I think your analysis is probably pretty close Saddened. I think the only way the current problems can be resolved, is if the RFL's push to get strong youth development going at all clubs gets results. There is plenty of amateur RL being played now, particularly in the South, so there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to get more quality players coming through.

Just as an aside. Saints have always had a very strong youth / academy set up. Why are you currently struggling to get quality youngsters through to the 1st team ?

WO I didnt take the Saddened's response as being confrontational
either and agreed with a lot of its content.

However, for accuracy, I didn't say we were the best team last season in my post, but, said something along the lines of to be fair a few of our opponents recognised the fact that we were. Perhaps my use of the word 'fact' set this semantic trail off?

I understand that just because I thought we were the best team last year, which I did, doesnt make it a fact.

I'm proud to admit that I am a Warrington supporter without fear of ridicule............. therefore I'm happy. Simple!

You are right, we will all blame you !



On a more serious note, I don't think there are any quick fixes for the current problems.

League system; Would result in massive scores as Saddened said. Plus low attendances for clubs that had no chance of winning league and no longer qualify for play offs.

Current play off system; results in better teams resting players and low intensity
matches.

Smaller league; Probably not acceptable to Sky as not enough matches.

Could the sky money not be divided by the clubs as much with big incentive prize money, the higher up the league the more money you make?

That is a clever idea. Some sort of money incentive could work and would help the club to buy better players or push more money into their youth development.

surely the higher up the league you finish is relative to the % prize money you get already??

Although I've not thought it through, does the culture of a win bonus exist anymore and could this be applied in some way? Everyone gets a basic cut to cover operating costs and there is some performance related element.

As far as enjoyment on a match by match basis goes, I enjoyed most games last season, particularly the second half, more so than the first half of this. However, the novelty of walloping teams would soon wear off (with some notable exceptions) and I would suggest that one sided games aren't good in the long term, or for the league as a whole.

Best regular game for me this year at home, Catalans. If I could watch that level most weeks I would be happy

Yes, best game for me too. Even if we had lost, it stood head and shoulders above most of the games we played. I have been thinking about going to the Cas match, and at the moment I am still dithering. I suspect there will be about 5 changes after listening to the TS interview and if we lose our play makers and field players that are not yet match fit, it could be a less than rewarding game.
What may swing it for me is the chance to watch the U20's beforehand.

Reduce the number to 10 then use the extra weeks to plug another RFL idea, be it more internationals or an improved WCC, so that any reduction in league games is replaced with something that pleases the money men.

Would Sky pay for, would there be an appetite for, an RL version of the Champions League? Top four from ours and the Aussie League, played alernative year's about northern and southern hemisphere?

If there was enough money/prestiege our antipodean friends would be tempted wouldn't they? Mind you, we can't agree a format for our own play off's so perhaps not a great idea.

A knockout cup played with the NRL and spread over a single 4 week period ?

Reduce to 10 teams, play each other home and away plus a third fixture at 9 'on the road' grounds chosen strategically where potential new clubs may be developed, to give a total of 27 games with plenty of exposure across non league areas.

Rock n roll

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_bonus_points_systemshould we adopt the system our less interesting, less of a gene pool cousins play?[/url

Whilst I am very happy with our position at this point of the season, I am far from happy with the season as a whole. I appreciate that it's a means to an end and I won't be complaining if Mozz/Briers is leading the guys at at Old Trafford, but after last years performances this year doesn't feel the same.

As for changing/improving the structure of the league how about a 12 team league playing eachother home and away (22 games) then split the league into a top six and bottom six. The six teams in each half of the table keep their points and are guarenteed to finish no lower than 6th/higher then 7th (depending which half of the league they're in) and then play the other 5 teams in their half home and away (10 more games). Do away with the stupid extra fixture and almost as stupid knockout end to the season and crown the league leaders after 32 games as champions.

