I’m a big fan of the Super 8’s format and I do believe we should stick with it. It’s different and it is exciting, though for the teams involved in the MPG it’s brutal. But isn’t that what sport is about? It’s part and parcel of sport.
That being said, now we are moving away from the Super 8’s I think we should do; - Bottom SL down, Top of Championship up - 2nd bottom SL plays 2nd Championship in MPG
That way you’re still sending the worst from SL down and the best from the Championship up.
Regarding the play offs I hope we don’t go back to the ridiculous 8 team play off format. It rewards rubbish teams! I hope we stick with Top 4 play offs where teams actually are rewarded for having a decent season.
looks like you and me have the same thoughts on how the system ought to work, at first when the 8s was brought in I thought it wouldn't work but it did help by keep mid season interesting now it will be become a bore again, if we are to return to a up and down I think we should make it two teams like you said as it would make the the bottom far interesting in the survival stake, I keep hearing ever season about players can't plan for the future mortgages and so on, well do know I've not had easy ride too so get on with it. coming from a supporter of a club that has spent most of its years at the bottom of the table it not much of a change to me, every season we know we aren't going to win any bright work and its always ends in a constant survival mode, its no wonder the crowds have dropped top 4 play off sounds about right, one down and another in a MPG again spices it up, how about protecting the clubs that get promoted for one season to stop the yo yo effect allowing them time to restructure to SL
No trees were harmed during the creation of this post. However, a number of electrons were mildly inconvenienced. . Saint94 wrote "Every team is in your feckin shadow....we all know." - Amen to that, brother . Saddened! wrote "We've got the worst backline in the competition, bar possibly London and Wakey. I'd swap our 1-7 with Salford in a heartbeat."
how about protecting the clubs that get promoted for one season to stop the yo yo effect allowing them time to restructure to SL
The problem with that is that you could end up with a top 8 cut-off again.
e.g. Leigh gain promotion and London win the MPG. They may very well finish up 11th and 12th the following season, but if both are to be protected for a season, then you have 10th being relegated and 9th in the MPG.
Can't see that working, but I'm not sure what you could do instead to avoid the bounce?
There are 2 options imo. Easier said than done but the sports objective should be to make the second tier fully professional, until this happens promotion and relegation won’t work as it should.
Otherwise (my preferred option) return to franchiseing but do it properly. If we have playoffs I don’t see why all teams have to play each other home & away. We could easily have a franchise system which allows in new clubs (providing they meet strict set criteria) without relegating existing clubs.
Either go back to a first past the post league with the CC as the season finale & promotion & relegation or adopt the Australian franchise system. Trying to find something in between that actually works is near impossible.
So Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Widnes, Salford, Hull, Hull KR, Huddersfield, Widnes, Catalans and Castleford all show their support for Robert Elstone (either through their website, social media or the press) and express optimism for the future.
Gary Hetherington's Leeds release a statement condemning the whole process. Go figure.
So Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Widnes, Salford, Hull, Hull KR, Huddersfield, Widnes, Catalans and Castleford all show their support for Robert Elstone (either through their website, social media or the press) and express optimism for the future.
Gary Hetherington's Leeds release a statement condemning the whole process. Go figure.
He really has lost it.
Does he seriously think that Leeds having a tantrum will send all these guys back to the drawing board?
It’s tough to know what would work but the priority has to be improving the fan experience. Bull mania was fabulous and at the time, the rugby matched the off field experience. Bradford played fast, hard rugby and it was great to watch. The whole game day experience made fans turn up and although they fell apart financially, that game day experience, within the salary cap rules is what we need.
Personally I think we play each other too many times due to the Super 8s format and it has watered down the rivalries. As I said earlier in this thread, this season we could end up playing Warrington 6 times so people are not bothered if they miss one because we’ll play them again in a few weeks anyway. There is no real anticipation and build up to those bigger fixtures.
I don’t have the answers and I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with. Somehow we need to generate a great game day experience at all clubs and in my view play each other less often.
I’d be open to paying a few extra quid for a much improved product.
Anyone live near a brewery that could organise a party for them?
And they wonder why nobody outside the M62 takes our sport seriously
The RFL just can’t help but meddle. Either the rules, format, league structure. Everything seems to change every few years and if it leaves us fans uninterested and confused what does it do for the casual sports fan?
They can’t just roll with something and stick with it.
Anyone live near a brewery that could organise a party for them?
And they wonder why nobody outside the M62 takes our sport seriously
The RFL just can’t help but meddle. Either the rules, format, league structure. Everything seems to change every few years and if it leaves us fans uninterested and confused what does it do for the casual sports fan?
They can’t just roll with something and stick with it.