So with just a few weeks now until the season gets underway, what are people's thoughts on how this season will pan out and how well the new format will go down?

I was quite sceptical when i first saw the announced proposals last year, although i certainly believed we needed change. The top 8 play off format had gone from being a bit of, to a lot of a joke and i have always been a believer in promotion and relegation, but it seemed on the face of it very radical with the split mid season etc..and a lot to get the head around. After having a few months to take it all in and re charge the batteries i have to say i am looking forward to the season with much more hope and excitment tan in recent times. For starters the top end of the league looks set to be very tight, and with just 4 teams now contesting the end of season play offs and Wigan,Leeds,Warrington,Saints,Huddersfield and Catalans all having realistic ambitions to figure in them it should be a good battle throughout and mean very little 'coasting', all good in my book. Teams such as Cas, Salford both Hull sides have made interesting signings and all 4 have a good chance if things go there way of upseting the other 6 and doing a 'Cas' from last season so things are certainly not set in stone. And then there is the most ambitious part of all this format with the Championship's top 4 challenging the bottom 4 of SL to take their place the following year.

So, in conclusion it could very well work.Equally it could go horribly wrong but you can guarentee one thing, whichever way it does go we will be doing something completely different sometime soon, this is RL afterall folks! for now though i just can't wait for the season to begin in stark contrast to stale feeling of recent times and for that i am happy!

The end of season could be excellent viewing. I just hope that after the first three or four games, it's not really obvious who the top four will be.

I still don't have a clue how it all works.

I don't either I need to see it working

As I go to nearly every game, it's good to know my support may have some influence on our season. In recent years it's begun to feel like I'm just financing the players till the back end of September. 2 points means 2 meaningful points, and not just a little shivvy into 5th or 6th spot and glory or failure through the back door. Am I looking forward to Hull K R, big time. No more coasting or " hitting our straps" at the " business end". if you lose a game it costs you big time, especially if you're sitting 6 th or 7 th and no chance of making the four with a few games to go. Will the format be a success, I don't ply my trade on Blackpool seafront, but it could be the most exciting season or the biggest stinker dependent on results and placings.Let's hope we don't get the stinker when my season ticket could have cost me 15% more.

I think that it's going to work very well. having just one play off at the end before the grand final should be a massive boost to attendances in them games.

The qualifying 8 is going to throw a few surprises, with Bradford, London, featherstone recruiting well, as well as Leigh carrying on from their excellent season in 2014.

I agree on the first point, it should get a decent crowd for the playoff games and make the regular season more important.

On the second, despite much more funding and some decent signings for some of the top Championship clubs, I'd be suprised if there's more than 1 "upset" during the Middle 8 matches.

If the challenge cup is anything to go by then I am not convinced you will see an up turn in attendances for the play off semis

I think the theory behind the structure is good.

Making the play-offs more elite is a good idea. Still mkaing the top 8 something to aim for is good, as is trying to bridge the gap between SL and the rest.

Whether it turns out that way is another matter. It should be given time to see long term benefits though

Quite like it in theory. I always felt that the regular season tended to drift during the height of summer. The new format will hopefully give a new focus part way through. Like the notion of promotion being a possibility and the play offs being truncated although I could see a reversion to five teams if it proves too big an ask for the big four to fill the top four places.

I remain to be convinced that the new structure will work as I don't think addresses the real issues within the game. However, I'm excited to see how it goes and no matter what the structure is or the standard of play I still love this game and can't wait for the season to start again.

Pie in the sky, not going to work and will revert back to the norm in no more than a few years. And P&R will again be scrapped

Sky will stop showing the ridiculous middle 8 after 2 seasons of 70-0 score lines in front of 800 in Batley and so will start its downfall.

Half agree, can't see this lasting long especiccallt when 3-5 clubs end up in admin chasing the super league dream.

I'm impressed that Batley are going to be in the top four. That should come as quite the surprise to Fev, Leigh, London and Bradford, all of whom average more than 800 at home.

Still, keep going reducing the argument to the absurd.

I'm glad we've reduced to 12 teams but that's as far it goes for now top 8 is poor it should be a top 6 plus the play off structure for the promotion/relegation 8 is heavily weighted in the SL teams favour not least with SC allowance.
I think the bottom 4 should only be able to select a team/matchday squad that matches the same SC as the Championship sides that would make it fairer.
Time will tell i suppose but i'm still sceptical about a lot of it.

true

I think it could damage the GF as well. 2 games is barely a play-offs and I think people will look much more to the team that won the league after 30 rounds as champions than the team which won 2 games.

I don't think Sky are going to be any more interested in 30-0 games in front of 2k than they are 70-0 games in front of 800. Neither are really what they want.

Having seen posters predictions for the middle 8 on the other thread it's got me looking forward to it. Most have Leigh coming up and a few tip Bradford also. Even if all 4 teams who went 'down' come back up, I think it'll be quite close and interesting between 3/4 of the teams, 2 of the SL teams like for example Hull, HKR, Saford if they were to go down would probably stroll it but Wakey and Widnes might have a fight on their hands.

The one issue is does it have longevity? If after a few years of making the middle 8 but failing to gain promotion will the likes of a Fev of Halifax try and push too hard and get in financial mess.

With more regular season games then it really doesn't leave space for any more playoff games. The final this year is on the 10th of October, a week after the NRL GF and we can't be finishing our season too many weeks later than theirs if we're going to have Internationals. I don't think the playoff semis will be harmed attendance wise.....in fact I think probably slightly better than what the numbers have been of late.

I'm sure there will be a novelty effect in the first year of the middle 8 which may boost a few attendances.

But I'm sure they're will be few upsets.

Not a bad thing in my book. The number of upsets during the regular season (as was) was one of the factors in its devaluation. Fewer upsets would suggest to me that teams are playing honestly once more.

Hi guys new poster here. I am very unsure if the new format is going to work as well but I am prepared like everyone to give it a try and see how it goes. I think this will be the greatest season and standard of rugby league in a very long time. There's quite a few clubs stringing together some strong squads and we will have to be at our very best in each game to make the end of season top 4. I think the guilty thing we had towards the end of last season that we were taking some matches particularly the ones against London away and Bradford at home more easily not really producing what we're capable of in my opinion. Don't get me wrong London and Bradford did well against us on those days both sides knew they had little to play for and had a go at us. There will be no room for "taking it easy" this season which is good because every game could mean a little bit more in terms of making the playoffs.

Looking forward to Sunday and the well deserved testimonial match for Jamie Peacock who has been an outstanding servant to our club.

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