League One

[Eddie]

It’s well documented but League One clearly isn’t working in its current format. You’ve got seven clubs who wouldn’t look out of place in the Championship, three who get humped every week unless they’re playing eachother, and one bridging the gap between the two groups. 11 teams also means a short season and too few fixtures. 
 

What to do about it though? If the three clubs at the bottom are to be worthy of a place at that level (which imho they’re not currently, though I don’t want to see them cut adrift) then I’d like to see them given more support by the RFL, though as we know they don’t have any spare money.
 

Could any of the stronger NCL teams be persuaded to make the step up, or are there any other French or English clubs who could step in and compete? It’s a very difficult situation, and is no good for anyone as it currently stands. 

[OriginalMrC]

41 minutes ago, Eddie said:

It’s well documented but League One clearly isn’t working in its current format. You’ve got seven clubs who wouldn’t look out of place in the Championship, three who get humped every week unless they’re playing eachother, and one bridging the gap between the two groups. 11 teams also means a short season and too few fixtures. 
 

What to do about it though? If the three clubs at the bottom are to be worthy of a place at that level (which imho they’re not currently, though I don’t want to see them cut adrift) then I’d like to see them given more support by the RFL, though as we know they don’t have any spare money.
 

Could any of the stronger NCL teams be persuaded to make the step up, or are there any other French or English clubs who could step in and compete? It’s a very difficult situation, and is no good for anyone as it currently stands. 

I think the exact same could be said about the championship. London and Workington will likely barely win all season. All leagues will have winners and losers.

The only thing I'd change is having an extra team to make it a 12 team league. The championship was expanded at League 1's expense and that was a mistake 

[Jughead]

I think League One serves a purpose for the heartland clubs. Barrow, Whitehaven, York and Bradford have rebuilt and come back stronger from appearing in League One and it appears Keighley are doing the same. I expect Oldham and Hunslet to grow slowly too but this year may be too son. For North Wales and Midlands, it’s a place to grow at a slower rate whilst holding their own. 

West Wales have been poorly run and that’s well documented on here so I won’t get into that and it’s been done to death about Skolars and their troubles, having been absolutely gutted by London Broncos and much like other clubs, they’re rebuilding but for them, it will probably take much longer than for a heartland based club. Cornwall are new and have offered chances to amateur players from the local area, it seemed a bold approach and it appears to be in reality, looking at their results. 

League One looked really exciting and national when the All Golds, Oxford and Hemel were alongside South Wales, London, Coventry and North Wales. It’s a shame that never really worked and it didn’t come with a proper plan from those in charge. 

Given the amount of teams and games played, I’ve always thought League One could be a bit experimental and test the waters if other formats or competitions are genuinely something that is being looked at. A twelfth team would be nice so it could be a 22 game season. 

[The storm]

58 minutes ago, Eddie said:

It’s well documented but League One clearly isn’t working in its current format. You’ve got seven clubs who wouldn’t look out of place in the Championship, three who get humped every week unless they’re playing eachother, and one bridging the gap between the two groups. 11 teams also means a short season and too few fixtures. 
 

What to do about it though? If the three clubs at the bottom are to be worthy of a place at that level (which imho they’re not currently, though I don’t want to see them cut adrift) then I’d like to see them given more support by the RFL, though as we know they don’t have any spare money.
 

Could any of the stronger NCL teams be persuaded to make the step up, or are there any other French or English clubs who could step in and compete? It’s a very difficult situation, and is no good for anyone as it currently stands. 

Id be more inclined to play the 2nd teams of super league teaks in this division and make it a 22 team league, but with no promotiom for the reserve teams. 

This will allow all around development and progression but will also mean that teams like cornwall will get well known rugby league teams 

[Eddie]

37 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

I think the exact same could be said about the championship. London and Workington will likely barely win all season. All leagues will have winners and losers.

The only thing I'd change is having an extra team to make it a 12 team league. The championship was expanded at League 1's expense and that was a mistake 

They might not win all season but they’ll then get relegated to a more appropriate division, whereas you can lose every league one game and then do it all again the next year. In a way there’s no incentive for them to improve. 

[DavidM]

40 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

The championship was expanded at League 1's expense

Yes . The year Bradford  and York fought it out in a 14 team league was outstanding rugby . Then it was sliced up and made an afterthought 

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Dont see how adding teams from NCL would help if aim is to get players from that area playing.

