With it becoming so important to make the top 8 wit this new system, and the potential massive damge if you don't, it would seem we cannot have a fixture list that does not give everyone equal opportunity in a home and away format. So what to do with Magic weekend? Most would agree that it is popular and been a success on a number of levels however for equity it is no longer fair to have teams playing one odd game. That one odd game could be the difference between top 8 or not, relegation or not and loss of significant money or not.

Given the NRL has introduced a major nines competition, the RLIF is seriously pushing for Nines to be a C'wealth event and long term goal should be nines in the Olympics is it time to change the Magic weekend to a major Nines competition?

Would fans support it?
would clubs release top players to play in it?
Coudl we get corporate backing to make the prize money worthwhile?
What venue could we use?

Good idea, but we can expect the RFL to f*ck it up and promote it half d. They won't even take on a Heritage Round and promote the a*se out of that idea.

Being from an RU background, I was more attracted to the NRL before SL. Not because theirs is a stronger comp, but more so because they know how run correctly manage and promote it that SL can dream of.....until the grow a pair and stop the passive crap of praising mediocrity like Nigel Wood tends to do.

Here is how they promote the Auckland 9's. All clubs in smart new contemporary kits. I believe these jerseys are selling by the truckload as well. If only SL/RFL had the balls to follow suit.

IMO no it shouldn't be a nines tournament.
It should be in the Challenge Cup at round 5 (last 16).
SL club will enter at rnd 5 from 2015 so Magic would be a good very good event to show off RL and the C Cup.

There already was a 9s tournament for a couple of years and no team took it seriously.
With the new system coming into place next season it is the perfect time to scrap the concept.
I agree with the previous comment about the heritage round, it would be a great thing to do.
The NRL also have a woman in rugby round with pink shirts/boots all get auctioned off at the end. good publicity etc and awareness

I like the sound of this myself, however there is a major stumbling block IMO and is TV contracts. At the end of the day TV money talks.

Would only work with a big sponsor and big prize money. I don't know why they don't already make Magic weekend a 'heritage' event.

The magic weekend should be the start of the 2nd phase of the league season now that there are an odd number of games to be played. It's the perfect place for it. As it is it's just unnecessary and no longer serves the purpose for which it was initially created (bringing RL to a new area).

That wasn't what it was created for.

The purpose of the Magic Weekend has lost it`s way and the format has become stale and boring.

The rejig of the league is supposedly to make sure that there is more to play for in each game to boost competition and bring the crowds in.....this being the case it should be extended to MW.

Based on league position 1 should play 2, 3 plays 4, 4 plays 5 etc etc at least that way fans will not be treated to the likes of Catalan v London, in the empty stadium graveyard slot every year......it`s just an easy 2 points for Catalan (and I say this as a long suffering London fan).....at least make sure every team is in with a chance to bring home the points and make them earn it.

Yes it was Tre, when it was in Cardiff it's aim was to bring new supporters to the sport. But its just become an event for the regular supporters, though it seems a few women looking for a good day out on the lash who possibly don't go to watch football(rugby) that often.

I enjoyed the article in this months forty twenty from the guy behind Gloucestershire All Golds arguing for this.

He wanted a nines tournament with the fastest runner contest as part of the weekend as well.

He offered £100,000 of his own money to promote it.

Only way it would be worth doing is having a big enough prize pot to make the clubs interested and worth risking injuries for. If not you'll just get squad players and no one caring about it

MW fixtures www.therhinos.co.uk/news/22224.php#.UuEi7RBFCUk

MW fixtures www.therhinos.co.uk/news/22224.php#.UuEi7RBFCUk

Personally, I think the Magic Weekend has improved over the past few years. I think the move to the Etihad was the right one and its one of the events I look forward to in the fixture list.

What's that? A rugby league fan looking forward to something about the sport? Burn the heritic!

