Listening to people in the know yesterday and they reckon it will be 2 divisions, east and west conference ( ring any bells old timers ?)
and the best bit is London are going east !
that would be fantastic for us -
we would play
whitehaven
workington
barrow
rochdale
oldham
swinton
salford
N / S crusaders
plus 1 - Halifax ?
thoughts
If London dont go up they will be in a mess. They will have to carry on paying the players on 2 year deals. With the new cap coming in, if they dont go up this year they never will.
Bradford finishing bottom doesnt help them as they are protected. Thats why hearing rumours of them going up with zero funding as the current clubs wont share the shrinking TV pot x15 as they are skint.
If they can only go up with zero funding, will the Aussies walk away?
There is also strong rumours of championship teams playing all the teams once, then 5 teams twice, or 4 if Fev get reinstated.
I think that would be fairer, as you would have to play every team at least once, unlike the East West version.
It’s Midlands who are the other team in the West conference. Another terrible idea.
The sooner we get back to Championship/Champ 1, with an extended 1895 cup to increase the number of fixtures- the better.
London are not 'nailed on' for SL as the SL Clubs met last week and have decided that SL would not be expanding to 15 teams. So any promotion of London and relegation of a present Club would be via the IMG criteria.
Paulie xx
Oldham are being sued by a dance company for £200,000 for cancelling an events.
If they’re successful, Oldham would have to sell or let some players go, as I don’t think the new owners have as much money as Bill Quinn had.
@pauliewalnuts Thats until the Aussies that own London have a word with the NRL that are buying SL and they add it into the T's and C's of the takeover.
A bit like Bradford going up last season from 3rd place in the league with full funding, while York and Toulouse who finished 1st and 2nd and with stadiums fit for purpose had to make do with half, yet still finished above them.
As the saying goes, its not what you know, its who you know.
@pauliewalnuts Thats until the Aussies that own London have a word with the NRL that are buying SL and they add it into the T's and C's of the takeover.
A bit like Bradford going up last season from 3rd place in the league with full funding, while York and Toulouse who finished 1st and 2nd and with stadiums fit for purpose had to make do with half, yet still finished above them.
As the saying goes, its not what you know, its who you know.
NRL are buying SL?
That remains to be seen if all members of SL want that.
Some 'owners' will need wild horses to pull them into NRL ownership.
Paulie xx
From Matt Shaw on "X". Article is behind a paywall so I've not read it all, it will all come out soon enough....
Championship clubs have received proposals featuring new potential league structure models for next season.
Love Rugby League has received a document sent to clubs and has chosen to publish it as it details how the tier below Super League could look next season.
The formats are based on a 20-team Championship, one-team fewer than this year’s 21-team format, and is based on two conferences of 10.
The key difference between the two proposals is the 1895 Cup. One format is based on it remaining next year, while the other is not.
If it switches hack to two leagues it needs to be on ability not geography.
As for the 1895 Cup I think it needs to be kept going. It gives fans the chance of seeing their team lift a trophy and players a chance of winning a medal.
The Challenge Cup might as well just be a SL competition with the way it is structured. Just have the 14/15 SL sides and add in the winner/finalists from the 1895 cup from the previous year.
If it switches hack to two leagues it needs to be on ability not geography.
As for the 1895 Cup I think it needs to be kept going. It gives fans the chance of seeing their team lift a trophy and players a chance of winning a medal.
The Challenge Cup might as well just be a SL competition with the way it is structured. Just have the 14/15 SL sides and add in the winner/finalists from the 1895 cup from the previous year.
There have been some good games in CC v SL clubs for Widnes...eg Warrington ...came very close to beating them and Leeds was good ......the Championship v SL round has been good.
I have no faith whatsoever in anything that the RFL come up with. My guess is that they would not care if the game disappeared below SL, replaced with a SL Reserves league.
Why can't they just have two Championship leagues each of 10 teams, with each team playing each other home and away; and promotion and relegation between the leagues.
I guess that Featherstone will be back in the Championship in 2027, with a question mark over the future of NW Crusaders (and probably a few others too). I am convinced that London have been guaranteed promotion. The RFL are probably desperately thinking of a way around having to probably face a legal challenge from the London owners or accept that the London will fail yet again with no point in them remaining in the Championship.
Having announced it, the RFL should use the IMG gradings to determine the 14 teams in SL 2027, irrespective of whether it is London or Bradford or whoever misses out in the gradings.
Whilst the 1895 Cup was a joke this year, with poor organisation and planning by the RFL and no sponsorship or benefit for IMG gradings, it should be retained with proper organisation and planning. If only based on its history, the involvement of Championship and amateur clubs in the Challenge Cup, should continue. It would be an historic first to see York v York reserves in the final in 2027!!!
I have no faith whatsoever in anything that the RFL come up with. My guess is that they would not care if the game disappeared below SL, replaced with a SL Reserves league.
Why can't they just have two Championship leagues each of 10 teams, with each team playing each other home and away; and promotion and relegation between the leagues.
I guess that Featherstone will be back in the Championship in 2027, with a question mark over the future of NW Crusaders (and probably a few others too). I am convinced that London have been guaranteed promotion. The RFL are probably desperately thinking of a way around having to probably face a legal challenge from the London owners or accept that the London will fail yet again with no point in them remaining in the Championship.
Having announced it, the RFL should use the IMG gradings to determine the 14 teams in SL 2027, irrespective of whether it is London or Bradford or whoever misses out in the gradings.
Whilst the 1895 Cup was a joke this year, with poor organisation and planning by the RFL and no sponsorship or benefit for IMG gradings, it should be retained with proper organisation and planning. If only based on its history, the involvement of Championship and amateur clubs in the Challenge Cup, should continue. It would be an historic first to see York v York reserves in the final in 2027!!!
They may need to find somewhere to play...
I am convinced that London have been guaranteed promotion. The RFL are probably desperately thinking of a way around having to probably face a legal challenge from the London owners or accept that the London will fail yet again with no point in them remaining in the Championship.
Might have dreamed it but I'm sure that the Toulouse coach is threatening to quit RL altogether if they are removed from SL.
So, it might well be that's the avenue that SL want, Toulouse out London in. Which would be a travesty tbh on a couple of levels.
@pauliewalnuts Good point. What a mess the game is in.