I thought the discussion, as pointed out by Gareth, were that things were improving further down the ladder. Therefore what happened previous isn't really cut and dried. However, the point is that top 8 Is top 8, and once there all in with a chance. Now it is only top 4.

Just to highlight this further. I absolutely hate the idea of bonus points scoring, yet it appears likely that this will be brought in next year under the new structure.

Had that being in place this year, we would go from a likely 11 point gap under current scoring by round 23 between 4th and 8th, to a 16 point gap. Again highlighting how pointless those end fixtures are. The 8th based team would have put everything into avoiding relegation, and nothing to play for come the extra 7 rounds.

I haven't read anything about that. Hope it's not true because, like you, I hate the idea of bonus points.

if someone is so far adrift that they can't qualify from 8th they should have done better in the previous 23 rounds. I would think that the point of this new system is so you have to put effort in to getting results all year instead of just at the end

I recall having a similar debate a few months ago with a fan of ones of those teams around 8th place on the VT who complained that the system was poor as his team could most likely enter that top 8 period 10 points adrift and very little chance of making it up in the extra remaining games thus they were meaningless games.

The obvious reply to him was don't find yourself 10+ points adrift in the first place. Think it's sadly eneviatable that in 12 months time we'll see threads on the VT with fans of the 7th/8th teams complaining they can't catch the top 4 when the split down to 8 happens.

I agree with a 12 team SL and P+R but that's as far as it goes for me.
Imo the Play Offs should be top 5/6 with top spot playing just 1 game at home to get the GF (in a 5 team P/O).
I also think this bottom 4 SL playing top 4 Championship is loaded way too much in favour of the SL teams again rewarding failure and adding fixtures for the sake of it.
For me the top team in the Championship comes up automatically and replaces the bottom team then 2nd plays 2nd bottom in the "Do or Die" final with the winner getting a SL spot.
On a slight detour I'd also make it compulsory for SL teams to run an u23 team with the allowance of 3 over-age players included.
Then it would be u18's u16's & u15's at that level I'd introduce the Yorkshire and Lancashire cups and also a war of the roses series.

I have said the same thing myself previously, and wholeheartedly agree with this. It just makes complete sense. The roses series is a no brainer for me, and for the cup if not Yorkshire/Lancashire then a challenge cup at those levels, with a finals day for all three age groups on the same day and venue.

As for tough if they are so far behind. What is the point of the new structure then? they are behind now and will be then, so why change. If one from below does manage that higher up then it will be the expense of someone higher. I bet the same people on here saying tough now, won't be preaching the same if it was Leeds. The whole point of the season is the Grand Final, so why restrict to just four teams.

As for tough if they are so far behind. What is the point of the new structure then? they are behind now and will be then, so why change. If one from below does manage that higher up then it will be the expense of someone higher. I bet the same people on here saying tough now, won't be preaching the same if it was Leeds. The whole point of the season is the Grand Final, so why restrict to just four teams.'"

And what about the dead rubber extra seven games in that scenario, which is what we are talking about? you do understand the structure don't you? if you want a top 4 for the play offs, then all fine, but don't bother with the extra 7 games then, just go as finish after 23 rounds.





I think the idiot part is the only part that fits your name, so best leave where is.

We probably wont see them moaning because by that point they will likely have given up on the season and wont bother with it.

We can moralise about it, we can just tell clubs to be better, doesnt really matter if people dont watch the games. Its far more likely, almost certain that mathematically the super 8's will be dead rubbers for some sides, and pretty much all of them quite quickly.

Even this year which is relatively very competitive and close at the top, there are 6 points between 1st and 5th, in a 7 game league that can very quickly become unbridgeable, there are 9 points between 8th and 4th. Within 2 games that can become an impossibility.

Exactly. And going back a few posts here, as Gareth said, just as we seem to have got it working.

The new concept of the play offs just don't make sense, unless you go with the top 4 from the end of 23 rounds.

I agree BUT if that system was in place this season we'd be 2 points clear at the top

RFL still discussing it with the clubs