini league, loser out of comp.

Week 2
1v4
2v3

Week 3
1v2
3v4

Week 4
1v3
2v4

Final of top 2 team.

Everyone plays each other
a) Coming top guarantees 3 home games
b) Coming second, 2 home games
c) Coming 3rd means you avoid the week 1 playoff game.

4th & 5th would play a knock out playoff and play all their games away from home to win the final.

Not bothered

Wire, because the only thing more infuriating than Leeds getting to GF from fifth is this absolutely moronic belief some Leeds fans have that they finished fifth on purpose like it was some master plan.

They bitch and moan all season about how they keep losing, then at the end of the season they believe they lost all those matches on purpose as some part of a master plan to peak in the playoffs. Make your minds up please.