They were. I've only been watching since 1966 and it was top 16 then. I may be wrong, but I'm sure there was a season in the seventies (it may even have been 73-74) when the play off positions were decided by games won in all competitions (league and the various cups). Rogues may be able to give you more info on that one.
Anyway, back to the thread, it will be a good crowd and an absolute cracker of a game, despite what some on here seem to think.

Ok, so whats the necessity of the play-offs in pretty much all European RU, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Rugby League, Handball. Outside football very few sports, even in europe, use a straight league system.

why?
None of these things are similar to a league and then play-off system. Also bar international series Cricket does use a league/play-off system. Nobody is suggesting a league/play off system for international series.

That isnt even sport. It is in no way comparable.


It makes perfect sense, we also dont have an even home and away round robin tournament.
Or it becomes what it is. A tournament with both league and play-off components.

Looking at the ticket sales it appears that Wigan have sold around 15,000 tickets. so if those season ticket holders who have not renewed decide to be part of the walk up, we should still be looking at 19 - 21 K if Wire bring 3 - 4K fans.

N.B. There are less than 200 tickets left in the South Stand so if you are wanting to sit there I suggest you book them quickly.

What's capacity again in the away end, 5k?

5500 (ish) but 10% taken off due to unreserved seating rules so a tad under 5k would be allowed in

So Wigan fans' "apathy" will equate to a crowd bigger than every other team will see other than FC (once) and Leeds (twice)? Not much ammo there for Wire stirrers.

The thread was started and perpetuated by the Wigan doom mongers for the most part.

I think one or two may have had a bit of slight nibble but we've nobody else to blame on this score other than some of ourselves.

God forbid any of them went into the season with jimmy birts, rocket ronnie, Barry Williams etc.
I'm sure they'd have hung there selves

Are there cash turnstiles tomorrow? Which stand?

They change their minds every game, or is it buy a ticket from the office?

I was thinking more like connoisseurs

Oh me too obviously.

But maybe not, because disappointment is the gap between expectation and reality, and in those days expectations did not rise far above hoping we'd stay in the top division. Birts had to be seen to be believed. He was the Mathers of his day.

Twelve pages of utter drivel and still a 20,000+ crowd.Why do half wits try and spread such drivel?

Because for some reason best known to themselves, some people are never happy unless they are spreading negative stories about the club - and the start of the season seems to be their preferred time.

Presumably those predicting the death of RL due to Leeds winning the GF & a 16 point start to Wigan will now STFU?

WELL, that's it, we have now sold over 15,000 tickets for the 3 home stands. Thats more than the average attendance for any other superleague club for the 2012 season.

We may have a younger less experienced team than last year but i bet everyone of the 17 that take the field tonight will be giving everything they have and will run their blood to water once they pull on that Cherry and White jersey...

As fans we need to give them that same support and shout our lungs out tonight for them.

I'd be interested to know the feeling on here had Wigan gone on to win last year's GF.

Well said!

When I first started watching RL around 1973:

- the average crowd at a first division game was below 5K (I actually remember Wigan playing Wakefield on a foggy Friday night in a league game @CP with approx 2K on when there was NO play off to decide the league champs).

- there were a grand total of 4 nations playing the game.

- in the UK at amateur level the game was played in Lancs, Yorkshire, Cumbria, and there was a very small league in London. That was it!

- there were no fully professional clubs in the UK.

- only one of the 4 league playing nations had any fully professional clubs.

- the semi professional clubs in the UK were based in a grand total of 3 counties.

- since the inception of Super League in 1996 gates have increased virtually every year.

- we are heading for the biggest, most successful, best attended RL World Cup in the history of the game.

- the game is now played at some level in virtually every county in the UK.


I could go on, but hopefully the point is made.


No one is saying everything in the game is perfect, but to say that the league is now just 27 friendlies is laughable. What do some people not understand? A club needs to finish in the top eight to enter the play offs. To have a further advantage (ie such as hopefully playing at home, playing less play off games) a club needs to finish as high as possible in the top eight.

Maybe if Wigan lose the next 26 friendly matches we will romp into the play offs with ease. Maybe the club finishing ninth will miraculously win the grand final at Old Trafford this year after playing its 27th friendly.


I do think that the current play off system needs tweaking to perhaps a top 5 or 6 play off format, but in my opinion, I'm a fan of the idea of end-of-season play offs.
The game is still, the most exiting, breathtaking game on the planet. Get in there and enjoy it.

As a failure to do so, and continue a reasoned and reasonable debate, might cause your head to explode, given your seeming inability to carry more than one thought around at the same time?

This was the fatal flaw in your argument. To have a total crowd of around 16k you were assuming Wigan would sell no tickets during this week.

Bingo. As to the rest of the thread, the most sensible thing I read (excluding external factors over money which are of course valid and sadly will be relevant for some time yet) was:

Nope, I've read it a number of items & can't fathom out what you are trying to say.

It's been done to death but anyone who is still of the opinion the current play off format requires you to try and finish higher up the league to gain most advantage is a few beers short of a six pack.

To explain the advantage of finishing higher up the league I've used last seasons play off games for Wigan and Leeds.

Round 1.
Both Wigan and Leeds win their respective home ties.

Round 2.
Wigan - Because Wigan finished higher up the league than Leeds, they have a bye into the semi - final.

Leeds - away tie at Catalans

Semi Final
Because Wigan finished higher up the league than Leeds Wigan have home advantage.

Wigan just didn't capitalise on their obvious advantage.

Now where is that 6 pack. I need a lie down.

The position you finish is not the key, it is the 'health' of your team when the play offs arrive. To try to win ever fixture rather than preserve the 'health' of your team is wrong under the present system. Any system where you are discouraged from winning fixtures is wrong.

The play offs do not encourage or reward week in week out consistency. You are punished for putting the bodies of your players on the line week in week out.

I like that - you're able to laugh at yourself. Good work.