In football's Premiership at least everyone knows the score. Each team plays each other twice and then Manchester United win the title!

Of course that does not always happen - but the team which finishes top of the table is always hailed as the champions.

Super League in recent years has been more competitive with four teams having a realistic chance of the championship.

But one of the main complaints for casual fans is the format - and it is changing yet again this season.

Last year Wigan finished top but St Helens were the champions, while the previous year Bradford lead the table but lost the title.

The reason for such inconsistency is the play-off and Grand Final system.

This is no ordinary knockout competition, and once again, nowhere near as simple as football's closest equivalent - the Nationwide League play-offs.

League fans admit that this is more complex than the simple home and away format which decide the two finalists in the football play-offs.

But most also insist that it is fairer while the games are popular and often thrilling.

In the Nationwide League a team that finishes 15 points behind another has an even chance in terms of matches and home advantage.

In Super League the team finishing top has a much easier ride than the one finishing fifth:

• The top team must only win one match to get to the Grand Final, while the fifth-placed team would have to win three.
• The higher you finish up the table the more likely you are to receive home advantage during the play-offs

So how does it work?

• Top five teams in the league qualify for the end-of-season play-offs.
• Fourth-placed team plays at home to fifth-placed side in elimination play-off: Losers go out.
• Second-placed team at home to third-placed team in qualifying play-off .
• Losers of qualifying play-off play at home to winners of elimination play-off in the elimination semi-final: Losers go out.
• Team who finished top of league table at home to winners of qualifying play-off in the qualification semi-final: Winners go to Grand Final.
• Winners of elimination semi-final at home to losers of qualification semi-final for the other final place.
• Grand Final decides champions.

The other charge aimed at Super League is that a team which finishes top of the league must be named champions since they have proved themselves over a full season, home and away.

But football fans making such a claim might like to ask themselves a question.

Which is more exciting - Manchester United strolling to a championship, or a series of potential knockout thrillers with Arsenal, Liverpool and the rest?

It is not a perfect system, but it is exciting and nowhere near as unfair as its detractors might have you believe - and for most fans, that is enough.