Bilko - A Last Post

[Green Machine]

For me it's not a case of falling out with rugby league, as stated I love watching the young ones, it's Super League that I've fallen out with. The idea that a team finishing 5th/6th on 10/12 points below the leader can then win at the end just seems farcical to me. We are rewarding mediocrity.

[Nezza Faz]

For me it's not a case of falling out with rugby league, as stated I love watching the young ones, it's Super League that I've fallen out with. The idea that a team finishing 5th/6th on 10/12 points below the leader can then win at the end just seems farcical to me. We are rewarding mediocrity.

Play-off systems happen in most sports - a team finishing 6th in the football championship can get promoted to the Premiership ! The European Champions Cup is available to non-champions that finish well below top of their domestic comp. Rugby union has similar play-off's, and of course the NRL run a particularly successful Top 8 Play Off system, that attracts huge gates and culminates in a Grand Final, which is the highlight of their season.

Just seems in RL we can't get it right, or simply the supporters won't accept the sysyem for some reason ?

[Wigan_forever1985]

For me it's not a case of falling out with rugby league, as stated I love watching the young ones, it's Super League that I've fallen out with. The idea that a team finishing 5th/6th on 10/12 points below the leader can then win at the end just seems farcical to me. We are rewarding mediocrity.

Play-off systems happen in most sports - a team finishing 6th in the football championship can get promoted to the Premiership ! The European Champions Cup is available to non-champions that finish well below top of their domestic comp. Rugby union has similar play-off's, and of course the NRL run a particularly successful Top 8 Play Off system, that attracts huge gates and culminates in a Grand Final, which is the highlight of their season.

Just seems in RL we can't get it right, or simply the supporters won't accept the sysyem for some reason ?

I agree to some extent, but you use the example of football, thats not the top tier though is it, the premier league is all about winning the title and you do that through winning the most games through the season.

Again the NRL play-off system is much more simplistic than our mid season split followed by another playoff system, isnt their top 8 a straight knockout comp?

The problem is there is absolutely no reward really for coming top during the season other than a home game very few people consider the LLS a true piece of silverware even though it should be the one everyone aims for.

Again i think the knockout comp works in NRL because the teams across the board are better whereas with our competition a top team can easily become out of place with a huge section of poorness during a season but still rally at the last minute as the teams above arent strong enough to fight off a charging giant

The league itself day to day games has become a meaningless, the top teams dont have to do much to make it and the lower teams will see qualification as an achievement.

There is little intensity in any of the games really just a processions to the 4-5 games that actually matter at the end of the season.

Too many injuries too

[keptinthedarkfans]

How the hell do we get the fans to fall in love with the sport again ?

It is easy to talk ourselves into a depression but at some stage we need to get out of it and get into some sort of sporting re-hab

I suppose Stevo retiring is step in the right direction.

Your right Put a smile on my face

[cpwigan]

Real life and family are far more important.

Oh whether you played or not is immaterial.

[ian.birchall]

Very sorry to see you giving up Bilko as your commentaries have been a delight, when you tell us Wigan are not going to win it's time to give up hope but I wonder what you were thinking after an hour last Friday?
The one shining light after a dreadful season for everyone and I include Hull FC who this season have used 9 South Sea Islanders/Aussies when at the same time
they have scrapped their academy side and just run a joint one with KR, are the young referees breaking through this season, far far better that the old regulars.
Hope you can summon up energy to come back after your father's travails.

[Nezza Faz]

For me it's not a case of falling out with rugby league, as stated I love watching the young ones, it's Super League that I've fallen out with. The idea that a team finishing 5th/6th on 10/12 points below the leader can then win at the end just seems farcical to me. We are rewarding mediocrity.

Play-off systems happen in most sports - a team finishing 6th in the football championship can get promoted to the Premiership ! The European Champions Cup is available to non-champions that finish well below top of their domestic comp. Rugby union has similar play-off's, and of course the NRL run a particularly successful Top 8 Play Off system, that attracts huge gates and culminates in a Grand Final, which is the highlight of their season.

Just seems in RL we can't get it right, or simply the supporters won't accept the sysyem for some reason ?

I agree to some extent, but you use the example of football, thats not the top tier though is it, the premier league is all about winning the title and you do that through winning the most games through the season.

Again the NRL play-off system is much more simplistic than our mid season split followed by another playoff system, isnt their top 8 a straight knockout comp?

