Simmons supports play-offs

[josie andrews]

St Helens' Australian coach Royce Simmons has given his backing to the Engage Super League play-off system, insisting that the winners of tomorrow's Grand Final will be deserved champions.

Saints, who finished third at the end of the regular season, will take on fifth-placed Leeds Rhinos in the 14th Old Trafford showpiece after the season's top two, Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves, both fell at the penultimate hurdle.

"The two sides that got knocked out of it, up until a couple of weeks ago, were in tremendous form," Simmons said.

"The for-and-against Warrington had was fantastic and Wigan had a really hard campaign but came through it and won the Challenge Cup.

"But us and Leeds have hit form at the right time. The side that holds up the trophy is generally the side in best form and deserves the victory."

Simmons, who coached Hull FC in the days before Super League, has emulated the feat of Wigan's Michael Maguire in taking his team to the Grand Final in his first season in England.

Now he is aiming to join more illustrious company by becoming the ninth man to coach a team to Grand-Final glory at the first attempt.

Wigan's John Monie was the inaugural winner in 1998, Ellery Hanley, Ian Millward and Daniel Anderson all achieved the feat in their first full seasons at St Helens, Brian Noble did it with Bradford Bulls in 2001 and both Tony Smith and Brian McClennan were Old Trafford winners at the end of their first seasons in charge of Leeds.

"I pinch myself that I am involved with such a great club as St Helens and to make the Grand Final in my first year here is fantastic," Simmons said.

"It's been great and it would be super to finish the year with a win. The boys will do their best and that is all I can ask for.

"Rugby league is all about winning big games and being involved in them.

"I have picked up quite a few wooden spoons from my playing days and to be at such a fantastic stadium, playing against a team like Leeds Rhinos with such a great history, two of the greatest clubs in the world coming together, it should be fantastic for rugby league."

The 51-year-old has already become something of a father figure at Saints and England international Jon Wilkin says, in addition to sending forward James Graham out on a high, the players would love to do it for their coach.

"Royce has been great for us," Wilkin said. "He's a lovely guy, everybody who meets him is very fond of Royce.

"We'd like to produce a good performance for him as much as anything.

"Taking on the Saints job is a high-pressure position and he's done well this year under pressure from a lot of areas.

"We had changes in our personnel and we've been playing away all year. We're happy with where we're up to so far and we'd certainly like to finish it off."

Simmons' first season has certainly not been without its trials and tribulations.

For Saints' match at Huddersfield Giants in May, he was without 10 first-teamers, including seven of the 19-man squad he has named for tomorrow's final.

England internationals Leon Pryce and Kyle Eastmond played together just once at half-back but their absence helped unearth a new and exciting partnership in Jonny Lomax and Lee Gaskell while winger Tom Makinson, who turns 20 on Monday, has proved an able deputy for the injured Ade Gardner.

"With the injuries, at the time you feel sorry for yourself," Simmons said.

"But you give a lot of young blokes valuable time in first grade and the more games they play the more they believe in themselves and the better they become as football players.

"A lot of those boys were given an opportunity and they produced. What was a weakness earlier in the year has probably become a strength. It is real good reward for the boys who have worked so hard."

The influx of new faces means there are fewer scars from Saints' four successive Grand Final defeats, three of them at the hands of the Rhinos.

"I don't think (Leeds coach) Brian (McDermott) will be talking about those wins and I am not going to talk about those losses," Simmons added.

"They happened years ago. Wigan beat us earlier this year but we turned it around and got a couple of victories against them. I don't think anything, even going back a week, helps you."
http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=41443

[trotski_tgwu]

wonder if he has changed his mind after last nights game

[thegimble]

I agree with the play off its just the system thats wrong atm.

[DaveO]

I agree with the play off its just the system thats wrong atm.

It is. If you think about the idea is now to finish 5th not 1st.

If you finish fifth then in week 1 you get a game v the 8th placed team at home. Hardly much of a test because in our league to finish 8th you lost 13 games and are easy-beats (this year it is) HKR.

Meanwhile all the teams who finished above you in the league are "rewarded" by having to play each other!

Whichever teams lose those games will be far more tired than the 5th placed side as they will have gone for the prize of a week off.

It is ludicrous. Lower placed teams should always be disadvantaged and in our system they are not.

If we must have a top 8 it should be 1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc as in Oz. Better would be the top 5 playoffs

[cpwigan]

For me, if they want to persist with the first get a pick, it should be first get a pick in week 1 and go straight to the GF if they win that game.