If there was to be some kind of "world league", with multiple clubs from N.America, France & the UK, with perhaps only 5/6 UK clubs, the domestic competition, without say Wigan, Leeds, Saints, Hull, Warrington might be an exciting watch plus, if there was promotion/relegation from the "world league" on a 1 up 1 down basis, maybe that is the way forward ??

Personally, I dont think so, at least not in the next 20 years, as any attempt to do so would leave the "top" English clubs dominating and may also lead to the "world" clubs going pop, especially as they wont be producing SL+ standard players of their own any time soon.

I agree that there should be a plan and it shouldn't be on a fag packet in the gents at Red Hall.
The Clubs, players, sponsors and most of all the fans, deserve better.

As things stand, yet again, we are being taken for granted.

I'd agree with that. And what worries me is that without a clear and published strategy, the temptation for the clubs to go off and do their own thing can only grow and grow.

I can certainly see the idea of a "World League" or "Atlantic League" being on the table, but do wonder whether that would leave us with something similar to the 'Champions League' problems that football has - the top teams continually picking up Champions League prize money, moving away from the chasing pack, and struggling to compete (unless you happen upon a friendly Sheikh) - which would make any "one up, one down" system unsustainable in my view. The gap between 6th and even just 7/8th in the Premier League is getting enormous, I think you could magnify that gap tenfold or more in RL.

I really do wonder where we go from here. Watching the darts this week, it struck me that what is happening in RL at the moment has shades of the darts civil war, where leading players were losing faith in the governing body's ability to grow the sport. Someone earlier in this thread used the term "breakaway" and whilst I don't think we're at that point, one does wonder how long the RFL can keep bumbling along, trying to please everyone, and actually pleasing nobody.

There are signs that clubs are already looking to force the issue themselves - Wigan and Hull heading to Sydney for example, whereas Leeds have done a lot of work in the United States through their pre-season training camps and tie-up with Atlanta. At what point do those clubs, and clubs like those, decide that they're tired of running at the pace of the slowest man?

You're in dream land if you think that there's going to be a 'World League' anytime soon and even more so if you think there'll be 5 or 6 UK clubs in it, including the likes of Wigan, Leeds, Saints, Hull and Warrington. There'd almost certainly only be 'London' although with a following wind 'Manchester' could possibly squeeze in.

If you could scrap the lot and start again, then, maybe you'd be right.
However, as things stand, it would be the "big boys" that would be asked to join.

Manchester

have you seen the development to the closest club that we have to Manchester (Salford), they appear to be in freefall, especially since Koucash got bored.

Anyway, it's not even a remote possibility at present and is unlikely to happen, unless some idiot at HQ has been drinking some very strange substances.

Even though it may not be palatable to many, IF "we" are serious about including Toronto and Toulouse in the top flight, "we" may as well "promote" them and give them exemption from relegation for "x" years, which would give them the best chance to grow.
This would possibly be to the detriment of clubs like Leigh, Halifax and Featherstone but, that would be the sensible way forward.
If not, one of those clube could well yo-yo for a few seasons and then fail and whilst some would be happy with this, it would do nothing whatsoever to benefit the game as a whole and there is still the fundamental issue of whether the inclusion of N.American clubs in SL is a decent way forward, i'm still to be convinced.

as do you flatearthers who are in complete denial.

You've had 125 years and still the lowest 6 supported clubs in the top tier delivered 6,150 as an average last year whilst the top 6 [unearly[/u double that at 11,900. It's no mystery that the top 6 are the clubs who have won or challenged for honours over the last 22 years whilst the bottom 6 have all danced with or been actually relegated.......and whilst they spend to stay up, they have no infrastructure development, meaning they play in dumps or rented homes and all 6 are reliant on cash from a benefactor to stay afloat!

It's not expansion for expansion sake BTW.......I have serious doubts about the spin and PR coming from Toronto and Gy teachers with tens of millions in NY, but I 100% reject the away fans argument. Oh......"the buzz" doesn't pay the bills and if you're club rely in away fans for income then you don't deserve to be at the top table, simple as!


...as would your English teacher, although I'd say he'd be more disappointed!

....although he could have been disappointing and that's why you're disappointed?

1. Fair enough
2. Compare apples with apples please, Wigans second highest home gate was on a shocking Friday night against a team that finished second bottom
3. You think having 3 French sides wont be of interest to a French broadcaster or the local populous
4. At that time London were an established SL club and someone once told me a lot of Kiwis and Cons live in that part of the world - far less brits live near Avignon to swell the gate

2. Birmingham v Leeds, 2nd tier football, same rotten night and yet they managed 2k over that seasons average. I know...it's football.....but they are 120 miles apart, not less than 9 and they are not fierce local rivals either. 8th of June, return fixture for Leigh v Wigan....same 9 miles yet 40% empty?7,000 and the usual Thursday night excuses......does everyone up there work Shifts?
3. No...I don't. The Elite leagues are rammed with journeymen Australians and there is a minuscule youth set up over there......they need to sort themselves out whilst Catalans fly the flag and offer a pathway....2 more French teams will just add more ANZACS to those entitled to play for France after a couple of years...
4. So? The point is that the French national side can't attract attendances unless against one of the major 3.....their games v Ireland and Scotland in 2015 are more indicative of what gates they would get for another club...Toulouse can't even sell out their shed at present......You THINKING there's a demand for something doesn't actually mean there is.....Building from the top down doesn't work....it failed in Paris, London, Wales........if the French want to play with the big boys let them earn the right, but if you fast-track another London or Catalans, it will end in another failed venture costing the game and the investors millions.

