Rugby Leagues new format

For the 2015 season and the forseable future , Rugby League will be under a new structure with regards the league (we like to change things, league formats, divisions, promotion/relegation, teams, rules, when we play. You name it we changed everything at least once in the 20 odd years i've followed RL). Anyhow, the new league structure is as follows (sorry i forgot a couple of things, and if i get anything slightly wrong).

Super League and the championship will now consist of 12 teams, Championship 1 will be 14 teams. These are -

SUPER LEAGUE -

Castleford, Catalan, Huddersfield, Hull FC, Hull KR, Leeds, St Helens, Salford, Wakefield, Warrington, Widnes & Wigan.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Batley, Bradford, Dewsbury, Doncaster, Featherstone, Halifax, Hunslet, Leigh, London Broncos, Sheffield, Whitehaven & Workington.

CAMPIONSHIP 1 -

Barrow, Coventry, Gateshead, Gloucestershire, Hemel, Keighley, London Skolars, North Wales, Oldham, Oxford, Rochdale, South Wales, Swinton & York.

Championship 1

Will see all sides play each other home and away, the team that finnishes top of the league will be promoted upto the championship along with the divsions grand final winners.

SUPER LEAGUE & THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

The 12 clubs in both divsions will play each other home and away, they will also play one game at boths madness weekends (SL'S is in Newcastle this year, Championship's is in Blackpool). At the end of these 23 games, they will then split into 3 groups of 8, for the last 7 games (i know its to do with placings, but can't remember who gets the 4 home 3 away, or vice versa).

The top 8 in SL, will continue with the same points they have already won. After the 7 games the top 4 will then progress into the play offs.

The Bottom 8 in the championship will also keep the points they've already won, and after there 7 games the bottom 2 will be relegated.

The bottom 4 in Super League will form a group with the top 4 from the championship. In this group, the sides will all begin with no points. After there 7 games, the top 3 will be promoted back upto SL for the start of the 2016 season, the 4 placed team will play the 5th placed team in a winner takes all game at home. The winner of this game (which i really don't see the point of), will also be in SL for the start of 2016 season.

I'm sorry if i missed anything off, but i am only human after all.

tigerrobins wrote:For the 2015 season and the forseable future , Rugby League will be under a new structure with regards the league (we like to change things, league formats, divisions, promotion/relegation, teams, rules, when we play. You name it we changed everything at least once in the 20 odd years i've followed RL). Anyhow, the new league structure is as follows (sorry i forgot a couple of things, and if i get anything slightly wrong).

Super League and the championship will now consist of 12 teams, Championship 1 will be 14 teams. These are -

SUPER LEAGUE -

Castleford, Catalan, Huddersfield, Hull FC, Hull KR, Leeds, St Helens, Salford, Wakefield, Warrington, Widnes & Wigan.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Batley, Bradford, Dewsbury, Doncaster, Featherstone, Halifax, Hunslet, Leigh, London Broncos, Sheffield, Whitehaven & Workington.

CAMPIONSHIP 1 -

Barrow, Coventry, Gateshead, Gloucestershire, Hemel, Keighley, London Skolars, North Wales, Oldham, Oxford, Rochdale, South Wales, Swinton & York.

Championship 1

Will see all sides play each other home and away, the team that finnishes top of the league will be promoted upto the championship along with the divsions grand final winners.

SUPER LEAGUE & THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

The 12 clubs in both divsions will play each other home and away, they will also play one game at boths madness weekends (SL'S is in Newcastle this year, Championship's is in Blackpool). At the end of these 23 games, they will then split into 3 groups of 8, for the last 7 games (i know its to do with placings, but can't remember who gets the 4 home 3 away, or vice versa).

The top 8 in SL, will continue with the same points they have already won. After the 7 games the top 4 will then progress into the play offs.

The Bottom 8 in the championship will also keep the points they've already won, and after there 7 games the bottom 2 will be relegated.

The bottom 4 in Super League will form a group with the top 4 from the championship. In this group, the sides will all begin with no points. After there 7 games, the top 3 will be promoted back upto SL for the start of the 2016 season, the 4 placed team will play the 5th placed team in a winner takes all game at home. The winner of this game (which i really don't see the point of), will also be in SL for the start of 2016 season.

I'm sorry if i missed anything off, but i am only human after all.

I am not at all convinced with this new format at the moment. Perhaps i will be at the end of the first season of it.
To me it seems over complicated. Time will tell.

I'm looking forward to it, should get rid of the vast amount of nothing games as every side will have to hit the group d running. Brings relevance back to the lower divisions.

We needed the franchise system to bring stability back after the early years chaotic running of SL. This will take it on a step.

tigerrobins wrote:I'm looking forward to it, should get rid of the vast amount of nothing games as every side will have to hit the group d running. Brings relevance back to the lower divisions.

We needed the franchise system to bring stability back after the early years chaotic running of SL. This will take it on a step.

I would have continued with the licensing system with a little bit of tinkering.
I can see a return to boom and bust and less junior development.