What is League 1 for? If it is a place to get new clubs playing local players than realistically you need a southern and northern conference because we´ve seen you either get pumped playing locals (a great way to kill any interest from players or supporters) or you flood your team with northerners and unless there´s a long term plan for academies in those places noone is coming through. 

No french team would blow their money on League 1 unless they were aiming for SL in a few years as costs are crazy, the need for french teams to have to play in England to reach SL is why I think we dont see more come through. 

Post re-organisation, I think we are going to see a northern and southern conference regardless but that´s probably how I would do it now so that teams like Gloucester maybe come back in the knowledge they won´t get battered every game. 

 

The L1 Southern conference would be the death knell for the semi pro game in the south, it would just be like the southern conference is now. 

[Hemi4561]

22 minutes ago, Eddie said:

They might not win all season but they’ll then get relegated to a more appropriate division, whereas you can lose every league one game and then do it all again the next year. In a way there’s no incentive for them to improve. 

You mean just like super league has been for the greater part of its existence.

[gogledd]

Its never going to happen but an end of season top 4 League 1 vs top 4 Elite 1 would be interesting.

The RFL aren't supportive of League One; if they were they wouldn't have cut the central budget by 60% or more and withdrew travel support the same season they introduced Cornwall!

[Cw25]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

It’s well documented but League One clearly isn’t working in its current format. You’ve got seven clubs who wouldn’t look out of place in the Championship, three who get humped every week unless they’re playing eachother, and one bridging the gap between the two groups. 11 teams also means a short season and too few fixtures. 
 

What to do about it though? If the three clubs at the bottom are to be worthy of a place at that level (which imho they’re not currently, though I don’t want to see them cut adrift) then I’d like to see them given more support by the RFL, though as we know they don’t have any spare money.
 

Could any of the stronger NCL teams be persuaded to make the step up, or are there any other French or English clubs who could step in and compete? It’s a very difficult situation, and is no good for anyone as it currently stands. 

Eddie. Where are you saying Oldham should be. I am a massive fan. I kept saying we should not be in this division. I don't like it one bit. But looking at our position in the league, I cannot moan. Well I do, if you know what I mean.

[Jughead]

Thankfully, both the NCL clubs promoted and League One South ideas are non-starters. Established NCL clubs have never expressed any desire to join the professional game (why would they?) and League One South almost certainly involves drafting in anywhere between 4-8 appropriate southern based clubs, which is not going to happen due to finances and whether anyone could actually take that step up whilst maintaining some sort of standard to that level, without being the death knell for the sport in the south, which it likely would be. 

Super League Reserve sides in the competition could work, though I’m not sure how you’d do promotion and relegation or whether they’d be welcome. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Jughead

[Eddie]

15 minutes ago, Cw25 said:

Eddie. Where are you saying Oldham should be. I am a massive fan. I kept saying we should not be in this division. I don't like it one bit. But looking at our position in the league, I cannot moan. Well I do, if you know what I mean.

Difficult isn’t it, there are 33 teams who are currently good enough for the pro/semi pro set up, which is too many for two divisions but not enough for three. 

[Eddie]

20 minutes ago, Hemi4561 said:

You mean just like super league has been for the greater part of its existence.

Yes.

[Eddie]

24 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Why would it? You´d be adding the teams currently in league 1 that are in the south WWR , Cornwall and London to it. What semi pro game is there when it is just southern players getting battered or drafting in northern players. Cornwall show there´s a market but them getting battered every week will soon get rid of that. If the problem is three teams getting humped every week , how does adding NCL teams who would also hump them help? 

 

If WWR and Skolars went into a southern conference their standard would reduce further though, as they wouldn’t ever play quality opposition and would attract lower quality players.
 

Also an amateur division involving teams as far apart as Cornwall, West Wales, London and maybe in the near future Norfolk would be ridiculous. 

[OriginalMrC]

There are not enough suitable southern teams for a southern conference. If there are name them. Discussions about it been done to death. 

Some clubs would like or a northern sport for northern people but league 1 is a unique division and given time and support will get stronger. 

[Eddie]

1 minute ago, ShropshireBull said:

So again, what is the point of League 1? If attracting better quality players means northerners (which is does) then what is the point of these southern teams? If the aim is to get more people outside playing heartlands playing then conference would make sense. In many ways this feels mute because I can´t see any funding being given to a third tier post reorganisation. 

