With the rumour of Sky pushing for a Super League 1 and 2 from 2023 consisting 2 leagues of 10, could next season be the most important since the last major shake up in 1995? We are currently 10th in the Championship, putting us us in 22nd place on the league ladder. Next season we could do with a high placed finish in the Championship to ensure a place in the proposed Super League 2.
On a side note, although the sport is criticised for constant changes, I think 2 full time leagues would be better for the game. Giving 2 competitive leagues and the sides that get promoted a fighting chance. The problem being how can the TV money support 20 full time teams when they have just reduced the current TV deal as it is?
On Total RL it is being reported the SL clubs aren't keen on the proposals and therefore it is not likely to happen.
Means that there is less pressure in one sense, but let's face it few of us would be happy if we were not in the Top 6 next year anyway.
Surprise, surprise.The SL clubs don't fancy sharing the Sky money with another 2 clubs.
https://www.totalrl.com/super-league-clubs-likely-to-stick-with-current-competition-format/
Bet Featherstone are cursing!
Let us be honest though, if we were in say Wakefield's place, we wouldn't want to be sharing the money out further and having a real shout of being one of the 4 cut.
A four in fourteen chance of relegation or a one in twelve chance of relegation ? Not surprised they don't fancy it.Not just the Wakefields and Salfords either.Any club can have a poor season as Leeds and Wigan have found.
Bad news for Leigh as well. Effectively relegates them for (probs) Toulouse.
Featherstone are still in with a shout, it's just a one off game in the final.Anything can happen in 80 minutes.
Saying 14 teams next year, so you would presume Tolouse and Featherstone. But SL clubs have proven with Toronto and Leigh they are too greedy to share the money.
In 2023
SL1
Wigan, Saints, Warrington, Leeds, Catalans, Tolouse, Hull FC, Cas, Huddersfield, Salford.
SL2
Hull KR, Wakefield, Leigh, Featherstone, Widnes, London, Bradford, Halifax, Newcastle, York.
Championship
Batley, Dewsbury, Whitehaven, Oldham, Swinton, Sheffield, Barrow, Workington, Keighley, North Wales, Hunslet, Doncaster.
So, it now looks as though the likeliest scenario (though we all know the rules in this sport can be changed mid season at the drop of a hat!) is that next season we will be in a 14-team championship competing for one promotion slot which will likely be decided by a top six playoff again. It takes the jeopardy element which could have been in the mix for 2022 out of the equation but our minimum aim should be to make those play offs and hopefully mount a genuine challenge for promotion.
Saying 14 teams next year, so you would presume Tolouse and Featherstone. But SL clubs have proven with Toronto and Leigh they are too greedy to share the money. In 2023 SL1 Wigan, Saints, Warrington, Leeds, Catalans, Tolouse, Hull FC, Cas, Huddersfield, Salford. SL2 Hull KR, Wakefield, Leigh, Featherstone, Widnes, London, Bradford, Halifax, Newcastle, York. Championship Batley, Dewsbury, Whitehaven, Oldham, Swinton, Sheffield, Barrow, Workington, Keighley, North Wales, Hunslet, Doncaster.
Here we go, delusions of grandeur strikes again in WA8.
Binning off Batley & Dewsbury, 2 sides we haven't beaten this season or last. And Newcastle are rubbish, too. Why would they be dining at the SL2 table?
Paulie xx
So, it now looks as though the likeliest scenario (though we all know the rules in this sport can be changed mid season at the drop of a hat!) is that next season we will be in a 14-team championship competing for one promotion slot which will likely be decided by a top six playoff again. It takes the jeopardy element which could have been in the mix for 2022 out of the equation but our minimum aim should be to make those play offs and hopefully mount a genuine challenge for promotion.
Can't argue withat MT but the future of the game won't be decided by us and it looks like anyone outside the SL nose-troughers are considered dispensible.
At the moment the game can’t support 15 or 16 full time reams - how are they go8ng to manage to find the funds and players of a suitable standard for 20 full time teams.
If there is to be any hope of saving a future for the game it has to start with getting kids playing the game.
With the proposed, reduced Sky income, and remembering how the SL have treated Leigh, my bet is that greed will rule.
IMHO they’ll opt for sharing all the loot amongst the “SL 10” and everyone else will get bugger all.
It would have been better for us if they decided not to relegate Leigh, IMO.
I suppose it doesn't make a great deal of difference finishing top 7 in a 14 team league as opposed to top 5 in a 12 team one in terms of the teams who may or may not finish above us.
So the game is eventually being "expanded" by planning to get rid of 16 teams? Why is RFL being led by the nose by Sky, when the chances are the SL will be no more competitive and Sky are still likely to ditch the sport anyway? Will Sky be telling SL where there should be expansion - come back TWP/New York etc and goodbye Salford/Huddersfield//Wakefield/HKR and changing the rules to make it a more tv friendly sport? Does anyone really believe that on the back of a poor season, Sky would allow Wigan/St Helens/Leeds to be relegated in 2022?
Why is the "long-term" future of rugby league being determined by the "short-term" availability of Sky funding; and the greed of a few clubs to hoover up as much central funding as they can, at the expense of the majority of clubs.
I believe that the advent of SL and the culture of greed has seen a steady decline in the game of RL. The next step will determine if there is any future for the game; and any review of the structure needs to be led by people with an interest in the future of the game - and that should not be Sky. There are other tv broadcasters out there.