Obviously, we won't always be this tight, and sometimes you will have 1 team running away with it at this point, but overall the competition this year has been good and several plot-lines have developed. There's 10 points between First and Eighth, and only 5 between second bottom and Eighth, and only one team is out of the race for the Top 8, Wakefield, who have already played Leigh, the top team in the Championship, and played out a competitive game in the Challenge Cup.

The Top 8 has been competitive which has been drawn up between the Top 3 and the next 6, then a few teams battling from then on to make the eight. The Marquee Signing rule has some 'interesting' connotations and it'll be at least intriguing to see how clubs respond to it.

Magic Weekend was also a success, although the drop in the crowd on the second day was less of a success but scheduling could improve this in the future. Attendances on the whole have been initially impressive, but some clubs, like Huddersfield and Salford, have disappointed this season and I think both clubs will admit that.

Going forward, seeing how competitive the Super 8's stage (including the Qualifiers and the Europa League of the piece, the Championship Shield) play out and whether they have some bite about the fixtures and aren't entirely predictable. Also, the crowds in the Play-offs, Million Pound Game and the Championship Shield play-offs and final (for which a venue is still to be confirmed).

Wigan's game in London will be particularly interesting to see how it's helped awareness across the country, as will the Test Series at the end of the season.

What's everyone else's ratings for the structure so far?

#RLNewEra Rating So Far: B+

Good Points:
Impedes given to Championship Clubs to improve, attendances, on the face of it are encouraging.

Improvements to be made:
Magic Weekend Second Day
Marketing mid-season and building up of big games by clubs
Attendances from some of the clubs

The top 8-10 was just as competitive and closely fought last year. So I can't say it's changed anything there.

The implementation of relegation has done nothing to stop falling crowds for the bottom clubs.

Only thing I'm worried about is the middle 8s as to me it sounds farcical to play a league of pro vs semi pro teams. Luckily this year Wakefield's implosion might make it a little competitive for the last place in SL. And the fact that Bradford also found themselves in the lower league add more intrest this year but I can see the novelty wearing off in the years going forward.

This is true, but going forward perhaps some osmosis of clubs yo-yoing could great a bit of interest?

I've actually watched less rugby this year due to a couple of reasons, but I think the season's been superb. Plenty of games that I've called wrong, some great tries and, mainly due to Leigh's cup run, I'm really looking forward to the middle 8 playoff in addition to the top 8.

I still think the playoff for the SL trophy should be 5 or 6 teams, to make it a bit harder to qualify, but with league point counting, perhaps I'll feel a bit more vindicated when I se how it plays out.

A vast improvement, I've been far more engaged in RL this year.

The continual stagnation/decline of crowds is a concern though.

RFL should be commended for the RLNewEra campaign on Social Media, and therein lies the future. We should be much more interactive with floating supporters and keep in touch and keep people up to date. The Super League Youtube site is tremendous, but potentially could it be viable to have a few games, live, of League One? Just to make a bit of hype, that's all. With Internet Streaming, I've been able to watch USA vs Jamaica, Serbia vs Russia and a few others and these would never be seen or heard of w/o it, it mustn't be too expensive or they wouldn't be able to, so why can't the RFL?

As poor as was to be expected, mitigated by the drop to 12.

Some teams have given up, others have just been pants, we have seen clubs picking and choosing the games to be 'up' for, and the expected increase in overseas players as clubs panic.

Attendances already at a low point have fallen further and we are left seeing Bradfords precipitously falling attendances being spun as growth by moving them from one data set to another.

Which "teams" have given up? At the moment we have one team that has given up in the 8. Everyone else is still in the hunt.

What do you expect from Smokey ZH. Nothing about Leighs crowds being 50%+ up yet. The only team picking and choosing, in fact just choosing really is Wakey. Salford in 11th are still talking up reaching the top 8. The way things are looking in SL mean there could still be a surprise team in the bottom 4. OK Leigh and Bradford are nailed on for top 4, even Sheffield, but you still have 4 teams fighting for that 4th spot at the moment. Well done on the New Era

wakefield have given up. Salford are all about next year now. Hull kr have been picking their games

Good God smokey you never change do you,Salford have given up and looking to next year? Were will that be ,in the league below? You seem to think the middle 8 will be a breeze for the bottom 4 can't see your logic,pish poor teams who rely one or two players to get them out of trouble,Widnes rely on brown Salford chase hull KR campesse wakey awful think Leigh will be 3rd and Bradford will play Salford in the playoff match,been a great season,let's hope we keep this format, it gives clubs a clear path

It also seems as we have shut the door for expansion now that it has dropped down to 12

How as the door been shut on expansion? It's clear and easy start in champ 1 get promotion build your fan club and develop your players move through the leagues and 3 years later your in and earned it,,,,,simples ,how clearer do you want it

Not a fan of the new concept, never was when it was first muted and won't be still

It favours clubs like leeds, wigan, saints who knew that with the exception of the odd gatecrasher every year they will be competing for old Trafford for the next few years

Hetherington leneghan and mcmanus aren't daft.