That’s my question at the start of the thread, what is the point/objective, because at the moment there doesn’t seem to be one, it’s just a throwing together if some clubs not good enough to make the cut for the championship and a handful of sides from elsewhere that aren’t good enough but are willing to give it a go. 

[Hemi4561]

13 minutes ago, Eddie said:

That’s my question at the start of the thread, what is the point/objective, because at the moment there doesn’t seem to be one, it’s just a throwing together if some clubs not good enough to make the cut for the championship and a handful of sides from elsewhere that aren’t good enough but are willing to give it a go. 

The "point" is that the supporters, players,staff, and owners of these clubs want them to exist. As for the "objective" well to me that is self evident, they are a sports club and they play sport.

As for an "Objective" from the RFL we could ask them,but I guess that there would be 

a) deathly silence

b) inane gibberish from Rimmer

c) a cacophony of voices speaking in tongues

 

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

2 hours ago, OriginalMrC said:

I think the exact same could be said about the championship. London and Workington will likely barely win all season. All leagues will have winners and losers.

The only thing I'd change is having an extra team to make it a 12 team league. The championship was expanded at League 1's expense and that was a mistake 

you are correct that all leagues have winners and losers, but London have been top half of the championship for years, and if their Chair decides to fund their recruitment again next season they could quite easily jump half a dozen places the following year.

For Workington, different set of circumstances, they were promoted quite late and needed to recruit 10 players in order to hold their own in the championship; which they were unable to do as most players were already tied up with contracts, so  it was slim pickings to find players within their price range who were available.

In fairness, its the same problem that Super league has, in that a) there isn't a big enough player pool and b) clubs are unable to build for the next level without breaking the bank with a ' or burst' attitude

I know its contentious, but promotion and relegation needs to be looked at in order to try and create a meaningful competition across all 3 divisions 

[Eddie]

54 minutes ago, Hemi4561 said:

The "point" is that the supporters, players,staff, and owners of these clubs want them to exist. As for the "objective" well to me that is self evident, they are a sports club and they play sport.

As for an "Objective" from the RFL we could ask them,but I guess that there would be 

a) deathly silence

b) inane gibberish from Rimmer

c) a cacophony of voices speaking in tongues

 

I know the clubs want to play, but I mean what is the point of League One? There is clearly a momentous gulf in standard that renders many games fairly meaningless, other than for people who enjoy playing in / watching 90-0 mismatches. 

[hunsletgreenandgold]

3 hours ago, Jughead said:

Established NCL clubs have never expressed any desire to join the professional game (why would they?)

This is true - however RL must be one of the only league systems in the world where we have better teams playing at amateur level than in the semi/pro ranks. 

[Hemi4561]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

I know the clubs want to play, but I mean what is the point of League One? There is clearly a momentous gulf in standard that renders many games fairly meaningless, other than for people who enjoy playing in / watching 90-0 mismatches. 

Not sure what I can add to my first sentence to make it clearer to you from my perspective, the people involved want them ans to me that is enough. 

[JM2010]

I suppose League 1 is useful for clubs that get relegated from the Championship to rebuild and still be part of the professional structure. It also gives clubs such as WWR, Skolars, Midlands and Cornwall the chance to actually exist as a professional club and maybe build and progress over time. Some clubs will stay and some clubs will fall away and one or two might even climb the league and progress into the championship like Newcastle. 

[Eddie]

44 minutes ago, Hemi4561 said:

Not sure what I can add to my first sentence to make it clearer to you from my perspective, the people involved want them ans to me that is enough. 

So it’s fine to have a team getting whacked 100-0 every single week if the people involved in that club want it to happen? 

[David Shepherd]

If it was to be split into Northern and Southern/Welsh divisions, is there anything that says all teams have to be professional?

The only way I see there being a worthwhile number of teams is if the top amateur sides compete with the semi-pro teams.

Even if the 2 x 10 idea at the top of the tree goes through, there still won't be enough Southern/Welsh clubs to make a meaningful competition.

[gingerjon]

Rugby League has, through its history, had a recurring habit of going for the guillotine option whenever it finds it has some clubs that don't *quite* fit for reasons of not being strong enough, being too far away (etc).

I don't think there is an easy or obvious solution to the imbalance in League One but I'd take an unbalanced league that keeps clubs alive over a 'solution' that effectively ends their existence.