<P> The League Leaders' Shield is a trophy awarded to the team finishing the season top of Super League in the sport of rugby league football . Currently (and for much of its history) the championship is decided on the basis of a play - off series, and the Shield is thus regarded as a lesser prize . Due to it being decided by a 30 - game, round - robin league system, some people regard the Shield as the hardest honour to win in British rugby league . </P> <P> British rugby league has been using a play - off series rather than simply awarding the title to the top - placed team for the majority of its history due to a lop - sided fixture list that saw some clubs play other clubs twice and the rest of the clubs only once . From 1907 until 1973 the Championship was awarded to the team winning a top - four play - off (excluding the 2 seasons 1962--63 and 1963--64, when the championship was awarded to the top placed team). From 1907 to 1962 no prize was awarded to the actual team finishing top . From 1965 to 1973 a' League Leaders' Trophy' was introduced to reward the team finishing top . </P> <P> In 1996, Super League was formed but continued to use first past the post to decide the champions unitil 1998 when they adopted a play - off structure for the championship . The League Leaders' Shield however was introduced only in 2003 . In 2013 Huddersfield Giants finished top of the highest league in English rugby league for the first time in 81 years . </P> <P> In 2015, it was announced that the League Leaders would qualify to take part in the expanded World Club Challenge and the prize money would raise from £ 50,000 to £ 100,000 . In 2016, the League Leaders were awarded medals for the first time . </P>

When is the league leaders shield won in super league