I actually like the concept of the Magic weekend, however I do think the RFL needs to concentrate more efforts into making their show piece events which are screened on terrestrial TV more of an attraction. Timing and venues of the CC semi finals are a concern and the masses of empty seats at Wembley hardly shout out "premium event".

I like most of this, you've got some good ideas. I would say keep magic though however I don't see why it cant just be one of the 26 rounds instead of an extra one like now.

Also I would say top 6 play-offs as opposed to top 8 cos I don't like the idea of a team from 8th winning the league. 6 team play-offs would be a case of top 2 going to semis and other 4 playing for the other 2 semi spots.

You're right about Wembley. I would have gone last year but I just came back from holiday the week before. If it was a couple of weeks later I would have gone. Cos when you think it is around time when a lot of families are going on holiday.

But as I say, good ideas!

Its a pity this guy wasnt around when the last TV renewal contract was negotiated

Negotiated, I think we just pulled our trousers up and said thank you, like the Stobart deal

He was.

Id support going back to a 14 team league with 2 up 2 down, as the current format is confusing to outsiders and the super8 crowds have hardly set the world alight. We need less gimmics but I wouldent support going back to franchising as promotion and relegation has already boosted the Championship which was dying with no promotion on offer.

The game also needs more terrestrial TV coverage and surely even SKY must realise the game needs a boost. Getting even just a handful of games on the BBC would boost interest. I'd keep the Magic Weekend but maybe make teams forfeit a home game for it (on a rota) instead of it being an extra game.

On the expansion front im in favour of the new 'start from league1' format used with Tolouse and Toronto we've had our fogers burnt too many times before with fast tracking teams in to SL.

Where does the SKY money come from for these extra 2 teams? Do the RFL foot the bill or do the SL clubs have a smaller slice of the cake at a time when they will be able to spend more? Realistically, only leeds, wire and wigan can afford significantly more spend with maybe hudds and salford's owner's footing the bill if they decide to spend more. It just sounds like reverting back to the start of SL when the biggest spenders dominated

How about having 1st round of top 8's at magic ,then it doesn't matter home draw etc and as long as you know your in the 8's you know where your going to be playing but not who until the league positions are finalised

Not a bad idea that, plus it solves the home/away imbalance in the fixtures.

That could work, but hotels would make a fortune at short notice booking, transport would be an issue for some who don't drive.

Great idea but what about the final round rather than the 1st to give more notice and the shield could be presented at the event also

... I'm sure you wouldn't be saying that if our last home game of the season was in Newcastle, with 2 points needed to come top.
It's supposed to be a spectator sport, not everyone wants to travel 250 miles to watch a home match.

I'd scrap magic weekend, if nothing else it gives some teams an advantage by playing weaker teams 3 times.

The first weekend is set in stone though date wise, so the weekend could be planned as per now with travel and accommodation. The only thing you wouldn't know is the opposition.

True, but you wouldn't know which day. But it's a good idea if it can be worked out. Got to be worth a try

Teams would also know what sort of result they needed - in the last match they would already be aware of all the results of their rivals.

It sounds more like the sort of solution the RFL will come up with.

Knowing the RFL it will be scissors,paper stone on radio Shetland as a replacement!

Maybe Shetland RLFC is on the horizon.....

I like the idea BUT it won't happen at a football ground. No team would allow seven RL games play on the pitch at the start of their season. Cardiff or Murrayfield may be an option though.
Anybody fancy Dublin?

True, I forget about that as I go for the weekend regardless





Noooo, far too expensive imo...Cardiff could be a goer

I'd prefer a return to 14 teams.
I wouldn't like a return to licensing.

I'd like to see a continuation in some form of "The Qualifiers" but not in a Middle 8s form. A playoff series between the bottom SL and top Championship clubs for 1-3 SL spots. If you have a Championship GF for one guaranteed spot, you could also keep the MPG for a guaranteed relegation battle. Win-win with two big events.

Top 7 playoff (League leaders get a bye to the semis).

I'd like to see Magic Weekend become the 6th round of the Challenge Cup (the round the top 8 SL clubs enter). Combined, these 8 games only got any 28k last year. That's less than half of what Magic Weekend gets. Would sort out the Magic Weekend and help the Challenge Cup too.

I'd imagine that Magic Weekend is in the Sky contract, and if a small club is in the draw they'll want the full benefit of home advantage, surely?

The contract would need renegotiating obviously (or you'd have to wait until the next TV deal comes up).

What's the full benefit of being at home? The crowd won't be one of them as the Cup draws terrible crowds. And that's only thinking about the 50-50 chance they'll have of getting a home draw anyways.

14 teams would be ideal, but

do we have the player pool for 14 super league teams? i dont think so

i like the idea of 1-3 in championship playing off against the bottom placed superleague team in a million pound style game, why not even have the teams 13th and 14th play off to decide who plays in the MPG

get rid of top 8, why reward average teams who lose more than they win, go back to top 6 with 1 and 2 getting 1st week off (top 8 only works in the NRL becasue any team in the play offs could win the GF)


keep magic as it is as an extra round of games, for now

Reported today that the clubs and RFL are at odds over the future structure. Clubs want an end to Super 8s format; RL chiefs in favour of licensing again - "A new structure enabling teams to win promotion, which could benefit the likes of Toulouse and Toronto will be voted on in June with big changes implemented in 2019". Interesting, get the feeling the game's at a real crossroads currently.

I like Wellsy13's ideas.

My preference would be for relegation in some way, ditching the grand final by reinstating the team that gets the most points as champions and replacing the GF play offs with an eight team competition like the Premiership final. This way in my opinion, the plaudits go to the team that played the best all season and the teams in lower positions still get the chance to play for knock out silverware at the end if the season. And there's three pieces of silver up for grabs. Access to the Premiership being the reward for an old play off position finish.

I still think it's wrong that a team can scrape into a play off position and with results going their way win a grand final. I know there's no precedent for a side lower than fifth (??) making the GF but that doesn't make right, it's theoretically possible.