12 teams

[cpwigan]

You would have thought sorting the U19 farce out would have been high on the agenda Josie. Several coaches incl Wane are concerned the changes incl P&R may stop clubs developing young players

[Owd Codger]

I for one would be interested to know what structure you would put into place in order to improve the game?

That is easy. The licensing system to remain. No P&R other than by achieving winning a license over one of the existing teams.

Ditch the magic weekend and replace it with a mid season international. If needs be "Emerging England" v the French.

Move the CC back to May and revert to a top five play off system, not top 8. I'd prefer a league championship myself but I accept play offs are popular.



Reduce the SL to 12 as well? Possibly.

That answer your question?

Yes, and glad to see something positive for a change.

Agree with most of your comments except for the scrapping of the Magic Weekend, which for me has been better at the City ground and is now the only venue for supporters of all Super League clubs to mix together now that less neutrals are going to Wembley and Old Trafford.

They will also always keep the play offs as Sky want a play off competition and a big end of season game as part of their contract.

Thanks for the reply.

[Mike]

One question about Dave's ideas.

Making essentially no changes - how will that address any of the current failings in the game right now?

[cpwigan]

An 8 club SL and a correctly placed CC would allow more rep fixtures AND/OR a RT/JPS early season competition IMO.

[southernpie]

http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_140 ... -2015.html

The last line is the one that kills me. Int/rep rugby / players welfare is obviously out the window in the minds of our administrators

[Mike]

if the middle 8 just results in a 4th v 5th one off promotion and relgation match, whats the point of it?

why noy stay in 12s and just play that match between top and bottom.

[markill]

if the middle 8 just results in a 4th v 5th one off promotion and relgation match, whats the point of it?

why noy stay in 12s and just play that match between top and bottom.

The middle league which is essentially a play off for the initial top 12 next time, being only 7 games means there's more scope for freak results to affect the outcome. Say a team lost its best two players to injury for 3-4 games, they would be at risk still. But once the 7 games are up, there would be nothing left to play for at this level, so having that decider means there is I guess. Maybe they will make up a decider for the third 12 too, around the second relegation spot potentially.

[Mike]

I'm assuming the pro teams will finish in the top 4 and the semi-pro in the bottom 4. Then a straight knockout game - the same as it would be with no 8s.

I imagine the only time this won't happen is when a pro team actually finishes 5th - then wins the knockout and doesn't get relegated!

Over 7 games the chances of the middle 8 not finishing like this is pretty slim IMO.

[DaveO]

One question about Dave's ideas.

Making essentially no changes - how will that address any of the current failings in the game right now?

I don't think changing the league format addresses any of the failings of the game now and I also don't think licensing failed. The RFL's views on licensing are shocking in my opinion and are an excuse for the changes not a good reason.

What was it? They spent too much time micro managing clubs for it to continue yet at the same time this micro management didn't prevent several of them going bust? How come?

Clubs have gone bust throughout RL's existence and we have had various league and play off formats over the years.

You could say we have tried it all!

The "failure" of licensing wasn't the concept itself but the way it was implemented.

No team were more surprised than Wakefield to have kept their licence last time around and why the RFL could not spot Bradford were up the creek is a mystery.

I think the fact clubs like Wakefield kept their SL status gave the impression it was a closed shop and so the championship sides are keen on the new system. Had Wakey lost their license and a team like Fev or Halifax been given a slot I don't think we would have seen the same desire for change from the championship sides.

The bottom line though is lack of money whatever system you adopt.

Years ago when the game went full time I asked the question on the old rec.sport.rugby.league newsgroup did people really grasp the implication of this?

If the game only gets a certain level of funding and the going rate for a professional player is whatever it is, it's simple maths to work out how many pro players (and hence how many teams) the game can afford.

In my view it can't afford 14. 12 may even be a stretch so going to a system with 24 teams in it either means reverting to semi-pro with all teams getting an equal cut of the funding or having the situation we seem likely to have where pro teams play semi-pro teams.

Add to that the fear of relegation and the possible raising of the overseas quota (which is on the agenda) and it doesn't take genius to see we will soon be back to the days of short termism, which is what Cummins at Bradford has said.

Also as others have said the academy system is a shambles and the proposal to reduce the number of academy sides completely undermines all the good work done at Wigan and other teams.

[DaveO]

http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_140 ... -2015.html

The last line is the one that kills me. Int/rep rugby / players welfare is obviously out the window in the minds of our administrators

The million pound match says it all about what is wrong with this set up.

Even the very title shows what is at stake.

Win and go one way and you are in the money. Lose and go the other and your finances are screwed. Your fate decided by one game so all the other fixtures count for nothing.

So despite (say) the fourth placed middle-8 side never losing a game to any of the sides places below it, it could lose its SL status by dint of a series of injuries or a referring mistake.

Deciding P&R with one match is ridiculous. The middle-8 should be a play off system or mini-league to decide it so we eliminate as best we can freak results. Top four go up, bottom four go down.

It is nuts to decide P&R with one game.