The problem is there is absolutely no reward really for coming top during the season other than a home game very few people consider the LLS a true piece of silverware even though it should be the one everyone aims for.

Again i think the knockout comp works in NRL because the teams across the board are better whereas with our competition a top team can easily become out of place with a huge section of poorness during a season but still rally at the last minute as the teams above arent strong enough to fight off a charging giant

The league itself day to day games has become a meaningless, the top teams dont have to do much to make it and the lower teams will see qualification as an achievement.

There is little intensity in any of the games really just a processions to the 4-5 games that actually matter at the end of the season.

Too many injuries too

I think you're saying WF, that the Play Off's concept isn't wrong, it's just that our super league is weaker ? The NRL play off's do give the team finishing 8th the chance to win the GF, and there are 2nd chances for the losing teams, depending on their finishing position.
And the ru have a top 8 play off which for the life of me, for which the standard is not as strong as SL, yet that goes off without too much fans adverse comments.
I think I know what you're saying though, and agree it would be more appealing if we had a stronger league in depth.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Play-off systems happen in most sports - a team finishing 6th in the football championship can get promoted to the Premiership ! The European Champions Cup is available to non-champions that finish well below top of their domestic comp. Rugby union has similar play-off's, and of course the NRL run a particularly successful Top 8 Play Off system, that attracts huge gates and culminates in a Grand Final, which is the highlight of their season.

Just seems in RL we can't get it right, or simply the supporters won't accept the sysyem for some reason ?

I agree to some extent, but you use the example of football, thats not the top tier though is it, the premier league is all about winning the title and you do that through winning the most games through the season.

Again the NRL play-off system is much more simplistic than our mid season split followed by another playoff system, isnt their top 8 a straight knockout comp?

The problem is there is absolutely no reward really for coming top during the season other than a home game very few people consider the LLS a true piece of silverware even though it should be the one everyone aims for.

Again i think the knockout comp works in NRL because the teams across the board are better whereas with our competition a top team can easily become out of place with a huge section of poorness during a season but still rally at the last minute as the teams above arent strong enough to fight off a charging giant

The league itself day to day games has become a meaningless, the top teams dont have to do much to make it and the lower teams will see qualification as an achievement.

There is little intensity in any of the games really just a processions to the 4-5 games that actually matter at the end of the season.

Too many injuries too

I think you're saying WF, that the Play Off's concept isn't wrong, it's just that our super league is weaker ? The NRL play off's do give the team finishing 8th the chance to win the GF, and there are 2nd chances for the losing teams, depending on their finishing position.
And the ru have a top 8 play off which for the life of me, for which the standard is not as strong as SL, yet that goes off without too much fans adverse comments.
I think I know what you're saying though, and agree it would be more appealing if we had a stronger league in depth.

Correct I'm not against a playoff system but I think there should be more emphasis on finishing 1st

Like maybe with the strength of our comp a top 3, 1st place goes straight through to final and 2nd and third fight out the other spot


Problem with our comp is there are only really 4 teams capable of winning really

[thegimble]

Problem with our comp is there are only really 4 teams capable of winning really


The new structure has killed SL really its since the top 6. With no pressure to perform week in week out I feel as fans we are been cheated. Its like going to see Adele in concert only for her to no bother and sing.

I can see why Bilko has become disillusioned I feel the same. Its not the clubs fault the structure is wrong. It needs to go top 5 as it was at the start and remove the poor clubs from SL.

Ironically from a Wigan perspective you want HKR to survive and stay in SL. You know they have no backing have no ambition. Giants and Salford have players we could snatch from them.

Problem is both Giants and Salford have shown a bit of ambition. Its time to take out the unambitious clubs and take SL down to 10 clubs.

[southernpie]

I find Bilko's post so sad, not least as he mirrors how I have been feeling for a couple of years. In the three years since I moved to Lincs I decided not had Sky and put up with the low quality pictures live streaming as my enthusiasm for the game as a whole had declined. From the 1990's when I was at every Wigan game and watched RL on sky and screen sport and the BBC (first division, cup, acadamy and Aussie matches) I couldn't get enough, jump forward to this season, I have only been to three matches live and I have only watched or (thanks to Wish FM especially Bilko) listened to the Wigan games without fail, others I have watched if there was nothing else to do.
Your website and your commentaries have been a massive positive for me, especially since the move and I thank you for your contribution.
So I wish you all the best Bilko and hope your father comes through the other side.