I'll have a pint of whatever you had last night.



Quite simply the best/most bonkers thread I've ever seen.



I can't decide if you're clinically insane or have merely been at the magic mushrooms

.

In answer to the original question: "Should We Have The Play Offs In July/August?", my answer is yes, the SL Play Offs should be held in August/early September. How could it be done?



3 weeks of play offs involving 8 teams (on a straight knockout basis) could be held there as the conclusion to a shortened SL regular season comprising 19/20 rounds - where SL clubs play all the others once, and half the clubs a second time. English SL clubs could make up the necessary fixtures by taking part in the Northern Rail Cup (expanded to 32 clubs), without their test players. Catalans, Toulouse and Celtic could form a similar competition with French clubs. This could allow for an expanded test program from which the test team could prepare well enough seriously challenge the Kangaroos and Kiwis.

That would give each club only 10 home games apiece, resulting in a sizeable drop in revenue. There is also the matter of the Sky Tv contract. This would also take us back to the uneven fixture list which we've only just managed to get rid of.

moving rounds 4,5 & 1/4s of the challenge cup to midweek which will free up 3 weeks..





then schedule ESL so the last round of super league is the week before the challenge cup final,then after the challenge cup final the SL play offs start

[url=http://viewtopic.php?t=399317&start=60the scary thing is Leeds have invited him to share his ideas of "improving" things![/url

Damo = Nigel Wood.

This suggestion would be quite feasible if we start the next season before the last one has finished.



I don't know why everyone's on Damo's case!

This is probably the daftest thing I've ever red on RL Fans







[iThis[/i is the most frightening,

that is actually feasible....you could play the previous years play offs in the following July/August, not the current years play offs. We play the WCC the following year, so why not end the regular season then too.

What's leaving me slightly stunned is that some people are starting a debate about this pile of ****

I personally think it's a fine idea.



The % chance of precipitation in those months is lower than in wet and windy October, therefore the chances of Saints winning would increase almost exponentionally.

It's obviously a quiet day at work...everywhere!

I just love how serious people take Damo. That in my book makes him the clever one and the rest of you who replied the stoooopid ones

with you replying does that put you in the stooooopid group?

No because im not replying to Damo. Im just posting on it





Plus I told everyone on page 2 that he was having a laugh and here we are, a few pages later

but i think the majority on here have used it to cheer themselves up and take their minds of work

Each club could still have 13 home games, the same as now, they would merely be restructured. In:

* SL - 10 home games

* Northern Rail Cup - 3 home games (assuming a structure of 8 pools of 4 clubs).



This format could be negotiated for the new contract, and while there might be a reduction in the value for SL's deal, increases in the value of the NRC and a significantly expanded test program would make up for the shortfall.



With respect to an uneven fixture list, if by that you mean that clubs would not play all teams at "home and away" - well the fact is that there is no perfect fixture list, but allowing the expansion of the international game will help all levels of the game. Consider 1) that the NRL has not run on a H&A basis for nearly almost the past 30 years 2) Many current and former NRL players, coaches and administrators have said that even the current club fixture list is excessive.

Its one possible solution, but it would be preferable to not schedule any midweek games, which reduce preparation and recovery for the players, and are less convenient for the fans.



IMO Rounds 4 & 5 could be moved to mid February and beginning of March respectively, on the bye weekends of the Union Six Nations, where they used to be. Rounds 1 to 3 could be moved to weekends in November, December and January. This would mean they would make a smaller impact on SL, yet it would not clash with other BBC events.



However, the Cup Quarters, Semis and Final could be retained on weekends in June, July and August to placate the BBC. These are the rounds where the Cup gets serious and heats up anyway.

Sorry folks, we let him out on day release and he absconded.

But enough about the Observer, what about Damo?



Michael.

Just realised what was meant.



Note to self.... engage brain 1st

It's a notable idea, reducing the SL fixture list to accommodate another competition (albeit lesser) as well as an expanded international programme. However, what you have failed to mention is where the knock-out stages come in to all of this? That's three more fixtures on the list. Unless they schedule them mid-week, they'd have to expand the fixture list still.

Let's rename the JJB the David Whelan Stadium

What a e meaningless post.

The NRC Quarter, Semi finals and Final could run over three straight weeks until the first week of October. Players involved in the Cup would still get a 3 month off-season, and start in February next year, which is reasonable. England/GB test players would hopefully get close to 3 months offseason and start playing again in late Feb-early March.