: Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:37 pm  

the wicker man wrote:

Good post...

Just to add, is it really worth playing 28 games to qualify for a one off match?

Depends if you win......

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:53 pm  

the wicker man wrote:

Good post...

Just to add, is it really worth playing 28 games to qualify for a one off match?

ah, now that is a different thing.however we all play by the rules the RFL set

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:44 pm  

I have to admit, it has somewhat diluted the importance of league matches and the season in general. For example, noone on here seems massively bothered about losing to Saints on Friday. Why? Because we know we can and will play a lot better when it really matters, and because we know the odd two points here and there don't matter in the slightest.

Of course it'd have been great to win, but losing matches here and there throughout the regular season never stopped us winning the major prize in 2007 & 2008. We know that, given the depth of our squad, it's going to take a big effort from someone to push us out of the top 2, and an even bigger effort to deny us another Grand Final appearance.

So, it's that old debate again - is the regular season a bit of a drawn out waste of time? As Bradford proved in 2005, a team can be average at best for most of the year (didn't we spank them 3 times in the league that year?), then come good in the last month or two and walk away with the prize. Granted there were mitigating circumstances, notably Saints' injuries that year, but the fact was that the team who peaked at the right time became champions, despite being garbage for most of the season.

The only league games I get really up for nowadays are those against Saints (because they're the only team to be on a par with us throughout a full season) Bradford (because Leeds Bradford games will always mean something, no matter where each team is in the league) and Wigan (because they usually lift themselves massively against us in league matches, which always adds that "uncertainty" factor to the build up). I Hate to say it, but beyond that, not many other games get me that excited nowadays.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:53 pm  

HyperbolicRhino wrote:

As Bradford proved in 2005, a team can be average at best for most of the year (didn't we spank them 3 times in the league that year?)

That would depend if you'd call Leeds getting beat 10 - 42 in one of the two fixtures at Headingley as handing out a spanking.

HyperbolicRhino wrote:

Granted there were mitigating circumstances, notably....

Terry Newton.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:12 pm  

[quote="tvoc"]That would depend if you'd call Leeds getting beat 10 - 42 in one of the two fixtures at Headingley as handing out a spanking.

You've got me on that one..... The brain chooses to forget certain things...... Wasn't that game near the start of their unbeaten run which took them all the way to the title? And wasn't it Hape's first game back after being out for quite a while? (seem to remember him having a good game?)

We had however beaten them easily twice (not 3 times as I initially thought) earlier on in the season - first time in a very similar score to the one we were on the wrong end of as mentioned above, and one closer one which, if I remember rightly, flattered Bradford due to a couple of soft tries late on when the game had long since finished as a contest. So I don't think I was too far off.....

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:15 pm  

HyperbolicRhino wrote:

You've got me on that one.....

Nice come back.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:22 pm  

Hey - when we're wrong, we're wrong, and sometimes we have no option but to hold our hands up and cop for it For all the derision that statistics often get, there's nothing better than a simple fact to derail a hastily made comment... Hope it doesn't detract from my point in general though....

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:26 pm  

HyperbolicRhino wrote:

Hope it doesn't detract from my point in general though....

Not at all, good point which was well made.

The 10-42 game at Headingley was in Round 25 and Bradford's run to the GF win had started in Round 21 after a Round 20 loss away at Wakefield.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:43 pm  

Cheers!

Just out of interest, do you know what Bradford's win/loss record for the season was immediately prior to the start of their late season run? And was their overall record for the season the worst achieved by a Championship winning team in the Super League era?

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:55 pm  

HyperbolicRhino wrote:

Just out of interest, do you know what Bradford's win/loss record for the season was immediately prior to the start of their late season run?

Sure

Bradford after their Round 20 defeat at Wakefield lay 5th in the table with a record of Pl 20, Won 10, Drawn 1, Lost 9, 21 Pts. They won their last eight regular round fixtures and finished in 3rd on 37 points.

HyperbolicRhino wrote:

And was their overall record for the season the worst achieved by a Championship winning team in the Super League era?

Leeds also won the Championship in 2007 after gaining 37 points in the regular rounds although that was from playing one less fixture.