The only way i'd like to change it, still rewarding consistency is a top 4 mini league playoffs, top 4 play each other then the top 2 in the final.

Top team gets 3 home matches
2nd gets 2 home 1 away
3rd 1 home 2 away
4th 3 away games

To try and prevent a final dead rubber game i'd structure it

1v3
2v4

1v2
3v4

1v4
2v3

Get rid of the hub cap and have an identical trophy to the GF only smaller and recognise it with a medal.

If they had that, you'd never hear a peep out of me.

Me.
Knowing the rules doesn't mean they are fair. These discussions have taken place before this season but for many Warrington fans that never really thought about it before they have suddenly been woken upto what a silly system it is. This is why it is having so much discussion on this board now.

Mr the sticks ...

beautifully put .

we finished 4th thanks Dalt, though at the time i was concerned with the team finishing 11th getting relegated to create room for the incoming catalan dragons, that and london going tits up and being allowed to stay in the league, cos its not churlish at all to complain about those things, as and when they happened.

That's America though, American sports don't have things like the FA cup, Champions league or even the challenge cup. Their lack of KO competition means they put all the emphasis on the end of season playoffs.

Still, even then, you could make a great argument that Americans don't praise sides enough for winning the league, which is a shame really. NHL & NBA sides play 82 league games to gain a playoff spot, it kinda really shows the 82 games to be a waste of time.



The Champions League is unlike pretty much any sporting competition in the world (Copa Libertadores is similar), a competition that's played between an entire continent and is probably the highest level of football at the moment. Still, even then, I don't think coaches from any of the big clubs put the CL over the league, if they did they'd probably stand a greater chance of winning the thing. Some fans may want to win the CL over the league, purely because fans of most of the better clubs these days (Chelsea, Arsenal, Citeh etc.) don't know what it feels like to win the CL.

I've just gone back to re-read the original article having read the thread again. I still think the whole thing is an embarrassment and I'm glad I am not a business man in Warrington represented by this small time Charlie.

this is so boring, we all knew what our team had to do to win the prize, to moan about it makes us like wigan, they change the rules/ cheat to win trophies/ stay in superleague. we're better than that. words like dignity spring to mind here!

we came very close this season, i'm really looking forward to next season. we have the potential to go all the way...

so stop this pointless debate because no ammount of moaning on here is gonna stop the RFL from cashing in on it's yearly cash cow unless they come up with an alternative that generates more money. the old premiership comp certainly didn't generate as much money as the current grand final so why would they revert to it?
it's not gonna happen.

Not sure why you've brought either of those up.

And Gary Numan what a cop out. You never thought of this issue before because you hadn't finished first? You've been in play offs, you've tried to win them, and never considered the team who came top should be champions before now? That's because you were concentrating on winning the league from outside the top.

You want to have your cake and eat it. Pathetic.

Widnes fans having a pop now....

Lock this and any other winners of the league /big trophy /play off format, type argument..

we finished top thats a good start...lets finish top again and see what happens then...

I refer you back to my post about Leeds winning the LEAGUE LEADERSHIP TROPHY from 66-67 67-68 68-69 69-70 71-72 ,we won the championship twice in that era even though we knew we were far and away the best team in the league particularly 67-68,and at that time I was upset it was not converted into a championship final win,we didnt even get there !I think you celebrated too much when you had the league leadership presentation.I was very impressed the way your fans were so magnanous and gracious to us when you thrashed us a Wembley,but next year it may be another club who wins the LLS and the pressure will be on them.

i brought them up cos there was plenty of sour grapes from your way when widnes got relegated in 05 on both them cases as the season came to a close, from fans and tony chambers alike, when it was pointed out, you knew the rules at the start of the season, it wasn't considered an acceptable response, it was "outrage this" and "farce that"

i think we're both trying to make the same point here, it's all history, your 2011 gf winners, we won the league leaders sheild, some other misfits won the the challenge cup..there's a wcc for you lot in 2012 then a whole new season to get on with. may the best team win! (despite where they finish after 27 rounds)

Yes i have, if you want to look back over the years, you will find i've always disliked the play off system. I've been on the boards of other teams that finished top and told them i consider them champions. Not a new thing from me at all.

