Adam Pearson did say he actually favoured a simply 12 team comp, with one up one down and a 5 team play off structure, however he said that he believes there is a strong chance the 12 team, 3 x 8's will get voted in.

From listening to him, it would seem that the main concern among the 6 clubs was with the running of the game, he mentioned, still no competion sponser, no idea how any tv deal money is distrubuted etc. He said the game is in debt to the tune of 7million, which he said is nothing at all in comparison to other sports.

The six clubs only agreed at the end of the season so a month ago. The meeting for the alternate proposed plans from the clubs is being put together and being put forward after the world cup, it was Hetherington and Barwick trying to play a political power move.

If you're going to make up things I've said to achieve a false sense of righteousness, then I'll leave you to it.

It is impossible to have a decent discussion about Leeds Rhinos with you because you are incredibly defensive about everything they do, so I'll leave it at that.

Exactly.

It wasn't on the agenda. It shouldn't have even brought up. What were they hoping to achieve by backing clubs into a corner without warning?

And these chairmen wonder why the RFL can't sell the game to potential sponsors...

Get the restructure sorted, then lets have the wider debate about how the game is being run. Stalling one in order to trigger the other (to which Lenegan et al have yet to make a single positive contribution) is nonsense.

That was the jist that I got from Lenegan as well. He was very critical of the RFL and their "marketing" and the figures he quoted regards prize money were a joke. Wigan got £280,000 for winning the double. £250,000 for the cup and just £30,000 for the league. Oxford United got £350,000 for reaching the Conference playoff final a few years ago.

But they have had a year since the RFL put forward their preferred structure, we have known for ages and actually voted three times for a reduction to 12.

If these clubs didn’t want to partake in that, fair enough, but their issues and preferred resolution should have been on the table months ago. It is very late in the day to start talking about thinking of getting a meeting in place to put together alternative solutions which may be an improvement at some stage in a couple of months. The WC ends the end of Novemeber, the season starts end of January/beginning of February

If these clubs didn’t want to partake in that, fair enough, but their issues and preferred resolution should have been on the table months ago. It is very late in the day to start talking about thinking of getting a meeting in place to put together alternative solutions which may be an improvement at some stage in a couple of months. The WC ends the end of Novemeber, the season starts end of January/beginning of February.

I think it is a valid to ask what have these 6 clubs been doing since May when they were made aware of them?

Im no fan of these proposals, nor of Nigel Wood, but I don’t think the rebel 6 are covering themselves in glory right now either.

Im not defensive, i just find your conspiracy theory laughable and completely at odds with established fact.

Pearson seems very good at providing bogeymen to distract the Hull fans. Im just surprised they fall so easily for it.

They have had warning since the Watkins report and specific detail since at the very latest the 13th of May.

What were you saying about making things up?

Certainly does.

If your main problem is the timing, as in it is late in the day, the plans that are being decided are for 2015 as far as i am aware, so in reality although it is 6 months down the line in the development process, theres another 9/10 months before it starts impinging on teams short term preparations. And it really seems that they will havit sorted before the beginning of the 2014 season, after the world cup finishes.

the problem is that if we are going to 12, then are teams fighting relegation? Are we seeing 3 teams go down and 1 come up? Don't the championship clubs need to know whether they are playing for promotion? if we go to 2x12 then 4 teams need to be relegated from the bottom of the championship.

Its not really fair to decide a club can be promoted half-way through a season. Its particularly unfair to decide 4 teams in a 14 team league will be relegated part way through a season.

It is not as you say.

RFL sent out the first detailed proposals for the restructure at the end of May 2013 so not a year since the RFL put out a preferred structure. Only 4.5 months from the document to the RFL wanting a vote.

As a result of Watkins review any SL meeting requiring a formal voted upon decision must be flagged up well in advance of the SL meeting and the vote should be formally minuted. This did not happen once (never mind 3 times). SL clubs did indicate an interest in 12 club SL (of which there were at least 2 options) but this was not a formal vote.

The RFL sent out their final plan on Sept 27th for an EGM on Oct 9th. That is only 7 working days between receiving the papers and a vote. Any well run organisation would not allow only 7 days for the information to be digested. Plus in the period between the 27th and 9th there was a semi final / Man of Steel event...oh and a Grand Final. So for teams like Warrington and Wigan there were other priorities....So straight after the GF when SL clubs could get together and discuss the proposals they did! Issues many of the clubs had raised had been ignored so SL clubs requested a delay.

Barwick agreed with the delay and then 'changed his mind'. Very poor. Hetherington doesn't like it...well he will have to lump it!

Loads particularly as Wakefield have been supported by the RFL at just the same time as Kath Hetherington gets involved there. Should Leeds and Wakefield get vote apiece or should the Hetheringtons have half a vote each ?

The clubs did not just walk out.,. They went for a SL meeting on the agreement there would be further consultation for 4 weeks before a decision was made on RFL restructuring. Then Hetherington says lets forget that , take a vote now and we will jsut go with a majority vote.

Do you not think that on such a major decision it should be on a considered and planned basis?

Spot on.

It does for someone who apparently knows about RL for him to say the game has never seen anything like it is bizarre.

Did 1896 not happen !!

That is almost exactly what i said. It has been a year since they were told of it had detailed proposals since may 13th.

Where have you got this from? The Watkins review was a review not a binding resolution. It was a review which came with recomendations. One of which was the we look again at the competition structure which is what they are doing now, and yes the vote wasnt binding (it was formal). If it had been binding they would have needed to do it once not numerous times.

IF these 6 clubs are arguing that they havent had time to digest the proposals then they come out even worse. I disagree with the proposals but it isnt because i dont understand them. I honestly can't believe you havent made this up. Some of these people are very intelligent very successful businessmen. It cant be a question of competence.

I know he's knocking on a bit now but i'd be surprised if he remembered that meeting.

So you think that december is a good time for the game to take a decision on structure which could mean 2 teams relegated from SL and 4 from the championship when the season starts in January?

That isn't the issue and you know it.
The issue here is the the RFL went back on their word. 'Nothing is to be decided until after the WC' they said. Then suddenly with no notice a vote is to be dropped on the clubs in attendance and able to vote when it became clear the clubs able to vote gave them an unfair advantage.

I assume you have been reading the Hetherington book on being selective.

Can a Super League only meeting decide the entire structure?

I'm not a Leeds fan, by the way, just found it interesting that Hetherington accuses "the 6" of having a money/power grabbing agenda for their own selfish reasons. Now thats pretty strong stuff to express in the media.

They (all of them not just the 6) need to take a deep breath, sit down and discuss this rationally before things are said and done that are difficult to undo. Even good business people have been known to let slighted pride get in the way of doing what is right.

Or do some see financial problems for their own clubs on the horizon and are trying to make a "smash and grab" now?

So what was the rushed vote in aid of then?
GH himself gives us a clue.
'Every rugby league fan should be concerned with what these people are doing. They, along with every Championship club, and the majority of Super League clubs are paralysed whilst these six men flex their muscles.'
It isn't hard to figure out what the vote was about now is it.

Nice try though RFL. Shame you couldn't stick to your word.

To try and get a shift on actually deciding something? It's daft it's taken this long, and I partly blame the RFL in that.

But again, can a vote at a SL meeting decide the league structure for the whole of rugby league?

So that makes it ok for a governing body to tell bare faced lies is it? and makes i's ok to try and create a stitch up a meeting involving it's own top teams as well?
Seeing as the hold up is in the annuls of the SL I would imagine if that votes gets passed it is plain sailing.
TBH I don't understand why you are trying to muddy the waters in what is a rather clear problem. Unless you are trying to shift blame of course.