Clubcall - gone too soon?

[Dave T]

So, Clubcall is not here this year.

 

I know most people were against it at the start, however I must admit I enjoyed it. One of my concerns was that the club who had the choice would always pick the lowest ranked team, yet Warrington were the first team to go against this in 2013, picking the League Leaders Huddersfield and beating them in the semis.

 

Would Clubcall be a good reward for the LL's this year, allowing them to choose either 3rd or 4th? A consequence of this could be to mean the difference between 3rd and 4th is nothing, but I thought that Clubcall brought publicity, was innovative and was actually pretty exciting.

 

Thoughts - and please stick to Club Call discussion, it would be good if this doesn't get locked!

[Scubby]

So, Clubcall is not here this year.

 

I know most people were against it at the start, however I must admit I enjoyed it. One of my concerns was that the club who had the choice would always pick the lowest ranked team, yet Warrington were the first team to go against this in 2013, picking the League Leaders Huddersfield and beating them in the semis.

 

Would Clubcall be a good reward for the LL's this year, allowing them to choose either 3rd or 4th? A consequence of this could be to mean the difference between 3rd and 4th is nothing, but I thought that Clubcall brought publicity, was innovative and was actually pretty exciting.

 

Thoughts - and please stick to Club Call discussion, it would be good if this doesn't get locked!

 

Sorry it was just too gimmicky and the problem with RL is that you can't get the whole game to buy into anything 100% as we are all miserable sods. This means you end up with part-ridicule and part enthusiasm. What may have been a good option this year was that the LLS meant that you played at home in the play-offs against 4 and 2v3 was played at a neutral venue. I can't see where the advantage is for finishing 1st over 2nd currently when you only have a top 4  - all decent sides.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I liked it but could see why it looked a bit All the Fun of the Fair rather than a serious sporting convention. As it happens I thought that by the time McManus did his Wigan can play Wire joke I had got used to it. There was no need to drop it tbh. This year would have been very interesting as there is likely to be very little between the 3rd and 4th teams.

[Pie tries]

Nope good ridence

[Pie tries]

Though applaud us trying the idea though !

[arcticchris]

I always thought that it would have been a lot more intriguing if ALL teams below 1st were eligible to be picked. Imagine the debate about picking your biggest rival to a) give yourself a greater chance of beating them compared with a neutral ground and depriving each remaining time effective preparation time.

Only giving a guaranteed home semi to the league leaders could increase its prestige and desirability

[EdinburghExile]

I think it would work great in the current set-up. It always guaranteed some additional interest.

[Amber Avenger]

I didn't mind it too much in the old system, but the fact that reading this thread is the first time I have thought about the fact it doesn't exist any more says a lot. I think a 4 team playoff system I think it's a bit unnecessary - in a league full of gimmicks already (The 8s), it's a bit of a step too far and not really needed. If we ever went to a 6 team playoff again I wouldn't mind it's inclusion.

[overtheborder]

I personally hated the idea, just forced the top team to show a certain amount of disrespect, whether deliberate or not, to another club. Yes it added a bit of spice but how much spice do you need to add to a semi final anyway? I much prefer the 1st vs 4th system this year, although interesting point made by Amber Avenger about not needing it... Imagine tonight's round deciding the overall winners! The only flip side to it is that if had been the case where a team was a few points ahead and had mathematically won the league going into tonight's game. The current structure is the best system we've had since the 5 team play off structure for me.

[Barry Badrinath]

All this being said, who would leeds choose this week, twere it still here?

[Old Frightful]

All this being said, who would leeds choose this week, twere it still here?

Hull KR?

 

I would have liked club call to stay until it was Hull FC's turn to make the decision.

 

So club call ad infinitum then. 

[Old Frightful]

Thoughts - and please stick to Club Call discussion, it would be good if this doesn't get locked!

My previous post has brought the two Hull clubs into the discussion.

 

Almost a merger, one could say.