Super League to be cut to 12 teams from 2015 season

[TRF_Cymro]

Super League will feature 12 teams from the 2015 season after changes to the competition structure were agreed by clubs at their AGM in Bradford.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/23264272​

 

[Saints1]

Long overdue.

Let us just hope that they don't go with this silly league split idea. The league has long been over saturated. We need to play less games and have a thriving lower level of competition where teams can actually get promoted once in a while.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

What teams are likely to drop?

Broncos? Castleford? Wakefield?

 

[LittleGuy]

Long overdue.

Let us just hope that they don't go with this silly league split idea. The league has long been over saturated. We need to play less games and have a thriving lower level of competition where teams can actually get promoted once in a while.

This!!! That idea looks really confusing and silly. I think I generally like this reduction myself as well and agree with most of your points. My only area of concern would be for the financial stability of a couple of the fringe clubs that will hang around the relegation zone, magnified by recent problems at Bradford...Salford etc...

@ Cymro, Broncos and Castleford would be amongst my picks to go down...maybe outside chances at Bradford and Salford going down if they don't get their houses in order and even though they are improving Widnes will be in that range as well. Will be odd the first season of this with no teams coming up to replace the two that go down unless Super League are considering a three team relgation which seems excessive.

 

[smartcooky]

I don't know much about the SL, but this.....
[TEXTAREA] One option involves a 12-team Super League running alongside a 12-team Championship which would split after 23 rounds into three groups of eight.[/TEXTAREA]
....looks very ugly!!

This...
[textarea]The other option is for two divisions of 12 with promotion and relegation.[/textarea]
..looks a lot more sensible

What teams are likely to drop?

Broncos? Castleford? Wakefield?

Surely they will just play the 2014/15 season and whoever are the bottom two at the end will drop off into the championship

 

[Saints1]

The "licensing" system is being abolished (and the people who invented it should be banned from working in the sport forever in my book) so by that token I presume that the bottom two will be going down next season. London almost certainly will find their time in the Super League at an end and I still think Salford will struggle next season as their new players are all over the age of 68.

Ultimately London will deserve to go down. With Salford splashing the cash to give them an undeserved standing in the game they might yet escape but the second bottom spot will be very difficult to call next year. It should be done on merit though and not election. The franchising system has seen more top flight teams go bust in the last six years than at any other point in the sport's history. It's been a massive failure and the RFL should be called to account.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I saw a brief clip on Sky Sports News of Brian Carney calling for a further reduction to a 10 team top tier since talent will still be too diluted. Since my knowledge of Super League is quite poor, would that be a sensible idea?

Has Super League got a ***le sponsor for this season yet?

 

[Saints1]

No sponsor yet, no. Embarrassing. With only 6 games or so left that won't be changing in 2013 either. Big job for Brian Barwick.

As for ten teams, I personally think that's a bit OTT. We got by just fine with 12 teams previously. The expansion to 14 has been a disaster, it was a very poor decision and it has genuinely diluted the quality of the league. 12 teams is fine. 10 would probably result in too few games. 7 or 8 years ago Super League was very exciting. Now it's become dull. Times definitely need changing. I wouldn't stop there in my revamp of the sport but just getting the RFL to see sense and bring back promotion and relegation is surprising enough.

 

[William18]

I think going to 14 teams has really weakened the lower divisions and diluted talent. Promotion and relegation needs to come back in.

 

[Saints1]

No disagreement from me whatsoever. The game needs a shot in the arm, urgently.

 

[DUCKMAX]

I am all for the reshuffling of Rugby League, the NRL format we are currently trying to enforce just doesn't work for us and lower division teams are starting to suffer for it. The idea of a promotion and relegation is something I like the sounds of, will allow teams like Featherstone and Sheffield a chance to play some top-tier ruggers instead of just waiting around in the Championship until Super League calls thier number.

 

[Saints1]

Exactly.

I'd rather give Featherstone or Sheffield a chance than watch London hit rock, rock bottom which they undoubtedly will next season. Do they still even exist? Nobody knows.

 

[DUCKMAX]

I believe that Featherstone and Sheffield will have a much better time in Super League than the likes of London. Will give them a chance to renew old rivialries and the fans will likely fill the grounds every week. As much as I am keen to see the game extend outside the heartland (Being a Gateshead Thunder fan after all) in should be done on a more gradual basis instead of just throwing a team in and hoping that London will support them.

 

[halifax]

I can't understand why nobody would fancy halifax in super league again. We got decent stadium. I think giving chance halifax would do good, like have in the past.

 

[Saints1]

I'd give Halifax a go before I would sustain the London failure. They're dead, cut them loose.

 

[halifax]

Yea don't want London clubs . Or French teams. I know rugby league want the game popular in Wales won't happen, Wales unis union always will be

 

[Saints1]

Catalans are a good addition to the league. They have grown the sport in their region.

 

[halifax]

Yeah to be fair they have done good.

 

[halifax]

The team or 2 that get promoted to super league will it be just on who wins play offs? Or will they still be this stadium requirements. Cause there only really halifax leigh wot got decent stadium. I know few suppose doing there ground but can't see done in time

 

[Saints1]

Stadium requirements have always been there to an extent (I remember Dewsbury not being able to go up one year because their stadium wasn't up to scratch) but as long as some evidence can be put forward that the stadium is safe and can host Super League rugby I don't foresee that being a big issue this time.

As for the playoffs, I'm not sure - I just can't get my head round it. My understanding is:

- Bottom 4 of Super League and top 4 of Championship 1 have a round robin of 7 games. Points are reset.
- Championship teams get 4 home games.
- Top 4 go up for the following season, bottom 4 stay in Championship 1.