The farce that is Sky Super League

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Nobody whinged when we won last year. Its the system so that's what we play to. I for one think its good for the game. Saints were the better team tonight

They were and deserve to be at OT. The problem is that the paying public do not accept the current concept, hence the reason why the crowds were so poor. The only reason for having the top 8 play-off is to put more money inthe RFL coffers!

[RJ]

But its called the Minor Shield. This deliberately lessens it in peoples minds. Look back at RL records since 1895 you will find each years Champions and CC Winners. Who remembers the Championship playoffs, which has now been elevated to the be all and end all?

I can't argue with the fact that calling it 'Minor' lessens it in peoples minds but that doesn't make it right. This is a situation that has been deliberately manipulated by the RFL/Sky. Unfortunately the RFL have sold their soul to Sky like many other sports and regrettably that comes at a price. That price is that games are re-scheduled and league formats are changed to accommodate the great god MONEY.

[butt monkey]

5th is the new 1st under this system put all you eggs in the CC and plod along in the league. That way you get a easy ride in the first play off game.

I dont know the relevant facts but i think this is the first time someone from 5th has got to the GF. It would be interesting to find out since the GF was introduced what position each winner came in the league for that year

Bradford won it once from 3rd. Rest have been 1st or 2nd

Commentators mentioned this is the first year neither team from 1st and 2nd spot will contest the Grand Final

[DaveO]

In fairness, i haven't stopped laughing at Warrington's defeat last night. I was under no illusions at the start of the season that we would walk the season and come out champions again, neither were the club. I seem to remember an interview with Maguire at the start of the year where he said that he expected the competition to be tougher this year. On the other hand, Warrington's official marketing has been based losely on "look at the size of my willy", with their "We got the prize, they got the pies" and "Garaunteed Grand Final Winners" on their official website, very assuming, and the comedy is seeing the ladder being dragged from under them, let alone being knocked down a couple of pegs.

Got to agree with that. Warrington were far too cock sure of themselves all season. That kind of mental approach is just as wrong as Wigan thinking it was job done after winning the CC.

The top five play off system is so much better. Does anyone think Leeds would have beaten Hudds, Wigan and Saints all away from home and then Wire in the final? (That would have been a likely scenario top five system place given all the reams form this season). I don't.

If Leeds win it they will have done so without beating us in the play offs. So they didn't "play off" against the team finishing second so will have no right to claim they are the best because crucially this is a play off system not a knock out competition - or it is supposed to be but isn't because the format is wrong.

It's blindingly obvious the format we have now makes it much easier to get to the final from 5th than the top five system and that must be wrong.

Old Trafford will be damn near empty next week. That, for me, is a good thing, because only by hurting to pocket of The RFL, will we actually see results.

The RFL will claim the fact neither of the top 2 are in the final shows how strong the competition is. You just wait and see. It shows no such thing and is just another reason why the format is wrong.

The desire not to have any team dominating is a stronger motivating factor to the RFL than having the best team crowned as champions.

The trouble with that is the fans are not thick and won't support a system that which is in any way gerrymandered to deliver desired results.

[cpwigan]

Sorry but many Wigan fans are no better than Wire ones and get all the ridicule they deserve. Far too many fans thought our game was a foregone conclusion. It never was. Semi-Finals are notoriously tougher than finals. The club has some issues that detract from what truly matters. So our loss was more likely to happen. UNfortunately, it did not stop Wigan fans making an ass of themselves on say RLfans for example.

[josie andrews]

How can you have teams in the play offs who have lost more games than they have won??

Top eight is a ridiculous system, back to the top five for me.

[trotski_tgwu]

How can you have teams in the play offs who have lost more games than they have won??

Top eight is a ridiculous system, back to the top five for me.

Even Bigger Farce will be World Club Challenge Game next year :conf:

[bourbon_rat]

Even Bigger Farce will be World Club Challenge Game next year :conf:

This be very true !! Since whomever wins next weekend will be one of the most disliked teams in Super League & will faceoff against THE most disliked team in the NRL