League Leaders Shield

[Barney841]

Never thought we’d have a chance in hell to win the league a few months back but it’s looking good.
Not the most important trophy, even though it should be, but it’s nice to win some silverware.

[Caboosegg]

It's a very small chance.

We have the hardest run in of games compared to Catalan and Saints

[Charriots Offiah]

The Wakefield loss could come back to haunt us.

[Wintergreen]

Imo the shield is irrelevant.

Completely and utterly pointless.

[NICKYKISS]

Imo the shield is irrelevant.

Completely and utterly pointless.

I agree but this time, 1st place could be huge. If we finished 1st, with Saints and Catalans in 2nd and 3rd (in either order), we’d avoid both in the semi and potentially make them have a very physical semi final between each other. The hub cap matters little but that reward could be absolutely huge.

Our only chance of that happening is to win 4 from 4. I think we can do that tbh but it won’t be easy and May still not be enough.

[Wiganer Ted]

The LLS is very relevant to me.
A club that tops the league at the season's end is the best and most consistent club in the league.
We've all heard the merits of the knock outs and the GF but that's what they are, knock outs and hype.
That the club who wins the GF are the champions is now Rugby League folk law. Even if they win it from fifth and have had a pretty mediocre season.
The LLS would have even more merit if there were 14 teams in the league and each played 26 games.

What would give the LLS even more merit would be if they awarded the coach of the team that tops the league and wins the LLS a financial reward. Say, £2000 for each game won throughout the season. So if the top team won 21 games lost 5 then he would obviously get a cheque for £42000.
That might concentrate minds a bit.

[Wintergreen]

The LLS is very relevant to me.
A club that tops the league at the season's end is the best and most consistent club in the league.
We've all heard the merits of the knock outs and the GF but that's what they are, knock outs and hype.
That the club who wins the GF are the champions is now Rugby League folk law. Even if they win it from fifth and have had a pretty mediocre season.
The LLS would have even more merit if there were 14 teams in the league and each played 26 games.

What would give the LLS even more merit would be if they awarded the coach of the team that tops the league and wins the LLS a financial reward. Say, £2000 for each game won throughout the season. So if the top team won 21 games lost 5 then he would obviously get a cheque for £42000.
That might concentrate minds a bit.

Is it though?

Everyone knows the rules BEFORE the season starts, and can set their strategy beforehand. A team finishing 5th with red hot form and a healthy squad may well have been the plan from the onset. Much more sensible than a team finishing top and limping home.

You may wish for a different approach, but that is not the current competition.

[Wintergreen]

Imo the shield is irrelevant.

Completely and utterly pointless.

I agree but this time, 1st place could be huge. If we finished 1st, with Saints and Catalans in 2nd and 3rd (in either order), we’d avoid both in the semi and potentially make them have a very physical semi final between each other. The hub cap matters little but that reward could be absolutely huge.

Our only chance of that happening is to win 4 from 4. I think we can do that tbh but it won’t be easy and May still not be enough.

That's a fair point. However, what you are describing is finishing in the order that is, in your opinion, more favourable for the run in. That it ties in with finishing first is a coincidence.

[NICKYKISS]

The LLS is very relevant to me.
A club that tops the league at the season's end is the best and most consistent club in the league.
We've all heard the merits of the knock outs and the GF but that's what they are, knock outs and hype.
That the club who wins the GF are the champions is now Rugby League folk law. Even if they win it from fifth and have had a pretty mediocre season.
The LLS would have even more merit if there were 14 teams in the league and each played 26 games.

What would give the LLS even more merit would be if they awarded the coach of the team that tops the league and wins the LLS a financial reward. Say, £2000 for each game won throughout the season. So if the top team won 21 games lost 5 then he would obviously get a cheque for £42000.
That might concentrate minds a bit.

I just don’t think it works like that. The team that finishes top are usually the ones who have found the most motivation to be consistent but it’s not a first past the post system. If it were, you don’t see Saints struggling for a few months IMO, you don’t see us losing in really lazy fashion at Wakefield or generally looking like we’ve lacked urgency week to week and so on.

It’s not a given that the team finishing first are the best and the play offs usually prove that. Teams like Cas, Huddersfield and Catalans have won the LLS but then don’t get the job done in the play offs because the actual best teams turn up, just as they would be done in the weekly rounds had they needed to.

[Wintergreen]

The LLS is very relevant to me.
A club that tops the league at the season's end is the best and most consistent club in the league.
We've all heard the merits of the knock outs and the GF but that's what they are, knock outs and hype.
That the club who wins the GF are the champions is now Rugby League folk law. Even if they win it from fifth and have had a pretty mediocre season.
The LLS would have even more merit if there were 14 teams in the league and each played 26 games.

What would give the LLS even more merit would be if they awarded the coach of the team that tops the league and wins the LLS a financial reward. Say, £2000 for each game won throughout the season. So if the top team won 21 games lost 5 then he would obviously get a cheque for £42000.
That might concentrate minds a bit.

I just don’t think it works like that. The team that finishes top are usually the ones who have found the most motivation to be consistent but it’s not a first past the post system. If it were, you don’t see Saints struggling for a few months IMO, you don’t see us losing in really lazy fashion at Wakefield or generally looking like we’ve lacked urgency week to week and so on.

It’s not a given that the team finishing first are the best and the play offs usually prove that. Teams like Cas, Huddersfield and Catalans have won the LLS but then don’t get the job done in the play offs because the actual best teams turn up, just as they would be done in the weekly rounds had they needed to.

Yep.