Agreed. I'd go for 10 teams, if it was 12 I think you'd have to look at the inclusion of another French side (which I'd argue it might be time for anyway).

If we have less clubs in SL what happens to expansion? Who’s chucked out? and as I've said before, the loss of matches, how is that made up? If we let Sky have a say it would mean more Derbies, and if you don’t have extra games and drop two clubs from the league, that’s four less matches. Not a happy prospect for me. If you fill the void with meaningless internationals and friendlies you just run the risk of injuries to more top players from the best sides, and as we know from this season the fans will hate that.

You didn't & I wasn't implying you did. But by contracting to 10 teams you'd have to concentrate on the so-called heartlands. Which means dropping everyone (& preventing anyone new joining from) outside the M62, plus two more.

Also, I'm still to be persuaded that a SL(1) and SL(2) structure would work as there aren't enough full-time teams. You'd have to recruit at least 8 more (assuming two leagues of 12) and there would have to be some cross-league games to make the season worthwhile: set the bottom 6 of SL(1) against the top 6 of SL(2) with the top of SL(1) aiming for Trafford Rangers' ground & the bottom of SL(2) scrapping to stay up (and buying in NRL pensioners).

We in RL are at a low point in the numbers that would be considered SL calibre players.
For 100 years until 1995/6 we had Union players coming into League by the dozen each year. That source dried up with pro Union.
We then brought over NRL players with a great exchange rate against the AUD$. They had 14 teams and competiton for places in the NRL was intense. Lucrative deals could be had here with all the tax breaks etc.
Now the £ has be devalued, tax breaks gone and the NRL has a 16 team league plus a massive tv deal that we can't compete with. That source has largely dried up. It's only 4 or 5 years ago that overseas players comprised almost 50% of the playing roster in SL.

SL clubs will to be challenged whether they can recruit, train and maintain a playing squad of SL calibre players over the next few years. As soon as the easy options are no longer available then they want to reduce the numbers playing in SL.
I'd stick with 16 and ask each club to provide details of their local plans to enlarge the number of schools playing RL in their area. What they are doing to train up coaches in the schools and how they will run the structure from schools to first team. We should from 8 club trained players in the 25 man squad to 8 players in the first 17 as soon as possible.
If or when they go to 10 or 12 clubs someone will be bottom, struggling for crowds, have difficulty with recruitment and have financial problems that come with being bottom of the League.
Stop complaining about a lack of talent and produce it!

hen

I agree.

Sod Promotion and Relegation it doesnt help anyone, if we want something from the past that was better than what we have got now pick one from the list below........

give everyone plastic pitches to allow the sport to go back to a winter sport. (dont play in sub zero temperatures though)
Allow signings of Top quality Aussies on short term deals when its their off season.
Reinstate the GB team and bring back Ashes Tours.
welcome back real boxing day and new years day fixtures.
play the Challenge cup final at the end of the season where it should be.