Have Leeds Devalued The Competition?

[old hooker]

No of course they havent, they are acting within the rules and in their position we would have done the same.The question is should the rules be changed?

[Wigan_forever1985]

The issue is sky, becuase they are the driver behind these bonkers hard to understand formats

The league now means absolutely nothing when really it should be the ONLY measure of success. Look at football the most successful sport - it's simple whoever wins the league is rightly crowned champions

The fact that we could still actually win both trophies this year is completely ludicrous and frankly if we do win it proves how much of an absolute hole the sport is in. We should have no right to get anywhere near the final but we could still be crowned champions after going on the longest winless streak in over 100 years

[Warrior Gilfedder]

It needs to go back to first play second or a top 4 where the team that comes first goes straight into the final, 2nd goes straight into the semis, then 3rd and 4th place play for the other spot in the semis simples.

[moto748]

It needs to go back to first play second or a top 4 where the team that comes first goes straight into the final, 2nd goes straight into the semis, then 3rd and 4th place play for the other spot in the semis simples.

I've taken the view that although I don't like the current format much, we should stick with it and not keep chopping and changing. But I've reached the point now where I think it has to go. It's main point seems to be to reduce the number of dead rubbers. Well, that is a side issue, and we are paying much too high a price for it.

Given that we're never going to rid of a GF, a simple system as suggested by WG would be much better, I think. And if we're not going to give the top of the table side a guaranteed berth at Old Trafford (and I think there's a good case to be made that we should), at the very least,the prestige of the LLS should be increased (by providing a decent trophy, for a start!), and its cash value increased substantially.

[thegimble]

Does anyone honestly think that Leeds have so many injuries? It was remarkable that Moon and Parcell were also omitted from the 17. As a season ticket holder I want to see a competitive match not cheated.

No we did that in 2013 when we played mainly reserves in from July onwards in SL when top 4 was secured.

Its really hypocritical of any Wigan fan to call out Leeds when we did something similar for a longer period. We might not have had 13 missing but we played Hull the week after the CC final and lost by a point with 12 players who were no where near being regulars at the time. Side included Joe Burgess, Rocky, Sam Powell, Dom Manfredi etc.

[Josie's friend]

Does anyone honestly think that Leeds have so many injuries? It was remarkable that Moon and Parcell were also omitted from the 17. As a season ticket holder I want to see a competitive match not cheated.

No we did that in 2013 when we played mainly reserves in from July onwards in SL when top 4 was secured.

Its really hypocritical of any Wigan fan to call out Leeds when we did something similar for a longer period. We might not have had 13 missing but we played Hull the week after the CC final and lost by a point with 12 players who were no where near being regulars at the time. Side included Joe Burgess, Rocky, Sam Powell, Dom Manfredi etc.

Catalan away 2013 was probably one of the worst instances of throwing a match, players basically stepping to one side to avoid any sort of injury. We never got the treble because Wane wasn't interested in the LLS and it shown

[5miler]

If Cas win their next 2 games the LLS will be in their pockets as points difference will count against all other contenders. See if Powell puts the cue on the rack and rests players for a month or so with mystical injuries only to magically recover the week before playoff semis.

[DaveO]

The problem is there is no format that doesn't leave dead rubbers.

The difference between now and when the league winner's were crowned champions is you are getting dead rubbers at the top of the league. Coaches assured of a top 4 spot can save players for the playoffs. If it was top of the league that won it then they could not.

To see sides in 2nd place rest player's is just bizarre when you think about it.

The irony is in the past when we had the jps trophy, CC when it was and the premiership at the end there were plenty of opportunities for teams out of contention for the league to have a pop at another trophy.

Now with the devaluation of the league and even the CC all the eggs are in one basket so instead of the end of the season being a climax we see a number of meaningless games as we wait for the playoffs.