When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:04 pm  

So St Helens are Champions. Good luck to them. They've won it whilst facing plenty of adversary this season.

However as we end the 19th season of Super League we find ourselves with just four different clubs having won it. When will we see someone other than the previous winners winning it?

I know the likes of Hull at the start of every season think they could be in with a shout of the silverware "our new signings could the final pieces in the jigsaw" etc etc before sinking down the table without trace, and, of course Warrington fans tell us every bleedin season that it's the so-called 'year of the wolf' (it never is).

I would be nice for a change to next season get new Grand Finalists and new winners instead of the usual mobs pitching up at Old Trafford.

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:09 pm  

Bruce_Forsyth wrote:

So St Helens are Champions. Good luck to them. They've won it whilst facing plenty of adversary this season.

However as we end the 19th season of Super League we find ourselves with just four different clubs having won it. When will we see someone other than the previous winners winning it?

I know the likes of Hull at the start of every season think they could be in with a shout of the silverware "our new signings could the final pieces in the jigsaw" etc etc before sinking down the table without trace, and, of course Warrington fans tell us every bleedin season that it's the so-called 'year of the wolf' (it never is).

I would be nice for a change to next season get new Grand Finalists and new winners instead of the usual mobs pitching up at Old Trafford.

It's up to the other clubs to get the business done when it matters. I don't think it will be long before warrington finally do it. They've won trophies, they've made a cuople of grand finals and have been mixing it with the big boys in the playoffs for years now, they have a coach who's done it before. They will surely be the 5th name on the trophy

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:16 pm  

2018 ,Leigh 19-18 extra time drop goal against Wigin

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:17 pm  

Warrington and Catalans would be the best bet on paper next season

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:19 pm  

We seem to get closer each year, with the likes of Warrington and Huddersfield often being the teams to beat, but then end up with the same names in the final. It's a shame.

I thought Wire we're going to beat us in the semi this year and with one eye on that I was thinking it would be great if Catalans made it. Would have been a new final, so to speak, with a guaranteed new name on the cup.

Hopefully we will get a new name soon (although I obviously wouldn't complain if we won it again), least not because the 4 is now a 3 with Bradford the way they are. We've only had 3 different winners in the last 9 years.

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:33 pm  

The only two clubs who have ever looked capable are Hull who really should have kicked on after 2006 but have since been poorly managed, and Warrington. Huddersfield have come a long way in recent years but have never really looked capable of winning when it really matters, the same goes for Cas this season.

As Flexwheeler says Warrington are the most likely. Catalans could do it, but they need to address their away form. Huddersfield might kick on. Salford could do it in a few years time if Koucash keeps investing and as a Hull fan I live in hope that we might just find a winning formulae one year.

On the flip side Bradford aren't going to be winning it again any time soon, and whilst Leeds will still be a top side I don't see them dominating like they have over the last 10 years. So in short it's only a matter of time imo.

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:33 pm  

Super League is a stacked deck backed by a salary cap deliberately set at a level which makes it almost impossible for other clubs outside of the big four members club winning the competition. Any other team which threatens that status quo even momentarily shall face the consequences of their best players being signed up by one or more of the big four members club.

The biggest indictment of the competition is the list of teams who have reached the Grand Final... Leeds, Wigan, St Helens, Bradford, Warrington, Hull and absolutely nobody else within cooee. This compares unfavourably with the NRL/ARL competition down under which has seen 10 different winners and 13 out of 16 teams reach the Grand Final over the same period of time.

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:55 pm  

The same clubs keep winning it because they know how to ...the others, as good as they seem, don't.

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:51 pm  

I think we're seeing a real levelling of the playing field with the lower salary cap year on year relative to the NRL and Union. This could make it possible for a team to make far bigger strides in a short period of time than was previously possible. I'd agree with the poster above who said Warrington aren't far off. They will win one soon enough. Salford are another possibility when they've got Koukash's money. All they need IMO is someone with some squad building acumen to actually guide his chequebook rather than just letting him spray it around everywhere.

Having said that, I think the new play off format will exclude most clubs outside of Saints, Leeds, Wigan and Wire from ever getting to a GF. With the cap so low, the sides with the best youth systems have a huge advantage and the new playoffs will be like the CL in football. It will keep the other sides out while the top 4 become stronger and stronger.

Re: When will we get a new name on the SL trophy? : Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:49 pm  

is the OP post a general question or just a pot shot at hull fc? if the latter he needs to look at all the trophies and finals his own players talk about in the hull daily mail! their trophy cabinet must be full of paper trophies by now!

if its a genuine question, i cant see anything changing for a few seasons, we may get the odd different team in the final, even fc in a few seasons, until then it will be the same old same old, even with the new format!