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Posted

With the 1895 Cup now being an established competition in the calendar now, I think we should have a 'Super League Cup' equivalent. For me it's the perfect solution to getting rid of loop fixtures/magic. If we consider that in this case we have 4 loop fixtures plus magic to give a total of 5 extra games, this is the format that I'd go with:

3 groups of 4. Each team plays each other once with all gates split across the group so that no team loses out by having one fewer home games.

Top 2 through to the semis (Winner of group A hosts RU of group B and vice versa)

Final at a neutral venue which would have to start at a modest size (Headingley, DW) but we could hopefully grow the comp so that we could get back to Newcastle.

I think it would give a team that might not hold play off aspirations an extra chance to play for something.

I know someone will poke holes in my plan but I thought I'd get a silly season thread in before the action gets under way.


Posted
27 minutes ago, Bongo1 said:

Would rather have a couple weeks for internationals mid season than a cup 

In this scenario I'm not replacing the chance for a mid season international. I'm simply replacing rounds that already exist.

Posted
1 hour ago, sam4731 said:

3 groups of 4. Each team plays each other once with all gates split across the group so that no team loses out by having one fewer home games.

Top 2 through to the semis (Winner of group A hosts RU of group B and vice versa)

 

If there are three groups doesn't that leave six semi-finalists? Or have I missed a step?

Posted
1 hour ago, sam4731 said:

With the 1895 Cup now being an established competition in the calendar now, I think we should have a 'Super League Cup' equivalent. For me it's the perfect solution to getting rid of loop fixtures/magic. If we consider that in this case we have 4 loop fixtures plus magic to give a total of 5 extra games, this is the format that I'd go with:

3 groups of 4. Each team plays each other once with all gates split across the group so that no team loses out by having one fewer home games.

Top 2 through to the semis (Winner of group A hosts RU of group B and vice versa)

Final at a neutral venue which would have to start at a modest size (Headingley, DW) but we could hopefully grow the comp so that we could get back to Newcastle.

I think it would give a team that might not hold play off aspirations an extra chance to play for something.

I know someone will poke holes in my plan but I thought I'd get a silly season thread in before the action gets under way.

It would get lower crowds than the loop fixtures/Magic

  • Like 4
Posted
54 minutes ago, Hanover XIII said:

If there are three groups doesn't that leave six semi-finalists? Or have I missed a step?

That is it's USP, give it 12 months and union will have a similar comp but with 7 semi finalists and claim it was their idea.

  • Haha 1
Posted

I don't think the RFL will get rid of the magic weekend, it's to much of a money spinner for them and  the city that wins the the bidding war to host the event. 

I would get rid of loop fixtures they are pointless and usually poorly attended.

Your idea isn't a bad one, and any of the bigger clubs who weren't really bothered about winning it could use the comp to blood youngsters.

  • Like 1

2009 Warrington 25 Hudderfield 16

2010 Warrington 30 Leeds 6

2011 League Leaders Shield Winners

2012 Warrington 35 Leeds 18

Challenge cups and league leaders shields everywhere! We need more silver polish!

Posted
1 hour ago, Hanover XIII said:

If there are three groups doesn't that leave six semi-finalists? Or have I missed a step?

Sorry my bad. I reworked the concept so many times in my head that I've mixed myself up. It would have to be group winners and best 2nd place.

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Toby Chopra said:

It would get lower crowds than the loop fixtures/Magic

 

48 minutes ago, bamfordsbeans said:

Just look at recent Challenge Cup attendances to see what the fans think.

A third competition with no history isn't the answer.

Idea to combat this:

Built into your season ticket, you have 3 cup credits. These are used for the first 3 home Super League Cup or Challenge Cup games that your team has. If you have more than that, these go on general sale and if you have less, the difference is refunded or knocked off your renewal.

Posted
1 hour ago, Andy JG said:

Bring back the Regal Trophy

It's bad enough having some people label the Challenge Cup as a Mickey Mouse trophy, so I can't even imagine the Stigma that would be associated with winning a Regal Trophy.   Even back in the day, a Regal final win brought a satisfaction similar to a surprise win against a bigger club.   Feels good for a few months then largely forgotten about.   I doubt many have treasured photos of RT finals.

