League 1 in its current form is not working. There is a massive gap in playing standard between the northern and southern teams. Now the league has split into two leagues of 8, games will be much more competitive, which is better for all involved, nobody wants to play for or go watch a team getting beaten by 30-40 points most weeks. Why not permanently split the league into a League 1 and League 2?

Having a League 2 or it could be called League 1 south, would also make it much easier to introduce new expansion clubs, as they would only be competing with relatively new clubs. I would start with the League been a closed shop, with no promotion/relegation, with the exception of adding new expansion clubs. In say 5 years time, if the League 2 clubs are competitive with the northern clubs in the League 1 cup and Challenge Cup, promotion and relegation between the two could start.

The championship isn't working with lots of the northern team struggling to keep up with the southern teams. Bring in a Canadian side I say to add some balance.

Something needs to change I agree. Highlight the point above to expand on it. It appears fans don't even want to go and watch teams WINNING by 30-40 points most weeks! Barrow have been going really well but crowds are still massively down.

The organisation of it all is horrendous as well, got to play every team home and away. As it stands Barrow have played Toronto and Haven both away; and now in the 8's they'll play Toronto and Haven both away again. Not only is it not fair on-the-pitch; it also harms clubs financially by taking away competitive home fixtures!

Would make sense to level out the numbers of teams in Championship and League 1.

A 14 team Super League, 14 team Championship and 12 team League 1 would certainly be much better than the current format. There would still be the north/south playing standard divide in League 1, it would just leave less northern teams in the League. Personally I think a League 1 north and League 1 south would be better.

I'd go along with that.

Off the pitch standards down south wouldn't permit a southern division, without big changes to stadium standards. Some of the teams who would be eligible on playing standards play on playing fields.

Reading between the lines there will be fewer southern teams in pro RL next year anyway. Lots of rumours about who is out flying around Broncos yesterday. We shall see.

League 1 is a graveyard for RL clubs.
For those that were dropped form the championship a few seasons back its been an absolute disaster.
There does need to be a gateway for new clubs but the likes of Hemel, Coventry, Oxford ans the Ironmen are not ready for that level and the effect that dropping down to such a level for clubs like Whitehaven, Barrow, York etc is shocking.
By trying to increase competitiveness in the Championship, we have all but cast certain clubs into the wilderness.

So now the next step is to increase competitiveness in League 1. It's not going to happen instantly. At this level, some clubs will be duds because they have no where to go when they fail and no where to build from to prepare. They come in cold.

The likes of Gloucestershire, London Skolars and Crusaders are proving competitive and are bringing through their own players.
Coventry have a solid base and good crowds for their level. With some investment, they could really take off.

Oxford have shown some glimpses, but don't have the foundations of the others yet.
South Wales have had a nomadic existence and no one has been able to get behind them because of this. Of financial issue to the next. Hopefully now that they have a proper base (having been taken over by an established club stepping up rather than being a new club trying to make it big) they'll be able to kick on.
Hemel have been a huge let down. They're one of the clubs I thought would kick on at this level but they chairman then made a ridiculous decision to basically turn the club into Dewsbury B team and base them up north. They took the club from the community and are now just a fixture filler.

If we want clubs to step up, they've got to be given the chance to. And they've got to be given the time to.

In regards to splitting the league, I agree that 16 is too big and the fixture format is a joke because of this.

If the structure changes soon, and we see a 14 team SL and Championship (giving an ideal 27-game round-robin season) then that leaves a 12 team League 1 (with an ideal 22-game round-robin season) but also leaves no room for further expansion.

You've got the likes of Manchester Rangers, Avignon, Villeneuve, Nottingham, Cardiff (I'm sure I've missed out others) that have expressed an interest in stepping up. There's plenty of scope for a potential League 2.

a 14 team SL with no protection from relegation? it would be a good time to be an agent for Queensland cup players

Jeez, you're a positive guy aren't you? "cast to the wilderness" - haven't York just announced plans for a new stadium? Doesn't L1 have two promotion spots available?

The PNG Hunters are currently top of the league in the Queensland Cup. I'm sure a few of their players would go well in Super League.

I know we change too much but I'd like to see four leagues of 10. Everyone plays each other twice, then the following split:

- SL super 8 as it is now
- Bottom 2 of SL and Top 2 of Championship 'middle 4' playing each other home and away. No need for the MPG
- Bottom 8 Championship shield as it is now

Same structure as above for League 1 and League 2.

4 less games reduces burnout/injuries (seems to be a massive issue at the mo) and allows for mid-season internationals.

But then that's 4 games less in terms of income too. And THAT, imo, is where the main issue with the game in this country lays. There's no money in RL at any real level and this is because the RFL are too willing to give away the TV rights to the whole UK game for peanuts and have nothing in place to ensure that it isn't just SL games that get shown. If the TV deal included a requirement for games from below SL to be shown on a regular basis, it would help those clubs outside the top table as they'd get exposure as well as be able to get a better deal from sponsors because of that exposure. And thus more money comes into the game. More money means that clubs can be in a stronger position and so can actually push for the opportunity of promotion from their current league because at the moment, there's plenty of clubs for whom promotion would actually be a bad thing as their current revenue streams would not be able to support the additional expenditure required

Agreed the SL clubs get 4 games less money, but the remaining Championship clubs benefit from two more teams with big followings bringing crowds. We also get a more marketable Championship as half of it would be a standard previously only seen in SL (e.g Widnes, Leigh, Hull KR, London and Toronto), maybe enough to tempt someone to pay for TV rights for that division and bring more cash in that way.

