Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:22 am  

LeedsDave wrote:

Leeds would be worthy champions as they have won the final. Struggle to understand what people don't grasp.

New England Patriots went unbeaten for the entire season the other year only to lose in the Super Bowl to NY Giants and see their rivals be crowned Champions.

No complaints from them, that's how the competition is structured. Same here. If you have the team to win it from 5th then you deserve to be champions.

Except that its not. Your post is in fact completely ignorant of the difference between Super League and the NFL in terms of structure, namely that each of the respective NFL teams do not play every twice. That is the whole point of the play off system - to cater for the nuances in the schedules.

As for Leeds 'best team ever.' Not close. The Wigan 1994/95 side and Saints 2000 sides were markedly better in my opinion and oozed class. Quite how the OP team can compare a team that finishes 5th to those teams is quite frankly barmy.

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:32 am  

This Leeds team (2012) is probably not as good as the sides you mention. The team in 2004 was arguably as good only losing 2 league games all season and winning the gf.
The fact that we have reached 7 of the last 9 finals winning 6 of them is a sign that although players and coaches have left and been replaced the core of the team are champions.

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:41 pm  

All done staying within the cap.

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:38 pm  

rhinos21 wrote:

All done staying within the cap.

and???......

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:43 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

and???......

Therefore achieving an absolutely remarkable feat by playing within the salary cap rules agreed by all SL clubs - or to put it another way, doing it without cheating.

Sadly we can't say the same for the other winners of the GF; Bulls, Warriors and Saints, can we?

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:02 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

How many panel beaters did that Brisbane side have in its ranks back in '94, or how many did you have in your line up for '94 and '95 Cup finals?....

That Wigan side of the early 90's, when put next to your present side, comes out on top in my eyes.....Yes, they did play against a weaker league in general, but there were still some very handy sides around who could test them, and more often than not they would come out on top.

I agree with a lot of what you have posted. There is one factor you haven't taken in to account and that's the way history tends to remember things in a better way than more recent events. When making a subjective assessment like this it's got to be a huge factor.

Nobody will ever call a current team "the greatest ever", even Wigan had to contend with being compared to the great Hudds team of the 50's.
All I'd say is that the Leeds team of 2004 was as good a club side as I have ever seen, 2008 and 2009 vintage wasn't bad either.

"Best team ever" - can't be said.

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:11 pm  

DHM wrote:

All I'd say is that the Leeds team of 2004 was as good a club side as I have ever seen, 2008 and 2009 vintage wasn't bad either.

"Best team ever" - can't be said.

I agree, the Leeds team of 04 is criminally underrated IMO.

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:45 pm  

eddiewaringsflatcap wrote:

Except that its not. Your post is in fact completely ignorant of the difference between Super League and the NFL in terms of structure, namely that each of the respective NFL teams do not play every twice. That is the whole point of the play off system - to cater for the nuances in the schedules.

Nope I'm not ignorant to the differences - my point was made on the similarities that a team can be consistent all year but fall at the final hurdle. Regardless of the structure, I think it's a valid comparison. Probably even more so because the Patriots had already played and beaten the Giants in the regular season..... only to lose to them in the final.

eddiewaringsflatcap wrote:

As for Leeds 'best team ever.' Not close. The Wigan 1994/95 side and Saints 2000 sides were markedly better in my opinion and oozed class. Quite how the OP team can compare a team that finishes 5th to those teams is quite frankly barmy.

And well done you've missed the point. Sinfield's Leeds won the league again - finishing 5th doesn't change that.

Re: Sinfield's Leeds the best team ever? : Tue Nov 06, 2012 10:53 am  

eddiewaringsflatcap wrote:

As for Leeds 'best team ever.' Not close. The Wigan 1994/95 side and Saints 2000 sides were markedly better in my opinion and oozed class. Quite how the OP team can compare a team that finishes 5th to those teams is quite frankly barmy.

And that is the schoolboy error that all the other sides keep making. While they FINISH, Leeds carry on and win the trophy.

Leeds FINISHED as Champions. End of story.