The league maybe tight this year but once the marquee rule kicks in next season I doubt it will be. The top 5 or 6 will break away

As for the championship dreamers, well they were just turkeys voting for Christmas, if they really wanted to be in the should gave pushed for 1 up 1 down

No doubt many will disagree but that is my thought

So clear and easy that in the history of our game no one has done such a thing.

Hasn't happened in the 20+ years I have been watching RL that non traditional club has reached SL that way. And won't happen for another 20 years.

But I agree that clubs that don't have a RL tradition shouldn't be just dropped in it like Crusaders and the slow sustained growth should be the go to model.

But we should be looking to support clubs like Toulouse and Avignon etc .. who are in a relatively strong RL area to grow the game beyond the Yorks and Lancs borders

Do you always talk Shiite? Yes, we really targeted Sts and Wigan as games we should take the points from. Idiot.

Don't think any of said above clubs rely on one player we didn't have campese on Sunday and won easily and if you think Leigh will be third your delusional no championship team will make SL they will all take some hammerings in the middle 8s

I think it's been a big success, right now my team are sat 8th, a good run may see us with an outside chance of 4th, but a bad run could see us playing Championship sides, we really are on a knife edge and that's far more exciting than just plodding along. Yes Wakefield and Salford have drifted away but that's not unusual in their SL history! And for Salford the issue has been more discipline and injuries than having a bad team as such.

Yes crowds have been lacklustre, but this new era was always going to take time to bed in and there have been some bright spots (getting a record Magic Crowd despite having 2 teams less for example) I hope teams who finish in the top8 actually go out and market the games, sell mini-season tickets for the 3/4 home games to get the pay on the day and casual fans in. It's a big opportunity to make the games a big occasion.

wouldn't mind seeing some stats on the number of blowout scores in recent seasons, say over 35 points difference between the sides in a game. have a gut feeling without admittedly hard evidence that these are on the decrease

Are you having a laugh? My team (Wakefield) have been on the receiving end of blowout scores in all but 7 games in all competitions (although the Leigh match felt like a blowout score). Hull KR, Salford, Hull FC and Wigan IIRC have also suffered blowout scores.
Last year London were thrashed all season, the two seasons before that it was Widnes. If anything they are increasing, and they will continue to do so IMO, because Wakefield won't be the only team to give up before the middle 8s and proving the mantra "every minute matters" is a load of bollox.

Best season since 2008.

2009 saw the introduction of 14 clubs and the top 8. Dreadful move.

Nothing delusional about a Championship team getting promoted to SL at all.
Bradford or Leigh will do it, with only the details of how to be set in stone.

Wakefield will be relegated & might even be stripped of SL status regardless if they can't sort out the ground fiasco, I wouldn't wish it on any club though after our torrid time with finances very fresh in the mind.

Salford I predict to come good & move up the table yet may still feature in the middle 8's, can't see them getting relegated despite the CC defeat to Centurions.
The other 2 SL teams to be involved in the Middle 8's will be interesting & I for one couldn't call which teams they will be.

As for attendances, I believe there will be an upward spike come the 8's with the Championship v SL recording some record attendances at some grounds & great atmospheres too.

The usual protagonists will sit at the top table yet again in SL.

It's a shame for all the Championship clubs that the RFL had to meddle with the Middle 8's at the eighth hour, presumably in a state of panic that 2 could go up & 2 down, yet again they seem determined to preserve the status quo.

I'm a Wakefield fan, it's nailed on that we will be in the relegation battle at the end of round 23.
I like the new format, it gives teams in 2 divisions something to play for.
Believe me, it is soul destroying for those teams who are near the bottom of the league at the half way mark of the season. The remaining games are dead rubbers, no chance of getting into the top 8 and it doesn't matter if you come bottom or not. You just can't wait for the season to finish.
Not so with the new system, the end games will actually mean something-especially for the championship sides.
The middle 8 games will be competitive and will have far greater appeal than previous years nothing to play for games.

Forgetting London and Bradford, the Bottom 6 now contains 6 of the same teams across the same positions at the end of last year.
I can't be bothered to look too hard, but I doubt attendances at any of those clubs is up much on last year.
The same top teams will compete in the GF and it's highly unlikely the engraver will need to add a new name to the trophy.

Does anyone recall how many FULL HOUSES were promised at the start of the year?