I honestly don't know why the game is locked in to thinking that its most pressing issues could be solved, even in part, by cobbling together another, lesser competition to sell out of the sum of SL's lesser parts.

there as simply too many pro clubs and not enough pro quality players and money available to run this many prop clubs.

super l;league 14 clubs franchises. division one 10-12 clubs (franchise). division two north and south, more development based clubs dual reg from super league clubs (Feeder clubs) any clubs not producing the goods on and off the field regardless of history or location, your out or drop down a division full stop. each super league club should be averaging 8k absolute minimum and if your not your franchise is under threat. league one 2k min. in the NFL they simply move your franchise or bring in a new club if there is not the support there.
time for RL to be harsh the last 20 years of swapping and changing formats and pussy footing around unsustainable clubs as to go.

Some people genuinely think that we could have two completely full time leagues of 10 teams with Sky showing both if we called them Super League and Super League II. That definitely wouldn't just be giving the Championship a new name.

So does this mean you are happy with the composition of league 1 and how it works.
There are some "serious" RL clubs mixed with glorified "university" teams.
Hemel are a "Northern" team masquerading something else and then we've had Toronto demolishing all before them.
Dont confuse my opinion with being negative and allow the fools that cam up with the idea to get off the hook.

In SL we have clubs without academies, Cas demolishing all before them, Widnes masquerading as a SL club and a club which will very soon be without a stadium to play at. All tiers of our comp are far from perfect.

Toronto will be in the Championship next year, taking advantage of the 2 up 2 down that exists between the two. Hemel have made some really poor decisions regarding their base, but prior to that were doing alright. The All Golds have exposed RL to the South West and provide some sort of pathway to the pro ranks (however small) from that region. Toulouse used it as a springboard last season.

You referred to it as a "Graveyard". If that's not negative, then what is? It could also be described as a "Birthplace", a place where ambitious new clubs can find their feet and grow, or a place where clubs have fallen on hard times have an environment to rebuild.

Clubs are also not "cast into the wilderness" as you put it. It's 2 up, 2 down. The "wilderness" would surely be seeing clubs fall from the pro ranks altogether?

You also by referring to some of the clubs as "serious", insinuating others aren't serious, again another negative remark towards the clubs.

All in all pretty negative I'd say.

Its crazy, its like they truly believe that because we are struggling to create the good competition tv companies want, 2 crappy ones will do instead.

Its a servant serving too many masters. Toulouse didnt get anything out of pummelling teams for a few months, neither have Toronto, barring another meltdown Bradford will probably walk it next year too. Its barely even a competition.

Its not serving the expansion clubs because they can't use it to create a player pool. They just wouldnt compete. It doesnt serve the heartland clubs because half their games arent contests and so far they are being left behind by a club operating on a completely different level.

There should be an incubator for expansion clubs, but that has to be its focus and priority. With rules and a structure which promote, benefit, nurture and reward clubs for doing the things that type of club needs to do to be sustainable and grow.

That would put an end to every single league 1 club apart from Toronto (who won't be a league 1 club anyway come 201icon_cool.gif. I agree, something has to be done, and certain expansion clubs just don't seem to be working in terms of attendances (likewise some established heartland clubs), but I'm not sure chucking out 15 teams is the right answer.


Regular Season Average Attendances:

Toronto 6639

Newcastle 979

York 883

Barrow 785

Keighley 742

Whitehaven 664

Workington 654

Doncaster 577

London 471

Hunslet 421

Coventry 401

North Wales 377

South Wales 229

Gloucester 205

Oxford 156*

Hemel 117



(*Oxford didn't give the attendance for the home match vs Newcastle, so had to take an average from their other home matches).

Yes, there are 2 promotion spots.
Although with Toronto coming in this season, spending SL type cash on their squad, this effectively is cut to one place this season.
The point I was trying to make was that, there are too many clubs in that league that are at opposite ends of the RL spectrum.
Having clubs like Barrow, Keighley etc, playing against glorified University teams doesn't sit well with me, it's damaging them and threatening their existence but, if you like it, great, knock yourself out.
Personally, I think it needs addressing and we should find a better way of preparing new clubs for semi pro competition.
And using the phrase "cast into the wilderness" I would say is pretty fair.
Have you seen the attendance figures ?

Also, York's new stadium should have happened by now and maybe they would not have been forced to the brink. - is this fact or being negative ?

When i said league one i was referring to championship, ie super league, league one (championship) league 2 north south. some of those figures are despicable and the clubs are surviving totally on hand out from central funds and generous benefactors. leas than 1k at any level is not sustainable for even a semi pro comp.