The never-ending League Restructure debate (Many merged threads)

[ChrisRover]

So Toulouse will get in at the expense of traditional clubs like fev,halifax, sheff etc. 

Its a joke and a real shame that clubs spend money improveing there grounds and building foundations to get in super league and the powers that be have no intentions of letting them go up.

Makes me laugh that Toulouse think there going to get thousands of fans at every home game just because Catalan played a game there and they got 14,000 fans or whatever the number was. Was proved a couple of years ago that that was not the case in the championship.

 

About time the rugby league bit the bullet and brought back promotion and relegationso that every game played is as important at the bottom of  the league than it is at the top.

[Gav Wilson]

All the talk has been of one up and one down but if Toulouse come directly in to SL, then 3 clubs will be relegated to the Championship and FIVE current Championship teams will be relegated in to Championship 1 with no-one promoted. I can't see how that will be good for the Championships!!

 

So? With P&R back they will soon return to their rightful level.

[Rover and out]

I suppose that is better than the discredited previous system

But it's just going to confine the game to its ghetto for the foreseeable future I'm afraid

Roll out the stereotypes

Why can't we have expansion teams as well keeping with traditional heartland clubs?

Why does it confine the game? Surely we can still expand the game to other areas but by building clubs up like we're doing now with clubs like Hemel etc by introducing clubs through the championship one so they can build up a fan base and a following and creating ties with local businesses rather than just chucking them into sl before they're ready and then watching it go up in flames ala crusaders and Gateshead. And by having p and r it gives the clubs something to play for. Just keep minimum standards

[oldrover]

:buba: :buba:

[nadera78]

Why can't we have expansion teams as well keeping with traditional heartland clubs?

 

Because we don't have the money, the players, the fans or the investors for that!

Edited July 10, 2013 by nadera78

[Keith T]

So? With P&R back they will soon return to their rightful level.

At one club per season I can think of some that wouldn't be around that long in the lower league to gain promotion. Look at the fear of some clubs at present of dropping in to Championship 1!!

[l'angelo mysterioso]

Why can't we have expansion teams as well keeping with traditional heartland clubs?

Why does it confine the game? Surely we can still expand the game to other areas but by building clubs up like we're doing now with clubs like Hemel etc by introducing clubs through the championship one so they can build up a fan base and a following and creating ties with local businesses rather than just chucking them into sl before they're ready and then watching it go up in flames ala crusaders and Gateshead. And by having p and r it gives the clubs something to play for. Just keep minimum standards

I can see where you are coming from but I just can't see it

I hope you got my pm sorry for the misunderstanding

[Southerner]

So the two relegated teams will almost certainly struggle to survive in the championship without the Sky money. I assume broncos will be relegated which means no London club and the negatives that move will bring.

Each season the SL clubs panic buy overseas talent with the fear of relegation and the young homegrown talent are overlooked as a result.

There will be the yoyo club(s) who will struggle to survive everytime they're relegated having gambled on staying in SL.

Step backwards, but fair enough if the decision was taken for financial reasons and the overall good of the game. I am struggling to see the positives in this move. Sad day for Rugby League.

[Good Omen]

Does that mean that the playoffs go back down to 5 teams as a waste of time having 8 from 12 in there. Also what if the Broncos come bottom and Martyn Sadlers excuse that they are needed at the top table of our game

[Southerner]

Almost more annoyingly we've currently only heard officially from Jon Wilkin where is our SL spokesperson?

Wilkin stated that our player pool was too low to accommodate a 14 team league and that teams were forced to buy overseas and spend beyond their means - what a load of rubbish. London Broncos have brought through many homegrown Londoners and assuming they're relegated will now be lost to RU or the championship - these players will not suddenly be spread between the remaining SL teams. This move of P&R will more likely mean an increase in overseas players as clubs fear relegation. Such a poor interview makes our game look like a farce.

[Lobbygobbler]

So the two relegated teams will almost certainly struggle to survive in the championship without the Sky money. I assume broncos will be relegated which means no London club and the negatives that move will bring.

Each season the SL clubs panic buy overseas talent with the fear of relegation and the young homegrown talent are overlooked as a result.

There will be the yoyo club(s) who will struggle to survive everytime they're relegated having gambled on staying in SL.

Step backwards, but fair enough if the decision was taken for financial reasons and the overall good of the game. I am struggling to see the positives in this move. Sad day for Rugby League.

Did SL clubs reduce their overseas players when licensing came in? Did they feck. However I would like to see overseas players cut to one per club in SL.

I hope this turns out to be 2 up 2 down because 1up/down aint enough for me and will not allow sufficient mobility for new clubs to SL. That being said, anything is better than the garbage system we have

[Lobbygobbler]

Does that mean that the playoffs go back down to 5 teams as a waste of time having 8 from 12 in there. Also what if the Broncos come bottom and Martyn Sadlers excuse that they are needed at the top table of our game

They wont. Great battlers the Broncos. Cant wait for meaningful games to return

[l'angelo mysterioso]

So the two relegated teams will almost certainly struggle to survive in the championship without the Sky money. I assume broncos will be relegated which means no London club and the negatives that move will bring.

