Obviously most seasons don’t meet most fans’ highest expectations, and RL fans are not renowned for easy and effusive expressions of joy.

However, there does seem to be more despondency around SL than normal.

From east to west (roughly)...

Hull KR - we should be happy, after promotion and survival but it has been exhausting
Hull FC - on a come down after challenge cup victories, and a dreadful end to the season
Cas - lingering sense of an opportunity missed?
Leeds - Shizzle 8s 2 of the last 3 years. Won it the other year, but that’s hardly novel now
Hudds - picked up later on in the campaign, clawing their way to dull safety
Warrington - bridesmaids twice and the long wait for another championship rolls on
Wigan - won Grand Final but many fans unhappy with style of play
Saints - didn’t win Grand Final
Widnes - I suppose their misery is balanced by the excitement and anticipation gripping London fans for their own fight against relegation.

The only positive story seemed to be for Catalans fans and, to a lesser degree maybe Wakefield’s.

Am I reading it wrong? Or was 2018 an especially joyless season? Any ideas why? The 8s format? The mess at the ptb? Wider issues?

Can we expect more from 2019? What are you looking forward to?

Forums like this are a moanathon, I dunno what anyone "actually" thinks, the place is full of trolls, agendas and attention seekers.
Hardly a reliable source for a general consensus.

I think if you could cut through the BS, and it did seem a particularly joyless season for most, I'd wager that except for the obvious losers most would be down on the state of the game in general rather than the performance of their own club.

course, there'll always be exceptions...

So on the other hand...

Saints playing some of the best attacking rugby we've seen for years, and Barba the best import for years.
Fairytale end for Tomkins, Wane etc. at Wigan.
Remarkable turn around for Catalans who looked doomed by May.
Wire starting to finally justify the heavy investment in their squad.
Wakey showing how to do it without a huge budget.
Powells Cas continuing to punch above their weight.
Shock of a SL team getting "automatic" relegation.
Shock of London beating Toronto in MPG.
Fax qualifying for the middle 8s as a part time team, at expense of Leigh.
Fitlers young rookie Blues winning Origin.
Top 8 NRL teams separated by just 2 points....

The above is pretty much spot on, the product on the field generally poorest for 30 odd years,of the field RFl in turmoil. Out with some mates Friday had our 10 minutes wind up(there Cas fans) all agreed game on and off the field is a shambles.

Exactly. It’s just a matter of spin, glass half full/empty etc. Sure there are problems - attendances, some of the rules, most of the refereeing - and the RFL is totally ineffective but the game somehow just seems to attracts miserablists. RLfans is a complete moan fest, TV commentators constantly focus on the negative and some clubs/RFL do next to nothing to sell the game or big it up.
The main gripes I would say lay at the door of the governing body so how about, instead of trolling and moaning and whinging on RLfans, everybody emails or writes to the RFL, not just once but continually, to make feelings known. They’re the only people who can actually change anything so it might just achieve something.

Genuine question does super league Europe ltd have a letterbox to send to and a email address ?

Same this side of the hills too, RT. Games robotic, that's after the eternity it takes for a player to finally stand up and play the ball.

Well, the registered address appears to be -

Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS17 8NB

!!!

It took me all Winter to get over the end of the 2011 season when we actually won a trophy, than the end of this season where we’ve won nowt and lost in both finals where I feel quite positive.

There's plenty to be happy about. The game is being played in more places than ever before, international RL is probably at its strongest point in decades. A new structure that most people have been wanting for years. The championship is closer than its ever been.
The game has a lot of problems, and people will continue to claim it's dying, like they have for the last 100 years.

Wow our season must have been that bad we are the only team you didn't even bother to mention.

Salford - Hastings inspired end of season, results in SL status secured for 2019, and new squad builder initiative launched.

HTH, I'm sure there's someone who can do better!