Yes I do and it's fair enough that sports fans regard themselves as part of a family that includes other fans and the players.



However, when you start getting into petty arguments with fans of other clubs about the respective successes of the clubs it's worth remembering that none of the fans have achieved anything, and they just make themselves look a bit sad. Players always respect each other...do you think the Wigan players will be telling the Warrington players 'you aven't won the title yet, you've just won the hubcap'? No they will respect their fellow pros because they've been on the pitch and taken the hits.



Can you imagine what the players think if they come on and read these forums, they must just think half the people on here are a load of sad acts who've never achieved anything in their lives.

In that case, all those cups won by Wigan (in the time spectrum I mentioned) were all due to gifted tries, because let's face it, that's were they got a huge amount of victories from.



You can't have it both ways



KEEP DIGGING

Don't forget Finch putting in Joel with a cracking defence splitting pass

IMO opinion, the Wire fans that are saying they've already won the league are just lying to themselves and belittling what is probably going to be their own achievement in winning the grand final. What are those fans going to say then? They will have likely just celebrated the hardest they've celebrated in their lives, yet by their reckoning, they've just won a 3 game competition in which they started with an advantage and got to pick one of their opponents.

Finishing 1st is a fantastic achievement and one to be proud of, but you haven't wont the league yet and I suspect that song will stay around unless you do win the GF, because whether you like it or not, it is fact. Just see which picture will be on the highlights reel next season... Wire parading the LLS, or whoever hoisting the super league trophy above their heads at Old Trafford?

We have won the league though. There is no argument to be had there.

DAMN YOU! I'm starving now!

This argument is just getting ridiculous now.



The simple fact is, we have finished top of the league. Now, the point to make here is that the league CHAMPIONSHIP is not based on first past the post right now. We have won a piece of silverware for finishing top, but it is not the [ileague championship[/i, under the current competition rules that is decided by a playoff series.



Trying to argue that we're league champions for finishing top will gain a lot of sympathy from generic sports fans in this country (most of our top line sports, particularly football, wouldn't dream of deciding a league championship on a knock-out basis after having 27 rounds of hard slog), but ultimately, the competition layout is simple and easy to understand, and I've got to say I'm genuinely embarrassed by some of the arguments being put forward on here.

In addition to the point above, I can already predict, probably almost word for word, the discussion I'll be having with the people I share an office with on Monday morning. I gather it will go something like:



Them: So you've finished top then, but you've not won the championship?

Me: No, it's decided on a playoff system, it's a time honoured tradition in Rugby League - we only had FPTP from the 1974 season onwards and in 1998 we reverted back to a playoff system to decide who the champions are

Them: That's utterly ridiculous!

Me: I agree, originally we used a playoff system because logistically it was incredibly difficult for teams to play each other home and away, transport between the pennines before the motorways was slow, costly and you ended up with a disjointed season where it wasn't a true home/away fixture list, so a playoff system was the only fair way to decide who were champions at the end of the season

Them: But that's no excuse to have it layed out that way now

Me: I agree. I'd prefer FPTP but I can't argue that it provides an absolutely excellent end of season show piece. The season ends with a climax, instead of the championship being decided with weeks or maybe even month(s) still left in the fixture list.

Them: But that's what cup competitions are for.

Me: Yes, but unfortunately historically the challenge cup final was on the "jewel in the crown" protected events, which left Sky unable to bid for exclusive rights to screen it. Also, it was and perhaps still is extremely difficult for the RFL to try and schedule the cup competition in a way that it culminates in September, because the early-participants from BARLA and so on still play their seasons in winter.

Them: Bloody sky at it again!



And so on and so forth.

Not forgetting another memorable try assist from Sean O'loughlin to hand Richie Myler a try at the DW.

this thread just shows why some wire fans cant be taken serious in the rugby league world!



firstly, well done on winning the hub cap, youve been the most consistant team over the regular season and played some very good rugby! however the league is only won on the 8th october... anybody who thinks different is clearly talking out their backsides!

Wonder if Wigan fans will sing that song if we don't win Grand Final? Can see them getting laughed at if they do.



The league is just that the league.



Grand Final is the Grand Final

The 1980-1981 season was one that I will never forget. We went to Leigh just requiring a win. Dessie scored the winning try for Leigh. The score ended at 7-11. The league winners went to Bradford.

We did win 2 cups that year though. The Lancs cup & the John Player.