SWINTON LIONS head coach Anthony Murray has admitted he would be a fan of an ‘affiliate’ system that would see Championship clubs partner with Super League sides from 2027.

Much like the ‘feeder’ system in the NRL with a highly-competitive reserves grade, plans have been tabled for something similar to that in the northern hemisphere from next season, according to Love Rugby League.

Affiliate teams would get access to Super League players not playing in the top flight on a near-weekly basis, with the top-flight reserves system likely to be scrapped.

And Murray would be a fan of such an agreement

“I’m definitely a fan of it. I think what I’d be in favour of is when a club has an officiation with one particular club,” Murray told Rugby League World.

“We used to have dual-registration so we would have a partner club and I’ve done it myself in the past with North Wales Crusaders.

“We had dual-registration agreements with Widnes Vikings, Salford Red Devils and Warrington Wolves.

“I think it can really help because when I was at North Wales, we didn’t have anywhere to train.

“The agreement not only gave me players but it gave me facilities. It gave me a gym, a wrestle area and a field to train on and I could utilise players from those three clubs when they needed game time.

“I think it does work a lot better that way when they have an officiation and players go back and forward with one club.

“You get consistency from one player coming into your team as well because they feel part of the club they continue to go on loan to.

“I’m definitely in favour of such a system.”

Read the full interview in Rugby League World’s June 2026 issue, out now.