Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:31 am  

We need Leeds to play half a team in the 27 game regular season and finish 8th. They can bring in there big gun players for the play offs and win the Grand Final from 8th. This would show up the weakness of the play off process.

From 2000 to 2005 there were quite a high percentage of intensive games at all levels in Superleague. Over the last 3 years intensive games have been replaced by momentum games, so there is a margin of acceptable loss with a top 8 play off.

Also, I don,t think the RFL have control of the play offs and challenge cup. Sky own the Play Offs and the BBC own the Challenge Cup schedules.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:42 am  

Omar Little wrote:

Think you might want to re-read the post. He's talking about Leeds' mid-season slump which then meant that in the run in they could barely afford to lose a game in order to ensure a play-off spot.

Leeds peaked 3 times in the season - a true achievement...now if only we could win that bloody Challenge Cup Final

Ah, my bad. Still, the point re the playoff setup still stands.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:52 am  

Starbug wrote:

Ideally RL would not need play offs, they tend to be used by sports that dont have an ' even ' regular season of games , but like most things in our sport whatever we do has a negative effect on something else

A play off system devalues the regular season, no play off means the season could be over for most clubs after a few weeks, licencing financially secures clubs at the lower end of SL, but also removes meaning to their games

There is no simple answer, and I doubt things are going to change any time soon, the sport is between a rock and a hard place with nowhere to go

I imagine that most people accept the playoffs as necessary and also find them (or at the very least the GF) an entertaining and spectacular way of ending the season. However, I also imagine most people would be happier if the playoffs had a clear sliding-scale of difficulty based on your team's finishing position. If nothing else, teams in the bottom half of the top 8--if we must stick with a top 8--shouldn't be playing home fixtures against teams lower down the table than them, whilst teams that finish higher than them play tougher opposition away.

On the subject of the playoffs being a necessary spectacle with which to end the season, in that respect we must simplify this convoluted and contrived format which can see repeat fixtures and losing teams advancing to the next stage and instead make every round a knockout round.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:57 am  

TheElectricGlidingWarrior wrote:

What hellish run was that? By finishing 5th Leeds got to play the team who finished 8th, Wakefield, at home. Catalans, on the other hand, finished one place higher than Leeds in 4th, for which they were rewarded with an away fixture against the league leaders! In week 2 these teams meet each other but one has had a significantly more difficult fixture, away from home, than the other and has traveled from the south of France, to Wigan, then back again. People who can't see anything wrong with that sort of playoff system are deluding themselves imo.
I'm not saying that Leeds' path to the final was easy, but it certainly wasn't hellish and it wasn't the path that finishing 5th should force you to take, imo.

Don't remember Catalans busting a gut in the game at Wigan. Leeds on the other hand had a tough game against Wakefield who were the form team at the time. Leeds then also had to travel to the South of France and back before facing Wigan. Not saying the system is perfect but lets not try and belittle Leeds' achievement.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:01 am  

Typical of RLFANS (I say that as people on here are the minority), what a great spectacle last night showcasing our sport at it's best, the toughest athletes playing the tougest game, no other sport can match even poorer performances yet people continue to do the game down.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:05 am  

Finishing top has got to be recognised better and rewarded more generously.Perhaps the top club should qualify straight to the final with the also rans fighting it out between them for the other spot.There doesn't seem to be much incentive now and soon teams will be spelling their players even more throughout the regular season happy with a 3rd or 4th place finish.Home advantage as well counts for very little now as this seasons play off has once again shown.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:09 am  

Well said Seth,I too cannot believe that after such a great spectacle, so called fans come on here demonstrating such negativity.
They are the problem.
I always talk up the game, not down , particularly when in the company of RU followers who very rarely criticise their game.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:26 am  

Dougy wrote:

I'm a season ticket holder at a top 4 side. Encourage me to buy a season ticket next season to watch 13 friendlies?

I know my team will make the top 8 before we start so whats the point in me buying one? should i just wait for September to start going like the Leeds club do????

So you don't pay attention to the game being played? The skills, the tackles, the drama?

If you're not happy with that why don't you go and buy a set of top trumps and play with them till September?

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:43 am  

Dave Lister wrote:

Laughable post. Personally, I pay for my season ticket at London because I love rugby league. And I love watching games of professional rugby league. My team won't win the league but even though we had a terrible season I still had some brilliant afternoons when we picked up 2 points.

Clearly only winning interests you. Get a grip.

Re: What does Leeds' victory mean for the regular season? : Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:44 am  

The top 8 is unlikely to be altered because it means more games and more money. Who do you think pushed for that to happen? Sky, they control the game becase they pump all the money in.

Maybe the existing top 8 can be tweaked so it's weighted more in favour of the top 2, if that will appease people.

But those going on about first past the post and getting rid of the playoffs - Firstly, are you crazy? The grand final is a fantastic, money spinning showpiece event, i look forward to 'grand final day' every year. It gives the game great coverage and exposure.

All the big names turn up or tune in, the rooneys the ferdinands, they love it, and sing it's praises to their millions of followers.

Also, the majority of the sports history has seen the champions decided by playoffs. Learn your rugby league history, first past the post has been the exception not the rule. Pretty much all major sports apart from football decide champions with some form of playoff. So stop going on like rugby league is some wierd outcast sport doing something ridiculous.

Does anyone remember what first past the post was like? After about a quarter, the season would be over for all but 6 teams (most likely 3 with realistic chance of top spot, and 3 battling bottom place), or should i change that to 3 with no relegation?

So we'd still have a bunch of nothing games. The grass isn't always greener. The current system gives the greatest incentive to the highest % of teams.

In conclusion, people are living in cloud cuckoo land. The best thing that can happen is the top 8 system is tweaked so that it's weighted better in favour of the highest placed teams. But it's not going away because of the extra games and thus extra money it generates.

And doing away with the grand final to decide champions altogether? The grand final is fantastic, it is well and truly here to stay.