Re-structure decision called off as clubs revolt
JAMES GORDON 08 Oct 2013

Rugby league is in turmoil after Super League clubs revolted against the RFL and forced the postponement of an EGM to announce details of the game's re-structure on Wednesday.

Led by Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan, the clubs are believed to be concerned that the plans for change would weaken the financial position of Super League clubs.

The EGM had been called to present the findings of the Policy Review, which has been ongoing for several months to help improve the game.

A big part of the review had been the proposals to change the structure of the game, with a new league consisting of two divisions of 12, which then splits in to three leagues of eight, and the re-introduction of automatic relegation and promotion included.

An RFL statement said: "A majority of Super League clubs have indicated an interest in further consultation on the detail of the proposals in order to reach the best solution.

"These discussions will continue to positively progress but all parties involved are unanimous in their belief that the key focus for rugby league at this moment is staging a successful Rugby League World Cup 2013 and this should be the focus of the sport."

Not cancelled - just postponed.

Don't panic.

So where do we go now ? a compromise will need to be reached so my prediction is that the 3 eights idea will be scrapped Super League will stay at 14 teams and bottom super league team will be replaced by Championship Grand Final winners

We'll have a vote later.

Can't see us sticking with 14 $uperleague clubs though.

I cant see the Super League teams voluntary to agree to reduce the number of games they play and hence reducing their income unless they agree to expand the playoffs which the RFL was proposing in the first place !!!

NRL has 16 teams, theyt play 24 games.

Having 12 teams doesn't mean you play 22 games.

If we broke away from that mindset, we'd have less trouble shoehorning a season into a year.

How do they choose who plays each other twice ?

Could this be a option for UK ?
2 teams promoted from the championship to have a 16 team superleague playing 25 games (24 + Magic Weekend) Playoffs for top 8 the bottom superleague team gets relegated and Championship Grand Final Winner Promoted

We don't have enough players, duggs. That's the main driver behind reducing the clubs to 12. Increasing it to 16 is the last thing we need.

Fair Enough I presume the RFL want to stop players leaving for the NRL but i cant see a reduction to 12 clubs spike a massive increase in playing standards or attendances to stop the tide

We share our meagre playing resources around fewer clubs. Bound to strengthen the remaining 12 clubs. It's the lesser players who'll end up in Div 2.

superleague simply can't run with 14 full time clubs the sport as a whole does not generate enough money to support it let alone anyone else trying to get in it. Griff is right about playing resources there is not enough to go around

It's all good and well the EGM being postponed but It needs sorting out sooner rather than later it's dragged on for far to long now and is becoming a complete and utter joke

Oh, I don't know. It's a big decision - I'd rather people gave it the thought it deserves. It's not happening next week - it's 15 months away - what's the rush ?

I think it would be more beneficial for the clubs to know what's happening going into the new season the more time they have to prepare for the new structure whatever it maybe the better especially superleague clubs who may or may not be fighting a relegation battle next year
I agree it is a big decision and deserves alot of thought but IMO that should have already happened over the months that it's been dragging on for

Maybe i'm being a bit unfair with my last point as it is the super league clubs who have stamped there feet and resulted in the EGM being postponed they could have voiced there concerns months ago

Thre's still four months to the start of next season - let alone the business end of it.

Clubs aren't going to be saying "Oh we can afford to lose this February game" are they ? If they do, I haven't got a lot of sympathy for them.

Are 2 teams definitely going to be relegated from super league next year? will it be the bottom 2 or another way of deciding? If it's still undecided you surely cannot go for example 5 games into the new season and then say to london, cas, wakey, and whoever else we have now decided the bottom 2 this season will be relegated.
Issues like that need to be sorted before the season starts

We need a decision by the start of the season at the latest, ideally by the end of this year, for the Championship clubs it does not really matter as there wont be any promotion but teams need to work out their player budgets especially the super league teams near the bottom. The likely scenario is that two superleague teams will be relegated with salford buying their way out of trouble it probably means that two from London Wakefield Castleford Widnes and possibly Bradford will be relegated. If a decision is not made by the start of the season and one of the those teams have a bad start to the season there could be court action

They've already decided that $uperleague will be reduced to twelve clubs.

Player recruitment has already started. Budgets have been set. If clubs are going to change their recruitment policy it's already too late.

It's not as big a problem as folk are making out.

It was confirmed and the new league structure was ready for rubber stamping but the superleague clubs have decided they don't like it as it stands we don't know what is happening, there is also the bottom end championship clubs who don't know whether 2 or 4 or even 5 will be relegated you can't start a sporting competition off not knowing what your playing for

It wouldn't be the first time.

It most likely won't be the last either haha

Yep we had a season a few years ago when we weren't sure how many teams were being relegated.

A sport that can't sort out it's leagues and how they run, is seen as a laughing stock. (Think Scottish Football and try not to laugh) They need to get this sorted once and for all.

We obviously have been thinking Scottish Soccer and have stolen their crazy ideas.

Didn't swiss football try the 2 leagues into 3 and it failed miserably?

Probably not a miserable failure - if it was, they wouldn't have stuck with it for 15 years.