I am all for expansion, but done right!I am still wary of Toronto and the cap, the revenue streams, claims of attendances etc.....but I'll give them credit for starting where they did.

One of the biggest things we need to do is realise that non rugby league fans won't fork out to pay for rl. We need more games on free TV. Whether that's BBC itv c4 or whatever. The fact that sky have exclusive rights yet fail to show more than 2 games a week sums that negotiation up. Get more people watching and then gates /advertising /next TV deals will go up.
Toronto /new York etc could work but I get the feeling some are in fantasy land. Maybe I'm wrong but I doubt Toronto vs NYC would get a decent TV deal

I actually wrote something recently on the subject of the structuring - https://wiggysview.wordpress.com/2018/0 ... g-forward/ I think its a backwards decision for the RFL if they try and go back to franchising.

I actually wrote something recently on the subject of the structuring - https://wiggysview.wordpress.com/2018/0 ... g-forward/ I think its a backwards decision for the RFL if they try and go back to franchising.

Whatever the structure is in 2019, the Super 8’s need to go. Attendances are lower in the Super 8’s than the regular season and clubs can’t sell corporate packages in advance when they don’t know what there own fixtures are. Gary Hetherington at Leeds has said the Super 8’s are very bad for business.

If we take it it’s a given we go back to 14 clubs, 13 home and away games + magic weekend is the sensible thing to do, it’s just a decision (via club vote) on 1 up 1 down promotion and relegation or franchising. Perhaps a million pound game between top of the Championship and bottom of Super League could be a compromise.

How would you then playoff for the Grand Final? Top 4 semis?

Yes I think anything more than a top 4 play off rewards mediocrity.

Having given it some thought, I like the idea of 14th place Super League team joining the Championship play offs and having to beat the Championships best two clubs away from home, to keep their Super League place. The fixtures would look like this (with the favourites winning)
Ch 1 v Ch 3
Ch 2 v SL14

Ch1 v SL14 winner takes Super League place

Even though i think you're a bit of a barmpot, I quite like that concept.

Agree that any more than a top 4 play off just rewards failure.

On your other point. I have said before that I'd have the 14th team relegated 1st in championship promoted. Then 13th in SL join the championship play offs. So fixtures would be, 2nd v 13th, 3rd v 4th.
I would also have the final after the championship 1 promotion final on the same ground and day.

Can't imagine YOUR English teacher would be that impressed either

If you're going to pick someone up on spelling and grammar it's advisable to check your own

Can i blame that one on predictive text?

Indeed it is

Beaumont let slip on Twitter SL to go to 14 in 2019

I'd love to see it back to all fixtures announced before season. Being able to book holidays etc.
On p+r I'd complicate it slightly, with Sl 13th vs c1st, winner in sl and looser in mini series with Sl 14th and c2+3

Sounds ok that

. I don't think you are complicating it at all.

...he's too busy encouragig the Doc to apply for the SL CEO Position

God that's the last thing we need having either Bert or Ernie involved.

I'm interested in how they'll decide the 14. This season was supposed to be the Middle 8s at the end. Will they just have 6th v 7th as the MPG instead? Or will we see a return to licensing? All seems way too short a turn around. You'd think a transition year would be required for any major structure changes.


For me, it would be preferable to have automatic relegation for 14th spot so that the Championship can have a meaningful Grand Final (which used to be a huge part of the game's calendar). I've loved the Middle 8s concept of SL v Championship clubs though, so would have 13th join the playoffs also, but for a second promotion spot. Something like:

Week 1: 2 v 3, 4 v SL13
Week 2: GF (1 v winner of 2/3); loser of 2/3 v winner of 4/13
Week 3: Promotion playoff: GF loser v play off winner.

Whatever relegation/promotion playoff system you have has to last 1 week less than the SL playoffs IMO.

The final week of the season should be the SL GF on the Saturday with NO other fixtures at all as all attention should be on that.

So if your SL playoffs remain as they are at two weeks then you should have only 1 week of P/R playoffs. Say 13th in SL vs 2nd in the Championship (14th and 1st automatically p/r)

If you extend the SL playoffs to 3 weeks with 5/6 teams then you could extend the P/R playoffs to 2 weeks.

Week 1
12th vs 13th SL
2nd vs 3rd C

Week 2 the winners of those matches (again with 14th and 1st automatically P/R