Each season the SL clubs panic buy overseas talent with the fear of relegation and the young homegrown talent are overlooked as a result.

There will be the yoyo club(s) who will struggle to survive everytime they're relegated having gambled on staying in SL.

Step backwards, but fair enough if the decision was taken for financial reasons and the overall good of the game. I am struggling to see the positives in this move. Sad day for Rugby League.

Ee but waint it be great

If we dunt have t'same status as Knurr and spell a'hll show in big fat airy northern boil covered pustule pock marked tattooed wi a full sized portrait o Freddie trueman bitty in't middle o station lane

Ahm never reight me

Edited July 10, 2013 by l'angelo mysterioso

[ckn]

Does that mean that the playoffs go back down to 5 teams as a waste of time having 8 from 12 in there. Also what if the Broncos come bottom and Martyn Sadlers excuse that they are needed at the top table of our game

I think it means that the Broncos will struggle to make it through next season as who is going to throw away all that money on a club that's almost guaranteed to be one of the relegated two.  It's hard enough investing in a struggling club that you know is safe from relegation but I can imagine that it's a seriously depressing concept throwing money at a club for nothing.

[jpmc]

So the two relegated teams will almost certainly struggle to survive in the championship without the Sky money. I assume broncos will be relegated which means no London club and the negatives that move will bring.

Each season the SL clubs panic buy overseas talent with the fear of relegation and the young homegrown talent are overlooked as a result.

There will be the yoyo club(s) who will struggle to survive everytime they're relegated having gambled on staying in SL.

Step backwards, but fair enough if the decision was taken for financial reasons and the overall good of the game. I am struggling to see the positives in this move. Sad day for Rugby League.

I'm going to guess that ther'll be parachute payments again to help ease the distress

[Terry Mullaney]

As long as a robust criteria is set for promotion (a la RFU) then this is great news.

 

It will breathe new life in to the Championships, and with 6 clubs all but prepared for the step up we should see some cracking games over the next few years@

Just been looking at your Facebook release Gav. Amazing how almost all the comments on there are in stark contrast to the negativity on here.

[Lobbygobbler]

I think it means that the Broncos will struggle to make it through next season as who is going to throw away all that money on a club that's almost guaranteed to be one of the relegated two. It's hard enough investing in a struggling club that you know is safe from relegation but I can imagine that it's a seriously depressing concept throwing money at a club for nothing.

Give over. The club has lost fans since the lack of P&R. I'm sure David Hughes was due to pack in even if licensing had remained. At least there is somert to play for at the bottom which will bring fans in. I stopped going several weeks ago for the same reason

[MrFussy]

I'm failing to understand the split option with three groups of 8. Sorry if I'm being dull but what exactly is being proposed here? I'd be grateful if someone could explain

[archibald]

Well, at least Leigh will be drawing 8k crowds again.

[Lobbygobbler]

I'm going to guess that ther'll be parachute payments again to help ease the distress

Hope not. What I'd rather see is players contracts which are null and void if a club is relegated so that the club is not burdened with failures

[Southerner]

I don't know the figures but I am sure there's far less overseas players now than there were during P&R. It's taken some time but the licensing system worked in bringing through more homegrown players as clubs can afford to blood youngsters without the threat of relegation. Now we'll soon see a revert back to the panic buy of overseas players again. Clubs need to concentrate on improving their youth system and bringing through homegrown players rather than over spending on overseas players.

The same panic buying happens in soccer due to relegation and then clubs are screwed financially as a result. Only have to look at QPR - if it wasn't for the cash cow they'd be done for like Portsmouth.

[RSN]

Correct

Bye bye expansion

And expansion is going to happen under the current system?

[JohnM]

I am going to reserve judgement until the plans are fully defined, agreed, voted on, approved and in action.  Even the press release is equivocal: "once the RFL Executive has delivered its report into the 12-team Super League options."

[Saintslass]

So far all that appears to have been decided is how many teams will comprise Superleague in 2015.  The method of maintaining that number hasn't yet been decided.  The clubs from the championships and community game will be giving their vote on how that is achieved.  The number of SL clubs was always a separate issue as only the SL clubs had the power to decide that (as explained by one of the council types from the RFL on Boots n All last week).  I would imagine there is the possibility of qualified P&R or perhaps even retaining some form of licensing.  I don't believe that the only two options on the table are those mentioned in the press release.  I think that is just RFL spin because their interest lies with the 12 into three 8s option.

[Southerner]

Hope not. What I'd rather see is players contracts which are null and void if a club is relegated so that the club is not burdened with failures

This is a good idea but would players sign up to this agreement? It would surely have to be agreed across all the clubs to include the contract clause.