Playoffs

[WireMan]

Well these start this weekend.

Wolfs - Giants.
Pies - Saints
Cats - Hull KR.
Leeds - Hull


Losers of the top two matches to play the winners from the bottom two.

Then onto club call. (Highest ranked winner from week one gets to chose from the week 2 winners.

Then the final on the 8th October at the theatre of dreams.

What do we all think of the format, and teams chances??


Personally i don't like the format. Its designed so if it goes to form, in two weeks the top 4 teams will just play each other again. I like the way it works in Aus. It still gives an advantage to the highest placed teams, but has more potential for a suprise.

 

[Evil Homer]

I don't like the club call at all. I also don't really like the NRL format - this weekend's results went to form and that meant there was no advantage for the team that finished third and won in the first week over the team that finished 6th and lost. I think the Super League format is probably fairer and it's natural to expect the top 4 teams to be involved in the semi-finals, it's just a shame that there's a chance of fixtures being repeated.

 

[deluded pom?]

In club call the highest qualifying team can only choose from the two lowest ranked teams can't they? I'm not a fan of club call at all and I think eight teams from a fourteen team league is ridiculous as it rewards mediocrity. Just like last year the team finishing eighth has not won 50% of their matches. I much preferred the old five team playoff system.

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

Massive win for Wire overnight. My word they can score some points. It is really quite remarkable.

 

[Evil Homer]

Huddersfield were terrible, Warrington weren't even tested.

 

[Evil Homer]

Another one-sided display tonight.

 

[deluded pom?]

Another one-sided display tonight.

Nothing wrong with that EH

 

[deluded pom?]

Massive win for Wire overnight. My word they can score some points. It is really quite remarkable.

Not only can they score them they are mean defensively too.

 

[nadera78]

I'd perhaps suggest a top 6 play offs. 3v6 and 4v5. The two winners meet teams placed 1 and 2 in the semi finals. Then the final.

The top two teams are rewarded by getting a week off, and sitting back to watch the other 4 smash each other.

 

[Patorick]

Saints giving it to Wigan so far...

 

[roughyedspud]

johnny lomax is having a cracking game

 

[WireMan]

Well that was easier than expected. Nothing else to say on the Wire game, we were very good in attack and defecne, and i thought once it got to over 20 Giants lost interest.


After those one sided affairs, hopefully next week is a lot closer. Wigan vs Catalans could be interesting. Catalans are a big team, and Wigans form has gone completely. But Wigan were not given second place and they are a very good team.

Can't call the Giants - Leeds game. If the Giants play like they did on Friday they may as well not bother. But they are at home, so surely they have to give more. Leeds look good at the moment. It all depends which Giants team turns up.

 

[pcpp]

Why are playoff crowds so low? Every year it seems that the playoff crowds are way lower than regular season crowds.

13k for Wigans/Saints Derby
9k for Leeds/Hull

I think the Top 8 finals format in Super League isn't really working. I reckon top 7 straight knockout would work pretty well and would reward exactly 50% of teams, so you would have a lot less of those mediocrity arguments.

Week 1 (Winners progress, losers out)
Team 1 bye
2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5

Week 2 (winners to GF, losers out)
1 v Lowest Winner
Highest winner v 2nd highest winner

Week 3: Grand Final

 

[Johnny_L_O]

Why are playoff crowds so low? Every year it seems that the playoff crowds are way lower than regular season crowds.

13k for Wigans/Saints Derby
9k for Leeds/Hull

Maybe it's down to pay day being next week and it being the end of the working month? I know they are low in general but this weekends was a massive drop. I was working until 5.30 last night so couldnt make the game anyway but even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to afford £20 for the game. Plus every Play off game is televised.

 

[Johnny_L_O]

Leeds are looking very good at the moment. If you take away the Quins game before the cup final we havent played poorly since early June. I think on form we are a top 4 team again as Hudds seem to have crashed. Not saying next week will be a walk in the park but we should go in as favorites and im hoping we edge them out to get a trip to Warrington.

I'll admit, after this weekend and Wigans "shock" loss at home to Saints that Wire should now be firm favorites. (Don't tell Wireman I said that though ;-) )

In my opinion the Semifinals will be:

Saints v Wigan
Warrington v Leeds

Both should attract big crowds as Wire will turn up for thier first semi final and a chance for the big one. If the game is a saturday night Leeds should fill the away end too so hopefully a near sell out for that. As for Saints and Wigan, with it being at Widnes, thats should be a sell out too. Wigan always travel well and surely after yesterday the S fans should finally try to fill that place. It's not like its just any other game.

 

[Parra Pride]

I'm hoping Leeds can win it, I need something to fall back on with Parramatta not being in the NRL finals.

 

[Johnny_L_O]

We have a chance PP. If we beat Hudds i'd fancy our chances against Wire just because they have had an easy game followed by a week off and would be going into the game cold against a team playing 2 weeks in a row at high intensity.

 

[Parra Pride]

I'd like a Saint Helens/Leeds Grand Final, on account of Saint Helens can't seem to beat Leeds in the big one.

 

[WireMan]

We have a chance PP. If we beat Hudds i'd fancy our chances against Wire just because they have had an easy game followed by a week off and would be going into the game cold against a team playing 2 weeks in a row at high intensity.

If Wire had such an easy game then surely it should be when you beat hudds, not if? ;-)


We may not pick you. Wigan have not beat Catalans yet. If they do, we could pick them. Depends on next week really.

 

[Johnny_L_O]

If Wire had such an easy game then surely it should be when you beat hudds, not if? ;-)


We may not pick you. Wigan have not beat Catalans yet. If they do, we could pick them. Depends on next week really.

Yeah but 1 week is a hell of a lot of time in the world of sport. I've never been big headed enough to ever say we WILL beat a team. It can come back to bite you.

As for Catalan and Wigan... I know it happened once this year but I cant see it happening again.

I said a few weeks back that Saints were my dark horses in the "2 horse race" that SL had become. Yesterday proved that they will still be there or there abouts for the next 5 years or so with that team.