  • Like 1
Posted
15 minutes ago, Fly-By-TheWire said:

It's bad enough having some people label the Challenge Cup as a Mickey Mouse trophy, so I can't even imagine the Stigma that would be associated with winning a Regal Trophy.   Even back in the day, a Regal final win brought a satisfaction similar to a surprise win against a bigger club.   Feels good for a few months then largely forgotten about.   I doubt many have treasured photos of RT finals.

It's all relative. A (third competition) win for a team that hasn't won a trophy in years is worth more to their fans than a challenge cup win to Wigan fans.

Posted
6 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

It's all relative. A (third competition) win for a team that hasn't won a trophy in years is worth more to their fans than a challenge cup win to Wigan fans.

Yeah, I guess (and it's a bit flippant of me to dismiss the idea having seen my own team win 7 trophies (am I allowed to include the hubcaps?😁) in the SL era.

But I really don't think fans of any team in say, the Top 6, at the time of the new cup competition would appreciate the distraction for the small reward.   As I say though, it's easy for me as I'm a fan of a big club that can win (certain 😉) bigger trophies.

If you're a Saints fan, it concerns me that your confidence in Paul Wellens has dropped so far as to clinging on to hope of a Regal Trophy. 😲😉

  • Like 1
Posted
8 minutes ago, Fly-By-TheWire said:

Yeah, I guess (and it's a bit flippant of me to dismiss the idea having seen my own team win 7 trophies (am I allowed to include the hubcaps?😁) in the SL era.

But I really don't think fans of any team in say, the Top 6, at the time of the new cup competition would appreciate the distraction for the small reward.   As I say though, it's easy for me as I'm a fan of a big club that can win (certain 😉) bigger trophies.

If you're a Saints fan, it concerns me that your confidence in Paul Wellens has dropped so far as to clinging on to hope of a Regal Trophy. 😲😉

Like someone earlier in the thread said though, teams that may feel that they have a good chance at the bigger trophies would probably use it as an excuse to give the youngsters a run out.

I think you'd get something akin to the EFL Cup in football. The interesting thing about that is that, there are plenty of fans who will claim not to care about it, until the final rolls round and they're still in it.

Posted
18 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

Like someone earlier in the thread said though, teams that may feel that they have a good chance at the bigger trophies would probably use it as an excuse to give the youngsters a run out

True.   Fair point.

Posted
11 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Bring back the County Cups. 

County?... Lancashire?... Yorkshire?... Roses?

Bring back WotR. Sorted the issue guys.

Posted
4 hours ago, bamfordsbeans said:

A third competition with no history isn't the answer.

That problem's easily solved, just name it the Regal Trophy in honour of the nation's beloved King Charles III.

  • Haha 1
Posted

There is a lot of apathy for cup competitions these days (across most team sports). You don't know for a while where the fixture is so it's hard to plan for, you're often playing the same teams you've seen before in the league so it's not unique, and among other factors it just ends up making it less important than a SL game.

I don't think the answer is to have even more cup games. Look at the Super 8s for an example of what happens when you have more fixtures that aren't scheduled far in advance: compete drop off in comparison to the regular season. 

We need unique fixtures, not more of the same. I'm a big fan of the new cup format for this reason: it guarantees a different fixture for everyone at least once in the cup, and for SL teams a new venue. I'd move Magic Weekend to the next round of the cup now you've practically guaranteed all SL teams have qualified, then you get the bonus of 4 lower league teams getting the chance to qualify for Magic Weekend too. We've done 4 games in one day at MW before, so it's not a logistical issue.

Wells%20Motors%20(Signature)_zps67e534e4.jpg
Posted
5 hours ago, bamfordsbeans said:

Just look at recent Challenge Cup attendances to see what the fans think.

A third competition with no history isn't the answer.

Whereas Super League has literally tens of years of history.

Posted
45 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

County?... Lancashire?... Yorkshire?... Roses?

Bring back WotR. Sorted the issue guys.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Cups. 

Posted
6 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

Whereas Super League has literally tens of years of history.

Super League is just a rebranding of the Rugby League First Division, it was not plucked out of a tree in 1996, it had been around since 1973 as a divisional format and since 1895 as a league contest (with a couple of other ventures into divisions).

  • Like 1

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This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits.

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