moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 18, 2022 3:41 pm
We have the play-off system that we have. You may not like it, but everyone goes into the season knowing the rules. I think it's a bit rich to bleat about Leeds getting to the GF from fifth, but you can't pick and choose the results; under the system we have, Leeds have (rightly) had a tougher route to OT than, say, Wigan. But they've done it, so fair play to them. Yes, we could go to a different system, like top three only, with the champs going straight to the GF as suggested, for example. I wouldn't be opposed to that, but every system has advantages and drawbacks. The smaller you make the pool of possible winners, the more 'dead' games you will see in the regular season, with teams in fifth and sixth having nothing to play for. That's not ideal either.
And of course, the arguments that
a) Only a handful of teams have won it in SL history, and
b) It's a joke that a team could win from fifth or sixth
are, of course, pulling in opposite directions. One works against the other!
In the NRL you can win it (in theory) from eighth, and nobody complains that that's daft.
I totally disagree with the bit in bold
I think that the matches don’t matter now that’s why so often teams playing youth teams towards the end of the season trying to prep for play offs
Football is the most successful sport ever and the title is everything - you could have some form of qualification benifit for the teams in 5th-6th but making the league the prize means every single game counts
At the moment there is no need to build a particularly strong squad because basically you only got to win 50% of your games then 3 games at the end that matter and your champions it rewards mediocrity
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
Dead rubbers can never be eliminated, but they can be reduced. They will happen under any regime of rules to some extent. There have been a small number of such games this season., If we went to a top three, there would be even more. And I'm not even saying, that's a gotcha. I wouldn't be unhappy pesonally with a top three. Just saying, all systems have the pros and cons. In fact, the desire to give as many teams as possible a chance to have a say is why they have a top 8 in Oz (admittedly, in a slightly bigger, 16 team comp). And few complain about that.
moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:03 pm
Dead rubbers can never be eliminated, but they can be reduced. They will happen under any regime of rules to some extent. There have been a small number of such games this season., If we went to a top three, there would be even more. And I'm not even saying, that's a gotcha. I wouldn't be unhappy pesonally with a top three. Just saying, all systems have the pros and cons. In fact, the desire to give as many teams as possible a chance to have a say is why they have a top 8 in Oz (admittedly, in a slightly bigger, 16 team comp). And few complain about that.
I don’t think the two comps are comparable there’s been 10 different winners of the title over there in the same time here we’ve had 3 - the coop is obviously a better standard throughout
My view is the league being the prize is the only way to correctly award - I don’t buy this giving 6 teams a chance to win is any more exciting - clearly it’s not working anyway as same 3 teams are consistently winning
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:03 pm
Dead rubbers can never be eliminated, but they can be reduced. They will happen under any regime of rules to some extent. There have been a small number of such games this season., If we went to a top three, there would be even more. And I'm not even saying, that's a gotcha. I wouldn't be unhappy pesonally with a top three. Just saying, all systems have the pros and cons. In fact, the desire to give as many teams as possible a chance to have a say is why they have a top 8 in Oz (admittedly, in a slightly bigger, 16 team comp). And few complain about that.
I don’t think the two comps are comparable there’s been 10 different winners of the title over there in the same time here we’ve had 3 - the coop is obviously a better standard throughout
My view is the league being the prize is the only way to correctly award - I don’t buy this giving 6 teams a chance to win is any more exciting - clearly it’s not working anyway as same 3 teams are consistently winning
Exactly this!
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:03 pm
Dead rubbers can never be eliminated, but they can be reduced. They will happen under any regime of rules to some extent. There have been a small number of such games this season., If we went to a top three, there would be even more. And I'm not even saying, that's a gotcha. I wouldn't be unhappy pesonally with a top three. Just saying, all systems have the pros and cons. In fact, the desire to give as many teams as possible a chance to have a say is why they have a top 8 in Oz (admittedly, in a slightly bigger, 16 team comp). And few complain about that.
I don’t think the two comps are comparable there’s been 10 different winners of the title over there in the same time here we’ve had 3 - the coop is obviously a better standard throughout
My view is the league being the prize is the only way to correctly award - I don’t buy this giving 6 teams a chance to win is any more exciting - clearly it’s not working anyway as same 3 teams are consistently winning