Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:20 am  

Hello, I am looking into writing a book about the idea of play-offs deciding the Champions in sport. I was wondering what the opinions are of fellow Rugby League fans on the play-offs. Do you think play-offs are the best way to decide the champions or do you prefer whoever finishes top being champions? And what do you think of the current format?
Personally I think play-offs are a great concept, sport is about peaking on the big occasion and beating your biggest rivals head to head when it matters.

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:49 am  

I like the play offs but I don't like the format that could simply see two fixtures from week one repeated in week three.

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:50 am  

I think playoffs are a good idea but the team that comes 1st does not get enough credit

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:01 am  

I think the team that finishes top should be straight into the semi finals of the play-offs where they just have to win 1 game to make it to the grand final, thats fair reward for finishing top.

This club call thing is laughable, also getting a second chance in the play offs is laughable in my opinion as that rewards losers. To win the grand final you should have been an unbeaten side during the play-offs, champions shouldn't be a team thats lost a game in a knock out series they should be champions for a reason.

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:05 am  

I think 8 is too many teams and although it kept the season exciting until last day of the season 7 would be better.

The way i would do it would be:

1st into the semi final
2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5

Then 1st place picks who they want in the semi final

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:07 am  

I think the play offs are a good idea, and the Grand Final a great climax to the season, but the current system is wrong, in my opinion - simply there for sky?

Currently I believe we have 9 games in the play offs in total - but the problem is, there's a big possibilty that the Wigan v Leeds games, and Saints v Wire games will just be repeated two weeks later, so a lot of people won't attend the first match, as there'd either rather watch the 2nd weeks game if they lose, or the thrid weeks game if they win (or both), as those games actually mean something, i.e. elimination.

I don't see why we can't just go back to the old systme - 1st v 8th, 2nd v 7th, 3rd v 6th, 4th v 5th in week one, then the winners of game one play the winners of game four (highest placed league finish at home) and the winners of game 2 play the winners of game 3 - for a place in the final. Would still have 7 games, but there's no games with little meaning, i.e. ALL games are for elimination.

Just my opinion

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:21 am  

Champions to me is the team that wins the LEAGUE ,grand final winners to me win an end of season play off competition winning the league imo is far superior than winning the play offs , grand final used to be called the premiership play offs which we won in 85-86 season it is just under a different name now no difference imo !

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:42 am  

PADDERS wrote:

Champions to me is the team that wins the LEAGUE ,grand final winners to me win an end of season play off competition winning the league imo is far superior than winning the play offs , grand final used to be called the premiership play offs which we won in 85-86 season it is just under a different name now no difference imo !

Absolutely spot on in my opinion - the team that is the highest placed at the end of the season has every right to call themselves Champions.

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:09 pm  

the play offs are a great idea.

the team that wins it are the true Champions you all know the format before the season starts.
Fair play to St Helens for never bitching about topping the league and missing out on the big prize.... If wigan dont win the Grand final this year can you only begin to imagine how such a bad idea the Superleague is and its sky's fault blah blah cry cry....

the fact is Wigan won the challenge cup and league loads of times from 88 to 95ish, and Wembley is the competion that all the fuss was made about 8 times in a row and all that.....
that not a peep about 7 league titles in a row.

Same With Widnes they were called the cup kings....they never won the challenge cup back to back...but they won the league two years on the trot....who knew??

the Grand final has given us Two Major Competitions they are both very high profile and thats what we need. ...

go back to a league format and watch the champions get a five line write up between darts and snooker if we are lucky...

people who dont follow our game know about the grand final and thats all thats needs to be said

Re: Play-offs, good or bad idead?? : Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:51 pm  

Rob Wire wrote:

I think the team that finishes top should be straight into the semi finals of the play-offs where they just have to win 1 game to make it to the grand final, thats fair reward for finishing top.

This club call thing is laughable, also getting a second chance in the play offs is laughable in my opinion as that rewards losers. To win the grand final you should have been an unbeaten side during the play-offs, champions shouldn't be a team thats lost a game in a knock out series they should be champions for a reason.

....but even under a 'top of the table' system the champions have usually lost some games along the way.