Now in the cold light of day and after the whole play off series has ended perhaps it would be time or suggestions to make the play offs better.
I must admit I always liked the top 5 syatem as this meant that to win the trophy you had to beat everyone above you. UI can also see the idea of going to 8 teams because of the expanded league and we want competitive matches as close to the end of the normel rounds as possible, but it has the major draw back of not rewarding the league leaders as we found to our cost. Loose the first game and we then had to travel to our opponents hardly just reward for finishing top
My idea would incorporate thee top 7 teams
the first round would be midweek and be 4v7 and 5v6 with the losers eliminated. Winers would then be ranked 4 and 5. QWe would then be in the original top 5 play offs ie
week 1
4v5 (Game A)losser eliminated winner to week 2
2v3 (GameB)winner to play 1 in week 2 loser to play winner of game A
Week2
Game C 1v Winner of game B Winner to grand final Losser to final eliminator
Game D looser game B v Winner game A winner to final eliminator, looser eliminated
Week 3 Final eliminator
Looser of game C V Winner of game D

Thisgoes back to rewarding teams the higher they finish.

sounds good i dont like the club call idea tbh

Interesting idea, but there is no way it would be adopted if teams had to play mid-week and then back up the following weekend ( Friday, Saturday or Sunday).

I agree it was unjust for Wigan to lose home advantage for 2 games because we lost to Leeds in Week 1 - thus totally negating their performance in 27 league games. The original top 5 system was just about right, but it meant fewer games and one week less of competition. The extra revenue generated by the greater number of games is important for Sky and for the clubs

How about this - [uTop 7 Play Off[/u (extended version of old top 5);

[uWeek 1[/u - 1st place week off

1st Round Eliminators
2 vs 7 , 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5

[iAll winners through to week 2 - Top winner plays 1st place in week 2, Losers out[/i

[uWeek 2[/u

Grand Final Qualifier - 1st Vs Highest placed Winner week 1 (Winners through to GF, Losers to Week 3 Semi Final)

Semi Final Qualifier - Other two winners from week 1 (highest placed has home advantage)

[uWeek 3[/u

Semi Final / Final Eliminator - Loser Grand Final Qualifier Vs Winner of Semi Final Qualifier

[uWeek 4[/u - Grand Final

Winner of Grand Final Qualifier Vs Winner of Semi Final / Final Eliminator

Loser, Losser or Looser?

Top seven play off does sound like a good idea though.

if we have to have an 8 team play off can we please use the NRL system - it needs a little bit of reading to understand exactly how it works- but i think its miles better than what we have now- and for the comfort of the RFL number crunchers and tv execs - its the same number of games as now

Personally, I'd rather go back to a top 5.

I don't see the point in rewarding average to lousy teams in the bottom half of the table with a crack at "winning the league" (I say it like that because it's it's not *really* winning the league is it? Just winning a mini cup comp)

Even if we went back to top 6, I could accept it, but 8 is far too many

I think the backing up is a good idea. They finished lower and therefore have a harder route. Plus they're only playing the other team that played Midweek when it comes to the weekend so it doesnt matter. As long as the 4 lower teams in the games get a fair fixture (eg if they played friday they play monday saturday tuesday sunday wednesday etc) then I see no wrong in it the game they play at the weekend had to go through the same so noone gets much advantage.

I think the only slight issue is the team that finish 4th or 5th may play Friday so they'd get a Monday game but their opponents in 6th or 7th may have played Sunday and that may be too much of a penalty.

Someone can probably sort that Hitch out its just trying to get it fair because they cant both play Wednesday coz the PLayoffs are for sky so they wouldn't go for one where they only got to show 1 of the 2 games.

I agree. The playoffs should involve at most half the league, preferably less. I don't see how it can be justified having teams with a losing record involved.

Top 5 or 6 for me.

Geoff in principal I agree however the idea behind having more teams in the play off was to try and keep the season live as long as possible so the lower teams had something to play for.
The lower teams in my idea do have the penalty of having to back up. Also as the top 5 system that I have tried to modify to me had the big advantage in that to win you had to beat everyone above you. Apart from the initial loosers in the "mid week games" this is stil tha case and rewards teams finishing higher in the league. If a team finishes lower down the league they have a much harder route. I acept there are some hitches as to telivision and playing schedules but I am certain there is ways to overcome this.

But everybody knows it's just window dressing. I also don't think teams will improve much if they can get into the play offs with the typical record of those finishing 7th or 8th.

Going back to the top five which is the best format of the lot means the league is more important because you must do well in that to get into the top five in the first place.

If some teams season is over earlier - so what? There has to be some price for failure and incentive to improve.

With the top eight it's almost like you could ditch the league and just run the play offs.

Dave

Top 5 is by far t he best way.

If you're worried about lower teams having nothing to play for, have a separate knock out comp for 5 - 10.

Ive got an idea about the bottom 6! why not have a 3 week play off series with the 2 worst performing clubs having an "relegation grand final" which could be played at Widnes with the loser being relegated from Super League.

Theres no relegation any more so the entire focus is on getting to the playoffs (seeing as finishing bottom in all 3 years wouldnt actually mean losing your licence due to the points system) so the 5 team playoff would do for a more competitive league because the lower teams would have nothing else to aim for (other than the cup) and therefore would have more incentive to be better.

This is what the 8 team was supposed to be about giving them something to go for but looking at 7th and 8th's records this year I dont think its good enough.

Also Frisk great idea haha. How would that work? You win a game then dont have to play again? haha