SmokeyTA wrote:
I would have said not performing to your potential in the big games, for what ever reason.
So if the best team is wiped out by a virus the night before the game, and an entire under 21 side has to play the GF instead, and loses, have that said team 'bottled it'?
Anyway we are going away from the point. The 5th placed team winning the GF has IMO, reduced the regular season to no more than a series of friendlies, the players know that and simply won't be able to give their all next season meaning we will have a sub standard competition.
You could argue the season we have just had has already shown that this has already set in.
I used to say to my football supporting mates that the biggest difference between RL and football was that when 2 big teams play in RL, you nearly always get a cracking game, when 2 big teams play in football, you nearly always get a boring game.
Think of the clashes between Wigan, Wire, Saints and Leeds last season. Was there one good game? I don't think there was, and i think its because the teams are not as bothered about winning in the regular season, 'as long as they win when it matters' i.e the playoffs therefore the regular season does not matter anymore and we are wasting our money going.