[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/warrington/8753275.stm...according to Tony Smith[/url

Would he be saying this if Warrington were as pants as they have been in previous seasons?

I just don't agree with him.
But he does join a growing line of people in agreeance

I disagree with him. Surely the more teams that play means more players play, more reserve teams, more junior teams which makes for a larger pool for elite teams to pick up talent?

I was thinking exactly the same. Don't think he would be so eager to make statements like this if Warrington were as bad as the last few years.

If our result at Leeds doesn't show that there is room for all the teams then nothing does. It is just up to the other cluibs, us included, to step up to the plate and look to match and better sides like Wire.

Why not two leagues of ten (super league 1 and 2) with all teams full time. Promotion and relagation between the two leagues and francise into league 2.Imagine how tough these two divisions would be.But i guess it won`t happen because the sky money would have to be shared out a little more.

He doesnt like the number of teams, doesn't like the magic weekend, doesn't like England playing France, doesnt like being an Aussie.

Tony we dont like your dull voice and inability to look at what you are talking to. I bet his wife has a miserable time

Top 6 in SL1 playoff for the title, bottom 4 in SL1 and top 4 in SL2 playoff for 4 remaining SL1 spaces for next season. That would allow teams to quickly move between the leagues and hopefully prevent a gulf in talent between the leagues.

Maybe Smith has a point?

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/warrington/8753275.stm[/url

Two leagues of 10 teams? I reckon it could work. 20 teams capable are listed below:

1. Catalans
2. Toulouse
3. Halifax
4. Bradford
5. Wigan
6. St Helens
7. Warrington
8. Castleford
9. Harlequins
10. Salford
11. Leigh
12. Widnes
13. Leeds
14. Hull
15. Hull KR
16. Barrow
17. Crusaders
18. Huddersfield
19. Wakefield
20. Featherstone

I agree with him and have felt this way for quite a long time. We simply play too many games in this country at the elite level.

I disagree, i think its been far better with 14 teams, having to see the same teams twice at home was ridiculous and dull.

So basically you'd reduce the SL and Championship to 10 teams each?

I agree, clubs should only be promoted when they are good enough for the league IMO. This would make the league below alot stronger and those clubs would have alot more urgency to better themselves, up untill now we just havn't seen that.

Wigan
Leeds
Saints
Wire
Hull FC
Bradford
Hull KR
Catalans
Hudds
Crusaders

The other 4 can go down the the next league which would only include teams who are good enough to apply for super league.

This would create genuine competition in the league below and more games in super league would be far far better.

Castleford
Wakefield
Salford
Harlequins
Leigh
Widnes
Halifax
Featherstone
Sheffield
Toulouse

This creates two leagues stronger than we have now.

The teams from the league below this would then have to better themselves to get into the 2nd league so they could potentially apply for super league.

I didn't like this idea at first, but as a Leigh fan at least there's still some hope and something to play for. If this happened we could also find free weekends for Internationals too.

I think most clubs are seeing an increase in the number of half decent youngsters coming through. They may not be world beaters but we are at a stage were we can develop youngsters physically and train them to a level were they can do a job while the bigger stars shine. I think in 3 years the % of home grown players starting each game will be a lot higher and defences tend to be a little sterner when lads are palying for "their" club.

I don't think now's the time to be talking about that sort of thing.

12 teams = 22 games possibly 23 games with a magic weekend.

Unless they cut it to five teams it won't change much in terms of quality. 6 through to 14 are pretty much the same.

If they cut it by 4 teams, thats 4 teams worth of super league talent to go around. For example I said Wakey, Cas, Salford and Quins should go down to make 10 teams, all the quality players from those teams would get spread around the other teams and would therefore improve the quality.

All the other players would play in the league below and improve the quality there.

So that is Michael Shenton, Richard Owen, Westerman, Rob Purdham and LMS. The rest go go back to the NSW cup/Championship If you believe the rumours 4 of them are going to top 5 clubs next year anyway.

I don't think cutting these teams is fair especially when Hull KR are asking for quota exceptions and the named 4 have actually being trying to develop their own talent. It would be rewarding short sightedness.

We need to reduce the number of games not the number of teams.

Matt,

If we have 10 teams and we play home and away that gives each team 9 home games - gives Sky 6 weeks less coverage?

The numbers simply don't add up - season ticket prices would have to fall by 25% to justify the reduced number of games?

Where is the revenue coming from?

We could have a bye week to spread the season out and give the mid-season international a week of its own.

Last time the number of games got reduced most teams didn't decrease the season ticket prices.

As Much as i like the idea


I dont think it would work. Big Teams like wigan and Leeds and saints, would lose out on TV revenue and they won't allow that

Don't think Barrow fans would be very impressed with that set up. Switch Sheffield for Barrow and I would be quite happy with that structure. But surely 9 home games a year would be nowhere near enough to to fund a full time club? Especially in the '2nd' super league as the away support wouldn't be great from lots of teams.

On the other hand maybe a club like Harlequins could improve crowds as they would be a 'big' club in SL2 rather than at the bottom of SL1.

Can't see it happening though really as I dont think the 2nd tier would be viable as a full time league.

I think that we do play too many games over the season but clubs need all the league games they get to make money pure and simple. I think one way round it is to put the play offs back to 6 teams perhaps even 4 thus making the seaosn shorter and giving everyone a rest before end of season internationals. Perhaps bringing the season foward a week too. Those together could give the players an extra 3/4 weeks rest before 4 nations/world cup/test series etc too.

Also as someone else stated give the mid-season internationals a weekend of its own. With say England vs Wales and France vs Ireland at wigan and tolouse for example resepctively. Get the details and tickets out early and cheap to get the crowds in.