2024, 1 league

[phildog]

Already seen it suggested that the RFL is considering combining Championship and Division 1. Biggest upshot out of that, just as IMG wanted will be the death of Summer Bash and a complete reorganisation of the Challenge Cup. This will probably still lead to divisions within a division as one would still able to pick a bottom 4 or 5, a middle 4 or 5 and a top tier. What with the incompetence and total lack of Rugby League people within the RFL and the clear intention of IMG to feed SL with the teams THEY want, we're on a greasy pole to extinction. There needs to be the threat of a breakaway from Championship and NCL downward.

[phildog]

And another thing; this will cause havoc with clubs', not just Batley's, recruitment and clear-outs, teams who thought they might cherry pick from relegated teams, relegated teams who have let players go due to the expected reduced funding etc 

[graham fisher]

38 minutes ago, phildog said:

And another thing; this will cause havoc with clubs', not just Batley's, recruitment and clear-outs, teams who thought they might cherry pick from relegated teams, relegated teams who have let players go due to the expected reduced funding etc 

Do you ever get the feeling that you are talking to yourself

Edited September 26, 2023 by graham fisher

[phildog]

Often!

[distantdog]

11 hours ago, phildog said:

Often!

Oh there's always someone else out there reading. 

On the league, not sure how it can be resolved but if both divisions merge, l worry that it will mean that all teams do not play each other home and away. This means that the whole season is skewed. 

[BullyXL]

I recently saw a suggestion with this splitting the division into East and West conferences. With top 4 from each conference going into play-offs. It would pitch us with the teams like Bradford, Wakefield, Sheffield, Dewsbury, Hunslet, York, Newcastle, Fev or Toulouse (depending on this years promotion), Doncaster. Midlands. Interesting concept for one League!

[Neutralfan7]

How will they keep the central funding the same? League 1 clubs get much less than championship clubs don't they? 

[POR]

16 hours ago, phildog said:

Already seen it suggested that the RFL is considering combining Championship and Division 1.

Sorry P the RFL are not considering combining Championship and Division 1 it's a proposal from league 1 clubs for the next council meeting on October 4th.and in all the other times it's been proposed the championship clubs  voted NO and it did not pass I would think the same would happen on October 4th

[wayner]

I don't know how League 1 clubs can survive financially unless they play each other more that twice.

I think a combined league would be the best option - I am old enough to remember when there was just one league of 32 clubs and if you finished in the top sixteen you made it to the championship play offs but for following season apart from local derby matches you played teams in the top sixteen. If you finished in the bottom sixteen then you played teams from the bottom sixteen plus any local derby matches. So it meant if the the team wasn't in the top sixteen they weren't playing stronger teams and getting hammered every week - so as an example in 1974 I think Swinton (my team) finished 4th from bottom so the following season played mostly teams in the bottom half managed to win most games and then finished 4th from top - gates improved as a result.

But as we know the RFL are an not fit for purpose and I am sorry to say with  the clubs its mostly down to self interest

[phildog]

POR...I saw the bit about Div 1 teams' proposal after the first post saying that the RFL were conducting it. Long and short is, something has to be done, I'd favour SL and Championship at 12 teams and Div 1 11 teams which WILL upset 2 teams but otherwise it's an unworkable situation re that lower division without reorganising the NCL and putting their 3 strongest teams in there.

[DOGFATHER]

I personally think the best option for the game, would be to combine the divisions and have 2 leagues of 12. The top 4 from each, form an 8 team playoff for the end of season Championship.

I would also like to see a total salary cap of £500k, no dispensation, no marquee players costing less than face value, and everyone on a clubs books should count towards it. None of this top 25 earners type of loophole, and it would also include all backroom staff and not just players. Keep it simple.

This would reward the better supported/funded teams, so they could spend up to the cap, but not put them out of sight of teams that can't.

However, I'm not a Fev fan, and with my tinfoil hat on, I firmly believe Fev will go up this year, and will come straight back down, being replaced by Wakefield. IMG will pull up the SL draw bridge and we will be back to a closed shop. Therefore, there would be no need to spend £2M on the squad getting the nucleus of the side ready for SL the following year. 

[Blind side johnny]

Current rumour, and that is all it is, stating that any proposed and agreed changes would be implemented in 2025.

Lots or permutations being suggested, including from certain fans who have been keeping their own spreadsheeted solution to hand for the past 5 years.

We who have little influence simply wait and see.