Re: So, Wakefield it is : Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:07 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

Why should there be any great benefit for finishing 4th?

You are joking, aren't you? By finishing 4th, you are basically bottom of your own pile, and so - alone amongst the SL clubs - you are condemned to have to play a sudden death playoff game against a cok-a-hoop Championship side, which if you lose will see you booted out of SL. Whereas 1,2 and 3 are safe. So there is no benefit whatsoever in finishing 4th unless you count the saving grace that at least you get to fight for your life at home.

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:11 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

You are joking, aren't you? By finishing 4th, you are basically bottom of your own pile, and so - alone amongst the SL clubs - you are condemned to have to play a sudden death playoff game against a cok-a-hoop Championship side, which if you lose will see you booted out of SL. Whereas 1,2 and 3 are safe. So there is no benefit whatsoever in finishing 4th unless you count the saving grace that at least you get to fight for your life at home.

I'd say home advantage is quite a big bonus for any side in that position. I just think the concept is already weighted heavily in favour of SL clubs. The system seems flawed to me if we beat all our Championship rivals and a SL side and still finish below a SL side who has gained points from beating the Championship clubs only.

Obviously we have to play with the cards we're dealt this year and who knows the £1M might even be at Odsal, but IMO the £1M game should be a neutral venue. It would probably add a bit more of a GF atmosphere for the clubs involved too to be honest.

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:58 pm  

A neutral ground is also going to bring in more neutral fans I'd reckon.

[PopTart]

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:00 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

I'd say home advantage is quite a big bonus for any side in that position. I just think the concept is already weighted heavily in favour of SL clubs. The system seems flawed to me if we beat all our Championship rivals and a SL side and still finish below a SL side who has gained points from beating the Championship clubs only.

Obviously we have to play with the cards we're dealt this year and who knows the £1M might even be at Odsal, but IMO the £1M game should be a neutral venue. It would probably add a bit more of a GF atmosphere for the clubs involved too to be honest.

You could just as easily sat you weren't good enough to beat the lowest placed championship side so why do you deserve an advantage.
Everyone knew the rules from the start. No good moaning now.

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:50 am  

Norman Bates wrote:

A neutral ground is also going to bring in more neutral fans I'd reckon.

This ^^

If the game was played at say Headingley. I'd be making one in. Not bothered about going to Belle Vue though.

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:08 am  

PopTart wrote:

You could just as easily sat you weren't good enough to beat the lowest placed championship side so why do you deserve an advantage.
Everyone knew the rules from the start. No good moaning now.

We haven't lost to a Championship side yet?

If you'd bothered to read all the thread you'd realise I am talking about how the concept can be tweaked when the clubs have a consultation after this first year. I was referring to the results this time around because it highlights another albeit smaller obstacle that is put in front of aspiring Championship clubs. If Bradford do get promoted they'll have done remarkably well to achieve it IMO.

[PopTart]

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:49 am  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

We haven't lost to a Championship side yet?

If you'd bothered to read all the thread you'd realise I am talking about how the concept can be tweaked when the clubs have a consultation after this first year. I was referring to the results this time around because it highlights another albeit smaller obstacle that is put in front of aspiring Championship clubs. If Bradford do get promoted they'll have done remarkably well to achieve it IMO.

My mistake..... Lowest side I was referring was of course Wakefield.

They could play 4 v 5 as a neutral venue but then the last games don't matter as 4 and 5 th are effectively the same.
There was every possibility of two Super League teams being 4 and 5 so it's not a penalty specifically against the Championship sides.

Personally I like the format. The only thing I'd change is an earlier transfer deadline window but only by a few weeks.

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:05 am  

PopTart wrote:

My mistake..... Lowest side I was referring was of course Wakefield.

They could play 4 v 5 as a neutral venue but then the last games don't matter as 4 and 5 th are effectively the same.
There was every possibility of two Super League teams being 4 and 5 so it's not a penalty specifically against the Championship sides.

Personally I like the format. The only thing I'd change is an earlier transfer deadline window but only by a few weeks.

There was always a possibility but I think under the current rules it would take a large dose of luck for that to happen.

There are already dead rubber matches this weekend anyway. I think a neutral venue would be fairer to the Championship side (who are always going to struggle to get above the SL clubs) and also a chance to turn the game into a proper event that RL fans in general might attend.

Wakefield are probably the only SL club who aren't spending close to the full cap so they're perhaps a realistic target for the Championship clubs limited to £1M spend. But imagine this system if Leigh or Bradford go up and build a squad using the full cap and perhaps throw in a marquee player. I don't realistically see any Championship side getting into 1-3 under those circumstances.

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Thu Sep 24, 2015 8:08 am  

PopTart wrote:

My mistake..... Lowest side I was referring was of course Wakefield.

Good that your getting into habit of referring to yourselves as a championship side ready for next year

Re: So, Wakefield it is : Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:38 am  

Tigerade wrote:

This ^^

If the game was played at say Headingley. I'd be making one in. Not bothered about going to Belle Vue though.

The game is between Wakey and the Bulls, why should we have to travel when by finishing 4th if we do, then we gain home advantage so you want have to bother coming to our magnificent stadium will you