Eight Days a Week: Fixture Cramming 1980s style

[Total Rugby League]

When the sport resumes after the current hiatus, how to fit all the ‘lost’ games into the available time left in the calendar is going...

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[koli]

In 62/63 A massive fixture backlog following the big freeze  had to be cleared.

Game less "intense" then but players part time and no subs.

Maybe a bit of emergency rule tinkering to allow today -5 yard defensive line and  2 subs only to be used in case of injury.

[Magic XIII]

Why cram ? Take a sensible approach to ensure an equitable and meaningful League campaign for all 3 divisions

Ensure player, official, spectator safety, first and foremost

Keep the Challenge Cup Final and Grand Final dates as scheduled, and subsequent Kangaroo Tour

7 / 14 / 21 June next rounds of the C Cup and Final 18 July (large assumption here !!!)

All league fixtures start 28 June.

Top two leagues either 

6 homes games and 6 away, the first round counting as the final full round of fixtures pre lockdown (play one team twice)

Or 5 /6 home away games, so play everyone once (but mis match in home / away)

Last round of fixtures 13 September. Top 5 play off in SL and no relegation, Grand Final as planned

Top 3 auto promotion from Championship plus additional one from  4 v 5 for fourth spot.

League One full home and away programme with no promotion but heavier emphasis on prize money.

2021 realignment year, only two divisions (16 team SL and amalgamated second division)

End 2021 3 teams relegated from SL and one promoted from Championship. Championship / League One splits to similar set up to now with Ottawa and NY possibly.

Strange times demand adaptability and reason, and most of all, simplification.