IMG Grading System (Many Merged Threads)

[sam4731]

40 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

To be fair, the Million Pound Game sounded ludicrously cheap and tacky anyway.

Proper small time.

At this trajectory, by 2032, it will be the 2 penny shootout.

[Chrispmartha]

33 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

It would be not to far off the mark with today's distribution, but it was once worth over 2 million.

Kind of my point

[JohnM]

Based on Re-imagining Rugby League project detalils we know so far:

1. Under what circumstances can a SupeLeague club lose its membership of SuperLeague?

2. Under what circumstances could a club that has lost its membership of SuperLeague be admitted to the Championship?

3. Given that a SL club had lost it membership of SL, who and how, if at all, would the gap be filled?

[Hopie]

19 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Based on Re-imagining Rugby League project detalils we know so far:

1. Under what circumstances can a SupeLeague club lose its membership of SuperLeague?

2. Under what circumstances could a club that has lost its membership of SuperLeague be admitted to the Championship?

3. Given that a SL club had lost it membership of SL, who and how, if at all, would the gap be filled?

Clubs aren't members of Super League

[sweaty craiq]

6 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

I think it's fair to say that the 'do or die' aspect of these previous games has a lot to do with the issue that losing would often result in several members of the organisation losing their jobs. One of the pitfalls of having P&R between pro and semi pro comps.

When we had the middle 8’s you had FT clubs in the championship 

[The Daddy]

On 14/10/2024 at 11:29, Harry Stottle said:

If you listened to the BBC podcast earlier this year featuring Syvain Houles, albeit he did not say anything outright he would not be committal on the future of his club if they fail to make SL in '25.

OMG please stop spreading nonsense and false rumours on this forum. I've seen you regurgitating this on several threads here. 

The Toulouse club have resigned most of the players from this year's squad on 1-3 year FULL-TIME CONTRACTS and the owner has clearly referenced his vision for the future of the club in several interviews. 

Usual garbage from you but I don't expect anything else. Keep praying for another clubs downfall. 

Edited October 19, 2024 by The Daddy

[JohnM]

7 hours ago, Hopie said:

Clubs aren't members of Super League

OK. But you know what I mean.

[Hopie]

34 minutes ago, JohnM said:

OK. But you know what I mean.

I'm afraid I don't.

[preid]

2 hours ago, The Daddy said:

OMG please stop spreading nonsense and false rumours on this forum. I've seen you regurgitating this on several threads here. 

The Toulouse club have resigned most of the players from this year's squad on 1-3 year FULL-TIME CONTRACTS and the owner has clearly referenced his vision for the future of the club in several interviews. 

Usual garbage from you but I don't expect anything else. Keep praying for another clubs downfall. 

Well said 

[Harry Stottle]

12 hours ago, The Daddy said:

OMG please stop spreading nonsense and false rumours on this forum. I've seen you regurgitating this on several threads here. 

The Toulouse club have resigned most of the players from this year's squad on 1-3 year FULL-TIME CONTRACTS and the owner has clearly referenced his vision for the future of the club in several interviews. 

Usual garbage from you but I don't expect anything else. Keep praying for another clubs downfall. 

Did you listen to the podcast?

[binosh]

13 hours ago, The Daddy said:

OMG please stop spreading nonsense and false rumours on this forum. I've seen you regurgitating this on several threads here. 

The Toulouse club have resigned most of the players from this year's squad on 1-3 year FULL-TIME CONTRACTS and the owner has clearly referenced his vision for the future of the club in several interviews. 

Usual garbage from you but I don't expect anything else. Keep praying for another clubs downfall. 

That doesn’t bode well they were awful yesterday 

[Harry Stottle]

Well I must be getting along with modern times someone sent me this link, am I doing social media by watching the programme? And I will subscribe for future.

Anyway it is bang on topic for this thread listen from 50mins 40 secs in for another take on IMG, all the rest is very Leighcentric which for those of a certain disposition may not be good for their health. 