Sky get their big ending to the season as for the last ten weeks of the season the top six play eachother every week. The international game may benefit as for ten weeks at the end of the season almost every game involving top teams (so probably most of the top players) is of a very high intensity (which is what we need isn't it). I appreciate that the bottom six clubs are left with nothing to play for other than avoiding the 'spoon', but there are already one or two fixtures like that every weekend anyway.

Wire are not SL Champions but any fair-minded observer would accept that they were the best team in 2011, just as Wigan have been the best team throughout 2012 so far.

The fact that some cynics are talking about weekly rounds as 'friendlies' is nothing to do with the current state of SL. The freak fact of Leeds winning from fifth has confused some people. In my view, the fact that they managed that justifies the play-off concept, as it proves that it is possible ( however difficult ) to become SL Champs without finishing in the top two. ( I do think that a top five system would be better, though ). You refer to the consequences of returning to a first-past-the-post system: you don't even need to [iimagine [/iit. Before SL we had that system, and the fact is that hardly anyone cared about the league. All the money, all the media, all the glamour, all the fame, all the attention, was in winning the Challenge Cup, so you could argue that the league was even more a series of 'friendlies' back then.

Neither is SL currently as 'appalling' as you claim. Saints are not as strong as they were, but Wire are strong for the first time in twenty five years, Wigan for the first time in ten years. The gap between Saints and Wire back in the day was as wide as that between Wire and Widnes now. A reshuffle at the top does not indicate an overall decline. I think a return to twelve teams would be an improvement, but that's not to knock what's going on right now.

What finally gets me is this: to have a thriving sport you have to have week-by-week matches, and the only realistic way to do this is through a league. Those who say the weekly rounds are a waste of time are simply not true rugby fans. What fan wants a season that lasts twelve weeks ( first five for the Challenge Cup, last seven for SL Championship play-offs) ? I like watching rugby league and, much as I passionately want it to continuously improve, there would be a big hole in my life if I couldn't watch my club, and all the others, live and on TV for eight months of the year.

I like it!! Sounds like a good idea for the top of the league.
The bottom half need to have some incentives, maybe something like a better pick of the top youth at other clubs for next the year akin to the dual reg we have now but in SL?

Just a thought

Simple thing to change - go with 12 team playing each other twice. 22 games

5 Teams in the play off's - like the old system

England v Exiles - three game series on stand alone weekends - or a couple of mid season tests against Aus/NZ - in Aus.

You'd with any luck get the intensity back and make a bit of space for the international game.

That's what i'd go with.

I'd do the same but I'd only play 1 Exiles game until it's a bit more established. If they do want more than 1, then it has to be 3 and it has to be on standalone weekends. The last one was a farce, Matty Smith being allowed to take part was the final straw for me.

For the last three years we've been watching the best Warrington team in my lifetime with potential for this current era to develop into the most successful in our club's entire history.

I'm happy.

Yeah, this sums it up for me. Apart from a background paranoia that I'm somehow dreaming or making it all up, I'm pretty happy with the way things are going, and even if we think we could be playing better (like last season) we're still right up there competing for every trophy.

Where did all this talk of how the competition isn't good enough come from? I'm sure it wasn't long ago we were talking about how great it was that you couldn't be sure about winning any game, and that still seems to be the case this season - have the tables turned now that we are at the top and expected to win every time?

This.

Some of the moaning in this thread appears to be disgruntlement that other teams are worse than us. Well, when other teams were much better than us, I'm sure they treated us with a fair amount of disdain too. It doesn't mean the league is worse than it was before.

You are correct.

they tried that in 1997 - it cost me a fortune and wasn't very successfull

the only comp that should be revitalised should be the charity shield, CC winners v Superleague winners (supreme champions!), pre season. oh and the regal trophy and if the clubs think its too much for the players put your u20's out, however make a massive prize (money wise) and i'm sure they'd put the best team out!
gives teams more to play for

Agree with this 100%. We've managed to get our house in order with a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Before fans from other clubs start shouting about the Moran money, we already had things well on the way financially before Simon became involved. Fans of Saints and the Bulls need to realise that not everyone can always stay at the top.