Idea for Expansion

[wiggydoran]

I came up with this crazy idea of how to expand super league and combat a few of the problem in the mordern Game.

the problems at the moment is that the top players are playing to many games, Fans are not travelling as well as they use to and there are more teams then what there is space for.

Heres the idea:

Instead of having one super league competition have two leagues running side by side a lancashire and cumbrua league and a yorkshire league. both comps would have 12 teams in it.


For Example lancs and Camb league: Wigan, Wire, Saints, Salford, Widnes, Leigh, Barrow, Whitehaven, Workington, Crusaders, Catalan, Quins

Yorkshire league: Leeds, Bradfors, Hull KR, Hull Fc, Wakey, Huds, Castleford, Sheffield, Halifax, Toulouse, Gateshead.

That means players will only play 22 rounds a year. plus one for a magic weekend which could be yorks clubs v lancs clubs. At the end of the year the top of each league get a trophy and the top four go into a play off. The playoffs are merged between the two competitions with the winner winning the Superleague.

Ok before you start the abuse take a moment. Yes the first 3 years there will be high scores againest teams like Workington and Whitehaven but within 3 to 5 years time the skill level will have closed. England will have a bigger pool of players to chose from. Please tell me what you think?

[gpartin]

It would absoltely devastate me if they did this, living in hull I watch all the games in yorkshire and as many as I can in Wigan... I would hardly be able to go if this happened.

[GeoffN]

I came up with this crazy idea of how to expand super league and combat a few of the problem in the mordern Game.

the problems at the moment is that the top players are playing to many games...

I'm still not convinced that's the case. Look back to the early 90's, and how many games our top players were playing - especially the 8 games in 18 days of "Mission Impossible".

Players like Dennis Betts were playing 40+ games a season, and didn't seem to be suffering from it.

The game hasn't changed that much since then.

[gpartin]

I came up with this crazy idea of how to expand super league and combat a few of the problem in the mordern Game.

the problems at the moment is that the top players are playing to many games...

I'm still not convinced that's the case. Look back to the early 90's, and how many games our top players were playing - especially the 8 games in 18 days of "Mission Impossible".

Players like Dennis Betts were playing 40+ games a season, and didn't seem to be suffering from it.

The game hasn't changed that much since then.

It has but not in the way most people suggest... players have less stamina these days due to the ridiculous number of substitutions in our game.

[the_cow]

Can't see this as the way forward as there just simply isn't a big enough pool of players in the sport of rl to accommodate that situation. We would need 24 teams of say 25 players of a good quality, skill & the desired physical attributes. It is unlikely this will happen so it would not just be a temporary drop in the skill standards of the top level, but an overall drop in the standard.

E.g. At present 14 teams x 25 players = 350 good quality players, required would be 24 teams x 25 players = 600 players- nearly double.

I personally can see a situation where we would have two divisions of 10 or so. If expansion works well, the current 14 and in additon say: Fax, Widnes, Scotland RL, Leigh, Toulouse, Cumbria RL. Promotion for the champions and playoff between 2nd and next to last.

As for reducing the number of games, how about a 75% rule. Each player can only play 75% of league fixtures, which at present would = only missing 6 games. Coaches would then have to rotate players and give youth a chance. However, this concept somewhat falls down because of the salary cap which means that you have to keep a lean squad.

[gpartin]

Can't see this as the way forward as there just simply isn't a big enough pool of players in the sport of rl to accommodate that situation. We would need 24 teams of say 25 players of a good quality, skill & the desired physical attributes. It is unlikely this will happen so it would not just be a temporary drop in the skill standards of the top level, but an overall drop in the standard.

E.g. At present 14 teams x 25 players = 350 good quality players, required would be 24 teams x 25 players = 600 players- nearly double.

I personally can see a situation where we would have two divisions of 10 or so. If expansion works well, the current 14 and in additon say: Fax, Widnes, Scotland RL, Leigh, Toulouse, Cumbria RL. Promotion for the champions and playoff between 2nd and next to last.

As for reducing the number of games, how about a 75% rule. Each player can only play 75% of league fixtures, which at present would = only missing 6 games. Coaches would then have to rotate players and give youth a chance. However, this concept somewhat falls down because of the salary cap which means that you have to keep a lean squad.

in conjunction with U21 exemption in salary cap as in NL1 this would be a good idea.

[wiggydoran]

The 75% idea is a good one. But the salary cap would need to increase.

[eccywarrior]

thinks it a crazy idea as its just wont be same. i like going away games for 2 reasons..
travelling
atmosphere
i love it when we play harlequins away and ill love it when we go celtic as its a good day out. if you was just going likes widnes, warrington stains and other local teams it would take excitement on going away game.

[markill]

to combat the issues with lack of away games over the wrong side of the pennines there could be inter-divisional games similar to NFL or baseball in US

that said, i think its an unworkable idea for the reasons cow stated - also why weren't blackpool in your lancashire league huh!?! they are doing better than workington! ha

but seriously, there just isn't enough talent of a sufficient level or enough money to bring it in from elsewhere - anyone who regularly watches national leagues or reserves would agree with this sentiment