 

Edited October 20, 2024 by Harry Stottle

[The Daddy]

It's between Cas and Toulouse for the 12th spot 

[-Trinity-]

8 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

It's between Cas and Toulouse for the 12th spot 

Hopefully it's Cas, the Toulouse staff sat behind the dugouts yesterday, actively booing an injured player going off for a HIA, was embarrassing. 

[Ackroman]

This grading system has to throw up some controversy or it's pointless. 

[The Masked Poster]

15 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

It's between Cas and Toulouse for the 12th spot 

So are Wakefield definitely in SL next year? 

[PREPOSTEROUS]

 

20 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

So are Wakefield definitely in SL next year? 

After last night's win, the number 15.1 has been suggested, all to be confirmed on Wednesday mind.

[snapski]

1 hour ago, The Daddy said:

It's between Cas and Toulouse for the 12th spot 

It’s really not

[Wakefield Ram]

On 19/10/2024 at 10:09, gingerjon said:

To be fair, the Million Pound Game sounded ludicrously cheap and tacky anyway.

Proper small time.

Given the "final" is played at the home ground of one of the teams just adds to the small time feel.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

2 hours ago, The Daddy said:

It's between Cas and Toulouse for the 12th spot 

I don't think Toulouse have improved their score enough to beat Cas's addition of bolted on bench seating. Think Cas will just hang onto 12th spot.

[The Daddy]

28 minutes ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

I don't think Toulouse have improved their score enough to beat Cas's addition of bolted on bench seating. Think Cas will just hang onto 12th spot.

That's sarcasm right? Please tell me yr being sarcastic 

[JAG]

Sorry for the clickbait headline but hear me out.

The domestic RL season has drawn to a close, and if I'm totally honest a part of me is glad. It was like an overpromised and underdelivered Netflix series you regret having committed to with a ending that even the most basic, formulaic writer would have been embarrassed to author. This is not to rile up any Wigan, Wakefield or Oldham fans. Your success is well deserved and you all should feel proud of your club's achievements. However, in terms of suspense, drama and unpredictability which is delivered in such abundance in many RL games, the story of the 2024 season wasn't just bland or tired; it was jaded. For the first time I can remember some clubs were not even trying.

IMG have proposed some much needed minimum standards to ensure clubs don't see Super League status as an annual TV revenue check. I think the main objective is commendable and providing a roadmap to lead some RL clubs not just out of the 20th but the 19th century is an absolute necessity. Nonetheless with IMG focussing the attention toward off-field criteria inevitably on field success took a back seat. To stay with the tv series metaphor, the licence grading system became plot A, and on-field success became plot B. The rugby became something for the characters to do to distract the viewer from the fact the main "SL Licencing" plot which needed fleshing out and in terms of drama was very weak.

This season Wigan Warriors took the lead role with an epic (and controversial) win over type cast Australian antagonists Penrith Panthers; already being lauded as "Greatest team in NRL history". Little did we know on that cold Wigan night in late February the 2024 rugby league season had peaked right then and there. The rest of the season was a mere question of whether Hull KR could pull off their own underdog story. To any casual sports fan or neutral supporter this would have been a plot twist to rival the likes of any big budget show or genius tv writer. But almost like an overpaid, insecure, narcissistic, diva mega-star Wigan had to make it all about them.

But the groundwork was laid for an a team to dominate a generally less competitive season. The IMG licensing made clubs re-prioritise, suddenly playing Castleford, Huddersfield and Leeds didn't quiet seem to have the significance they once had. The "every minute matters" philosophy used to promote the game just a few years ago was never less applicable. Leigh suffered a little from 2nd season syndrome while St Helens and Catalans were both on the downward trajectory of having been very successful and competitive for the past few years. The main party guilty of taking their eye off the ball completely were the once mighty Hull FC. Yet their capitulation was never perceived as a dramatic "fall from grace" or even cautionary tale of hubris because the jeopardy just wasn't there. It's sad to say but they knew, as we all did, that without a ball being kicked London Broncos were doomed to relegation and Wakefield Trinity were a Super League club in waiting. So, why not save a few quid and tank a season if you know your SL status is a foregone conclusion?