Now I know you are losing the argument because you are not only bringing up things that are completely irrelevant but also alluding to things I never personally said. I was completely behind the promotion of Catalans and have been ever since, and was at the time understanding of the decision to save the Broncos. You're not going to get me on things other fans have said because I stated clearly that I was only referring to those who are choosing only now to criticise the system when they were happy to support it before, and also said I was happy there were plenty of Wolves fans who are not feeling this way.

You can't get me on things other people have said unless I personally endorsed them or have attempted to do the same to you.

Your last paragraph is your Waterloo. You can state the masses have decried the playoff system, but when given a comparative situation, you can only speak for yourself.

My two cents:

Firstly, Mr Sticks' post is the worst example of pseudo-interlectual tripe I have read on this board. A very poor contribution.

On to the topic at hand, and I am wondering why it hasn't struck people yet. The RFL have structured this competition in a very unique (and pointlessly elaborate) way. There is no other competition in the world (except the NRL: and we aren't the NRL) that is structured with a league and then a pointless addition of a playoff (we all know it is money making)

This brings up the most important point. I am very proud of what warrington acheived this year. We won the hardest trophy to get and played some fantastic rugby. If you asked me in a decade who won the SL this year, it would take me a few mins to remember and when asked who was the most dominant team, I will say warrington very quickly.

Maybe I am unique in this, but, because of my youth, I think of teams due to their domoinance. The leeds and sts gf run was okay (if boring) no the things I remember are sts and bradford destroying teams in their pomp and, as much as it pains me, wigan last year were just a level above everyone.

Leeds are (and their is no offefense inteneded here) one of the most paper thin champions were have ever had in super league (it would be difficult to refute) I enjoyed their playoff run (except the wire game) and they did well in the final. However, I will remember them facing no post season for most of their games and losses in silly games (their catalan resul is more dominant in my head than the GF) I will also remember wire nilling cas, beating leeds, sts, wigan and bradford away from home, scoring over a thousand points and the cruel defense.

Ultimately, what I am saying is that people will remember this season for many reasons. Some will look back at just accept leeds at SL champs and do no more digging. Those that had the pleasure of seeing this wire team will know they saw something special. It would be nice for the team to get a medal or something, just to show the acheivement.how many teams have won the GF? And how many have won the LL?

I would say the Leeds team of 2004 and 2005 was more special in the football that they played i.e blowing teams away.2005 Leeds didnt win anything apart from the wcc ,but they came close to doing the double,but the football they played with a young and mostly home grown side was special and the side is still competing now,if Wire dont get continuety with this side it will be quickly be forgotten.I happen to think they will carry on though

Really?

There are loads of tournaments that have league tables then playoffs to decide champions. Loads.

For example? I honestly struggling to think of one high profile sport that does it.

Rugby Union.

You also didn't specify high profile.

TBH a league table to decide champions is an Association Football thing.

Well first of all give us a list of all the high profile sports you can think of ,without a struggle

Alot of sports have divisons then playoffs. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL adopt this. Their divisions are usually based on geographical location.

Yep, these divisions are still tables though which you must finish high enough in to make the playoffs to give you the opportunity to become champions.

Imagine a division of

Warrington
Wigan
Saints
Leigh
Widnes
Swinton
Salford

I'm sure it'd get bigger crowds but how long before the novelty wears off?

In football you have playoffs as well, its only the top division that doesn't have a promotion place available via the playoffs. And in the top division you have the Champions League to play for and the UEFA Cup so most clubs that aren't fighting relegation have got a target of the UEFA Cup. There isn't an equivalent in rugby league. It would just be like the old County Championship in cricket where they had 17 teams and one champion, so unless you were in the top 3 or 4 fighting for the title you were more or less going through the motions.

I know people make all the noble statements about it 'rewarding excellence' just having the table toppers as league champions but for most clubs there would not be much interest other than for the die hards. Sky would never show games other than from the top teams...why would any viewer be interested in Wakefield v Bradford for instance, yeah they might come 6th in the table or 10th big deal.
As for all the hopes for 'expansion'....imagine if they spread the game to a new area and get a new franchise in, how would they get any interest at all given that the team would be miles away from competing at the top of the table for ages. Rugby league would just wither away and die, the game would lose sponsors, lose attendances and the TV deals would be much lower, so unless the die hard fans could make up the difference by paying football style prices for tickets then the game would just shrink and the quality players would go to earn more money and get a higher profile in union