2,602 there to see a well deserved York win. A fantastic achievement to say York had no pre season, and weren't even in the initial league 1 fixtures. This time last year they even had to postpone their first match of the super 8s due to off field problems.
Toronto will still get promotion and will deserve it and I am one of those who think they are good for the game, but it's good to go down in the history books as being the first league team to defeat them.
One last point - it shows what can be done if you rise to the challenge on and off the pitch, create a buzz about the fixture, promote the hell out of it then do the job on the pitch. Here's hoping Workkngton and Keighley can put in a similar effort and pack them in!
Call me a simpleton but I think a clear cut simple system is the way forward. It's hard enough getting new faces to understand the rules to the game let alone a complex structure. I work in a county that doesn't have a pro RL club and when I try to explain to them how we win competitions and the structure they find it very hard to understand at first viewing which probably eliminates any interest before they have given it a good go.
Whatever structures you go with it's going to need time to grow and to allow player pools to expand. Chopping and changing isn't the answer, put a structure in place and allow it to grow.
I would personally go with.
14 team Super League - 27 games each (home and away plus magic weekend) bottom two go down and top 4 compete in play offs. Make it compulsory that all teams have a reserve and academy set up. Stadium Capacity must be at least 8000.
14 team Championship - 27 games (home and away plus summer bash) Make it compulsory to have at least a U18s set up and a permanent home base/long lease with min capacity 5000. Top automatically goes up and 2 to 5 to compete in play offs for second promotion spot. Bottom place to be relegated.
12 team League 1 22 games (home and away) Top gets promoted. Make it compulsory to have a permanent base with at least 3000 capacity. Bottom gets relegated should winners from the North & South fit criteria.
Setup a League 1 North & South for any future teams who wish to enter the pro leagues max to 10 teams each. Winners of either League to play each other in a grand final to gain promotion to League 1.
This structure could be made better I am sure but the guidelines let clubs know what is expected to move up the ranks. It also allows clubs to grow naturally. Some clubs will rise and others will fall, but that is the point of sport. This super 8s stuff is all confusing for the neutrals IMO.
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