I agree with this, but it is in danger of becoming stale if it doesn't have an actual purpose. 2012 was deemed a big success, but the attendance in 2013 didn't build on this, and this season isn't on a bank holiday and until there is actually a decent reason for the MW (other than a p*ssup for the fans in the sun (hopefully!)) I think interest will start to dwindle.

A 9's comp, if organised and promoted correctly, or the last 16 of the cup could work. Either of these would be better than an extra fixture IMO. And for 2015 onwards, it seems really stupid that they are not utilising the fact they would have a 29 game season if everyone played each other twice before the split and once after it to integrate the MW in to the regular fixture list, i.e. the first game after the split.

I suggest people read the article in Rugby League World this month with Lionel Hurst, the Uni of Gloucester All Golds President.

He mentions about the Nines in there - I believe - and how it was dropped from the calendar just as it was getting momentum.

Personally, I went to a few games and thought it was thoroughly enjoyable. I have always made a case for it as I think it would allow your players like Burrow, Robinson, Rangi Chase a real platform to showcase their silky skills, speed etc.

All it needs is 3 or 4 weekends per year. We need more big events and 20/20 undoubtedly reinvigorated cricket, 7's in union gets big crowds from cricket.

You need just one weekend you can include 32 teams in a straight knockout over a bank holiday weekend BUT, you need a cash incentive.
Without the incentive teams will plan this weekend for resting players or fitting in a quick operation.

Make it worth winning financially and teams will show up strong, make it worth winning and teams will actively welcome a 9's tournament.
Until then forget it.

If they keeping the magic weekend in the new structure the only feasible way to do it would be as the extra last round before the comp splits, and play it as 1v2 and so forth to add some weight to a few of the lower table fixtures. Otherwise it will be even more of a lame duck skewing the table than it is already.

9s ??? Pointless and the RL calendar is as full as it can be without silly gimmick comps.

Definite fan of the CC last 16 though, not exactly fair as it is as Catalan may as well start the league on +2 points

Why not make the CC just for Sl teams i mean if we are going to run it with 14 SL teams and 4 non Sl teams what is the point.

A ridiculous suggestion.

The nines would be good a idea with bit of money and a couple of invitational sides as well it would be a great idea.

The 9s is not a good idea it's a terrible one that's why it's been dropped before... we have a 30+ round league next season plus the CC the last thing we need is players getting injured/burnt out for a nothing silly gimmick com that nobody has any interest in other than a few dreamers on rlfans. either use the MM event for the first round after the split or the CC last 16.

I like the idea of having the MW as the first game after the split to even up the odd number of games so everybody plays 11 H+A before the split, 3 H+A after it + 1 neutral. But I think there are 2 sticking points with this: Would only the top tier have a MW or would everybody? You'd end up with only 4 games or you'd have to have 2 or 3 separate MWs. Also for it to be like this you'd be looking at the MW being mid-August as opposed to May. Would the Etihad be available that weekend? Is it too close to CCF? I think this is why the RFL have seemingly opted to keep the MW as an additional league fixture, which I'm not a massive fan of tbh.

I am a fan of the MW as a concept, and I've attended more than I've missed - but it really does need more of a purpose to keep the fans' interest. Have the RFL stated whether the 2nd tier will be having their own version of the MW, or will they play one game less prior to the split?

I also think the idea of using MW as the 1st fixture of the split.
It also gives fans a chance to save up for the play offs ( if your team is in it)

It does not matter which fixture of the split it is. So long as it's in those 7 games you can fit it around the August Bank Holiday.

Move the CC back to a start of season competition and compress the CC into a more easy to follow competition for FTA TV. Using a bank holiday in May for the final.

Easy.

I can't see the point of the Magic Weekend anymore it no longer does what it was intended for in expanding the game.
It looks as though Catalans and Leeds will near enough get a bye if Bradford and London financial problems transfer to the pitch.
On a positive note it does raise the London Average gate for the season.

Would sooner have it as an exciting 9's tournament, but would take a few seasons to get up and running as a worthwhile event.