Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 6:37 am  

Way too much has been made of Powell's comments. Why shouldn't he and Cas fans go OTT on coming top of the table? They haven't won anything in a long time and Powell and Cas deserve huge credit for coming top and playing really good RL into the bargain. If Leeds can't win the comp, I'd far rather see Cas win in style than get ground out of the game by Wigan or Hull in the final.

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:01 pm  

Gale has missed 2 matches for Cas this year and they've won them both. McShane is a very smart player and will step in no problem with Milner at 9.

If you have a coach with a plan there's ways to overcome unfortunate occurances. They've even won games last year with prop Grant Millington in the halves.

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:35 pm  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Way too much has been made of Powell's comments. Why shouldn't he and Cas fans go OTT on coming top of the table? They haven't won anything in a long time and Powell and Cas deserve huge credit for coming top and playing really good RL into the bargain. If Leeds can't win the comp, I'd far rather see Cas win in style than get ground out of the game by Wigan or Hull in the final.

I agree. Cas deserve to win the championship, if we don't nab it I hope they do.

I also have no issue with the sentiment of Powell's comments (tho I don't entirely agree) but when he says "if you finish top and win the championship" meaning the LLS he's factually incorrect plain n simple. The GF (or championship final in a old speak) is the championship and has been for more of RL history than its not been

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 2:05 pm  

Wasnt it the premiership in 'old speak'?

[Bullseye]

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 2:16 pm  

Seth wrote:

Wasnt it the premiership in 'old speak'?

No, championship final preceded the premiership.

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 2:34 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

No, championship final preceded the premiership.

Ahh i was more interested in playing than supporting in the early 90s and probably didnt pay attention!

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:50 pm  

Th last Championship Final was 1972/73 - Dewsbury shocking Leeds at Odsal to become Champions

The following season (1973/74) Salford became Champions by topping the newly formed 1st division

The Premiership was intrroduced the following season (1974/75) to replicate the missing end of season Play-Offs only this time not to decide the Champions. St Helens were that season's Champions although they then went on to lose to Leeds in the inaugural Premiership Final held at Central Park. The Premiership remained until the advent of the SL Grand Final in 1998. Wigan won the last four Prem Finals and also took out that first SL Grand Final.

As for Castleford the last Trophy they won prior to this season's League Leaders Shield was the Regal/JP in 1993/94. In addition I don't think they'd ever finished top in the top division (someone can correct me if that is not the case) so a little giddyness is understandable.

If anyone other than Castleford end up as Champions it'll be something of a travesty IMO but it won't be the first or the last time that will happen it's part of the joy/frustration of sport.

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:37 pm  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Way too much has been made of Powell's comments. Why shouldn't he and Cas fans go OTT on coming top of the table? They haven't won anything in a long time and Powell and Cas deserve huge credit for coming top and playing really good RL into the bargain. If Leeds can't win the comp, I'd far rather see Cas win in style than get ground out of the game by Wigan or Hull in the final.

Cas do deserve credit for winning the LLS and should celebrate winning it, but it's the way some are going on like other fans have to give them even more credit and praise than normal. Obviously means more to them as they've won it but to me it's just another team winning it, no different to me than Warrington winning it in 2016, Saints 2014, Hudds 2013 etc.

The way some Cas fans and some non Cas fans too are going on ("it'll be a travesty if they don't win it") and even some RL media we might as well scrap the GF just because Cas have won a LLS.

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 5:23 pm  

Think we have a little of the worst of both worlds with having just the semi's and then the final.

Previously it was clearly two separate comps the league then the play-offs, consistency then the challenge of a few weeks of knock out rugby against the best of the other sides.

Now its the league then 1 knock out game and your there. Doesnt really build in to another competition, its over before its started.

If Cas lose their fans can probably rightly claim that whoever won only really played well for 2 weeks, whilst other fans can also probably rightly claim that other teams werent trying to win a league simply qualify.

Personally im not a fan of the new structure at all, but even if we keep it I think we need a longer knock out play-off comp. If we have to keep this stupid system then id shorten the super 8s to 4 games. Top 4 play bottom 4 2 home 2 away so a 27 week season, then a top 5 play off. Keep more of the top 8 in it for longer, real reward for finishing top, real challenge to win the play-offs worthy of champions, fewer dead rubbers,

Re: Luke Gale : Thu Sep 14, 2017 6:30 pm  

Had Leeds not won the Grand Final in 2004 or St Helens not won in 2006 they would also have been a travesty, IMO. Castleford are still on course to record the widest margin over the team finishing second on the league ladder - them not converting that into becoming Champions would be a travesty, it's in their hands to finish the job. If it can't be Leeds (and I don't think they're good enough by a long shot in 2017) I hope a new name goes on the trophy and on the performances this year so far that name deserves to be Castleford.