It's not just super league that the IMG have unintentionally devalued. Wakefield benefitted from knowing a one-off season in the Championship before a guaranteed promotion back to SL would mean not suffering the pain of losing their Super League quality players. Like a character who suffers a tragic death only to be resurrected in a following scene with all the same faculties and abilities as before. But clubs like Halifax, York, Batley and Featherstone all had uncharacteristic lacklustre seasons in the Championship. Even Toulouse Olympique seemed less hungry than in previous seasons although now reported to be to be ranked an overall 10th in the IMG grading, did they really need to be competitive?

In January I, like I imagine like most people predicted Wigan winning super league, London being relegated and Wakefield winning back promotion. Wakefield themselves swept all before them in the Championship losing only one league game all season, winning both the league, grand final and the 1895 cup at a canter. Meanwhile Oldham achieved that same feat in League One winning 19/20 games. Of the 9 trophies/finals available across all three tiers of professional Rugby League 8 were won by just 3 clubs, Wigan, Wakefield and Oldham. I would have put money on this prediction but the odds were so short I would have already spent my winnings on the cost of the energy it took to power my phone to just open my Bet Fred app.

The reason I frame this argument in a tv show metaphor is RL whether it likes it or not is in the entertainment business. The product or "show" is what happens on the field and what it means in the story arch of the entire season. If the show is samey and predictable people will switch off. If this RL season were a TV series I'd be asking myself; What was the point? Was it worth it? Was the journey from beginning to end interesting? Was the end result in any doubt? Were there any significant challenges? Have I already seen this before? Why did I watch all those episodes to witness such an unsatisfying and obvious ending? But the most important question is; would I watch the next series? After this year I wouldn't blame anyone if they said "no thanks". 

I can already hear the counter argument "...But, Manchester City win everything in football and everyone still watches that!" Well, since 1996 Super League has only had 4 different winners while the Premier League have had 6. We now have to go back 20 years to find the 4th name on the Super League trophy and the elusive 5th name seems as far away as ever. The Premier League need only go back 10 years for their 4 names. There are always at least 4-5 title challengers in every Premier League season and there's not a single club that takes their premier league status for granted ever. That and football is reaping the benefit of over a 100 years worth of investment in developing an truly international sport.

There was one silver lining. One club that bucked the trend, showed true inspiration and genuinely caused an upset. For me, the team of the year on par with an all conquering Wigan, clinical Wakefield and ruthless Oldham is...Hunslet RLFC. Their play-off run to a Championship promotion was compelling, entertaining and completely unpredictable. They did something nobody else did, they surprised us. Thank God!

IMG need to refocus their criteria to on-field success. Yes, clubs need to meet a minimum standard and I agree Super League status shouldn't be automatic for a Championship grand final winner if with those standards aren't met. However, promoting/relegation needs to be determined primarily by on field results for the integrity of all RL competitions. If success or failure is predetermined to the extent we've seen this season the overall significance of results are diminished leaving a weaker, less entertaining product.

The most significant thing that will happen this season is not a brilliant Mikey Lewis chip and chase, it's not a magnificent Bevan French show and go. It's not a sublime  touchline conversion from Marc Sneyd, a heroic try saving tackle form Ryan Hall or a mid-air try-scoring contortion from Tommy Makinson. It's an IMG board meeting.

I know what the casual viewer would prefer.

Edited October 20, 2024 by JAG

[RS]

I enjoyed it there was and still is a lot to like 

[Click]

That was a lot of words to say "this is why I don't agree with IMG" 

I'm guessing this is going to be one of those multiple threads a week that gets consumed by the IMG thread.

[Archie Gordon]

MEGO.