Oh no...not another structure change thread!

[Scubby]

4 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

To change the structure with 2 weeks remaining is utterly ludicrous, another fine example of the total incompetence at Rd Hall. When they move to Manchester can they leave the dead wood like Rimmer behind. I'm sure the new owners of Red Hall can find a use for him sweeping floors maybe.

Catalans not playing 15 games isn't all down to bad luck, their exceptionally high number of Covid cases must be in part down to their own procedures. They had other options to guarantee games but chose not to adopt them. They could have relocated like the NZ Warriors did in the NRL instead of constantly travelling in & out of France 

Relocating like the NZ Warriors cost the NRL A$3-4m. Do Catalans or SL have that kind of cash sitting around?

[Harry Stottle]

24 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Relocating like the NZ Warriors cost the NRL A$3-4m. Do Catalans or SL have that kind of cash sitting around?

No, next?

[Tommygilf]

36 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

To change the structure with 2 weeks remaining is utterly ludicrous, another fine example of the total incompetence at Rd Hall. When they move to Manchester can they leave the dead wood like Rimmer behind. I'm sure the new owners of Red Hall can find a use for him sweeping floors maybe.

Catalans not playing 15 games isn't all down to bad luck, their exceptionally high number of Covid cases must be in part down to their own procedures. They had other options to guarantee games but chose not to adopt them. They could have relocated like the NZ Warriors did in the NRL instead of constantly travelling in & out of France 

Rimmer had nothing to do with this as SL and the RFL are separate.

Catalans may well have poor procedures, though I doubt it.

The NZ warriors, and Melbourne Storm, relocations have been in large part funded by the NRL.

[Toby Chopra]

Expanded playoffs to reduce dead games during the pandemic is not unique to rugby league. MLB, MLS and NHL did something very similar this year for similar reasons.

Yes, it's a late switch, but if we'd gone for this right at the start loads of people would have complained then. This urge by some to insist on rigidity and normality in such an exceptional year seems misplaced to me. Getting to the end of the year with a champion crowned is what matters.  

[Wanderer]

13 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Let's just have an 11 team play offs 

Already had that, it was called the Challenge Cup

[Tommygilf]

10 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

Already had that, it was called the Challenge Cup

And look who won that! #LeedsFromFifthAgain 

[super major]

Well I think the idea is worth a look at. With all the disruption in fixtures this season some clubs have done it a lot tougher than others. No one's fault but to also have teams doing cup games at the same time led to some weakened teams playing at times which had an effect felt throughout the league.

 

[kev p]

5 hours ago, Scubby said:

Relocating like the NZ Warriors cost the NRL A$3-4m. Do Catalans or SL have that kind of cash sitting around?

its only for about 2 weeks, so not millions of dollars. playing last 3 games in uk would make sense also

[Scubby]

14 minutes ago, kev p said:

its only for about 2 weeks, so not millions of dollars. playing last 3 games in uk would make sense also

That wasn't what I replied to. It was Saint Toppy saying ......

5 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

They could have relocated like the NZ Warriors did in the NRL instead of constantly travelling in & out of France 

That would have cost seven figures

If you see my other post I mention they could bubble for 2 weeks to get 3 games in potentially.

[RP London]

28 minutes ago, super major said:

Well I think the idea is worth a look at. With all the disruption in fixtures this season some clubs have done it a lot tougher than others. No one's fault but to also have teams doing cup games at the same time led to some weakened teams playing at times which had an effect felt throughout the league.

 

lets be fair on this.. that has happened year in year out around the semi finals and finals.. saints v london last year etc 

[Griff]

I've a lot of sympathy for Catalans but, if they make the play-offs, they're a big risk to completing the season in an orderly way.

[super major]

1 hour ago, RP London said:

lets be fair on this.. that has happened year in year out around the semi finals and finals.. saints v london last year etc 

Accepted ,but this year clubs played 3 games in  about 10 days round wembley,clubs had fixtures cancelled at the last minute, clubs called to play at short notice to say nothing about  covid infections in some squads. Not saying it's ideal but perhaps a measured response to an on going issue?

[RP London]

29 minutes ago, super major said:

Accepted ,but this year clubs played 3 games in  about 10 days round wembley,clubs had fixtures cancelled at the last minute, clubs called to play at short notice to say nothing about  covid infections in some squads. Not saying it's ideal but perhaps a measured response to an on going issue?

Dont disagree but lets make sure the arguments all stack up when we have them. This isnt the only time people put out weaker teams in this situation so IMHO it weakens the argument to use it..

Everyone needs to be adaptable around this.. but there also has to be some form of cut off and the season does just need to end, if Catalans cannot make it to the play offs then so be it.. and that is the same for any team not just for Catalans.

If we were to go straight to knock out footy then one team could win one week but have Covid issues the next and then you lose that game or you reinstate someone knocked out etc... 

No matter what we do it is not going to be ideal if a team has issues, so at some point we just have to suck it up and hold our breath!

[wiganermike]

The scheduled 4 fixtures that remain for Catalans would mean them having a chance of finishing top 4 having only played the teams currently 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th once as the games cancelled were against those teams and do not have available slots to reschedule as it stands. Perhaps that is a factor influencing the thinking that some reshaping of the season whether fixtures or playoffs is needed.

I would still prefer that fixtures are altered to fit in the postponed games followed by a top 4 playoff as planned at the resumption of the season.

[Scubby]

Looking at the table, if Leeds lose to Castleford tonight Catalans pretty much just have to turn up for 3 games to qualify - points diff is 130+ better. They could even put Bernard Guash on the bench for a couple of games. 

[Liverpool Rover]

13 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said:

And lose TV money, a vital source of income? That would have been a good idea. 

They wouldn’t have had to cram in so many games which meant that there would have been less chance of having to switch to a percentage system and less chance of there being talk of changing the season structure a few weeks before the season is due to end.

[Hela Wigmen]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Rover said:

They wouldn’t have had to cram in so many games which meant that there would have been less chance of having to switch to a percentage system and less chance of there being talk of changing the season structure a few weeks before the season is due to end.

They would have. There’s obligations that needed meeting which has resulted in this. 

[HKR AWAY DAYS]

Not going to lie, gents but I just couldn't give a stuff any more. 

[Neil_Ormston]

I think a rather obvious point has been missed, in that by increasing the duration and number of teams competing in the play-offs, you're increasing the risk that you face problems with teams unable to fulfill fixtures.  The chances of a match being cancelled with 4 weeks involving the top 8 are a lot greater than 4 teams over 2 weeks - and what happens then?!

All the way to this point, I've questioned what people mean when they talk about "asterisk champions": as it stands, if we play through to a top 4, and then successfully run semis & a final, I don't see what issues there are on the legitimacy of the competition; yes the format was changed part way through, but I think the integrity remains, and the allowance of % being used is sensible, and I've no qualms if Catalans make it through to the play-offs (and even if they ultimately win it) on that basis.  However, a change such as this being proposed this late, really threatens the integrity, and for me is clearly the wrong thing.  To undermine the efforts and sacrifices the players have made to get us this far, for the sake of 'player welfare or 'dead rubbers' is scandalous IMHO.  That said, I don't think it'll happen myself, and we'll roll on as planned.