8 would be absolutely fine if there were 14 clubs capable of making the 8.

If Smith thinks getting to the the play offs is too easy then make it a top three!

League Leader goes to the GF then 2 & 3 play off for the other final place.

Then the play offs would be difficult to make!

It would also raise the intensity of the top of the League clubs too.

I also think the less playoff games you have the higher the attendance you get.

Because its so easy to qualify for them, it's not a big deal when you get there.

If say it was a top 4, with just the 2 semi finals, then the home fans are more likely to turn up because they know its just the one game, rather than thinking there could be anothe home game next week, and then another the week after, and then the final the week after. It's too much

Agreed. Last season, I knew a few who didn't bother going to Warrington away because we all knew we'd be playing them again two weeks later.

And we have an early contender for the Most Ridiculous Suggestion Of The Century award.

spot on.just coming to the halfway point in the season and it already looks as if you can write off the clubs 11th to 14th as a chance of making the 8.

You might not be far off!! Have you seen the back of Nigel's fag packet?

League winner goes straight to grand final

2 plays 5, 3 plays 4

Winners play off in the semi final for the right to play the league winner at Old Trafford.



This then makes winning the league actually meaningful.

I wouldn't want to finish top under that system. If league winner is going to go straight through then it should be 2nd vs 3rd for the other grand final place. Doubt we'd go for that as it doesn't give enough games.



I'd go:



2 v 5

3 v 4

1st then plays the lowest ranked winner of those two games and that gives you the semi finals.

5 is great. To finish in the top 5 is a real challenge and good teams could miss out.



At the moment, its far to easy for some clubs to qualify. Look at my club - Nathan Brown is cocking about something royally with his selections. I assume that he's just taking the oppotunity to experiment with all his players, knowing that if they pull the tripe out towards the end of the season, they'll still get in the 8 and have a reasonable chance.



Also, the beauty of the 5 team play off is that where ever you finsihed, you had to beat EVERY team that finished above you to take the title.



In the past two years have been rubbish from my point of veiw as Saints in 2011 played Wigan twice in a row and in 2012 played Warrington twice in a row. It was just very odd.

Top 5 is best.



Agree with Saddened on bonus point too, as a Championship club fan I get home after a defeat and only realise we've got a bonus point hours later, it's rubbish and you don't think about it when you're at a game.

Smith is probably right.



Top 5 or 6 is ok but, at the moment there is a theoretical chance that a team below half way could be crowned champions, a reward for mediocrity.

The bonus point thing is just a gimmick, get rid.