rlhttps://www.sportinglife.com/rugby-league/news/article/480/9510537/rfl-scraps-championship-bonus-points-systemrl

Scrapped next season. Never keen on idea in first place TBH.

We've done this to death I know but surely something that offers an incentive for teams not to throw in the towel when heading for a loss is good. Spectators see the losing team trying to keep it competitive rather than a blow out.

we can naively hope that professional pride can do the same job but it doesn't.

Could give them a gold star for taking part too! It's professional sport. I don't want to be celebrating a defeat!

*puts flat cap on* How about playing for some bloody pride in the shirt?! *takes flat cap off*

Needless complication gone thank God.

Tend to agree Bullseye. Though more importantly, and a new first for me - agreeing with Nigel Wood - we need all leagues playing to the same system.

That's what I thought although having not followed a team under that system, I have no experience of whether it works.
I'm surprised they've done this with their "Every Minute Matters" campaign but one thing that is definitely true is there had to be one system across all the divisions.

I agree with that but I can't grasp this "it's just not cricket to give points for a loss" mindset. People would rather sit watching score after score being run in against a side who has no real incentive to try anymore.

I think it boils down to the people disagreeing with me being losers and scum. That seems fair.

I'm with you on that. If winning is the only thing that matters, then why seek promotion? Surely the chances are that you'll win less in a higher division. Maybe playing the best game you can and putting in a great performance is more important and that's why you want the challenge of playing a better team?

What's better - winning every game against inferior opponents, or putting up a good fight against a strong opposition?

I must admit that I don't really mind whether we run in cricket scores in the coming season as promotion is the be and end all for 2015. But in principle any measure that lets me watch a competitive game is one I'd be in favour of.

Well then could you have a word with Big Nige as I sent in just such a proposal, but haven't had a response.

My basic idea was that each team is allowed a sniper, with 5 bullets. Once his team is 17 points behind, he has 1 shot to take out an opponent of his choice. If the deficit increases, he gets to use another bullet per each 4 points. He can use more than one bullet on any given player, but the total is 5 however many or few players he tries to shoot.

A red line would be drawn down the centre of the pitch, and only players on the far side of the red line can be shot. This would open up play as players would tend to stay to the near side of the pitch if they could, but this would leave wide open space on the far side.

The 4 points per bullet would also lead to some interesting choices whether to (for example) take a kick at goal or a penalty, or not.

There are refinements, but that's the nuts and bolts of it.