I'd say more than that personally. I think you could take six-seven clubs as "elite" clubs. On that basis, a 10-12 team system seems the best compromise between holding up standards and having a commercially viable competition.

At the moment, we have 14 teams and an eight team play-off system purely because it "kept enough people happy". That's not the way to run a sport.

Totally agree with that bit.

what you on? crack?

Excellent idea IMO.

I can’t see why we expand to new regions when our foundations aren’t secure? You wouldn’t build a house on dodgy foundations so why try to build a sport? I’m all for expansion but not

Instead of trying to copy RU or looking at their international scene with envy we need to differentiate from them and market what strengths we have compared to their weaknesses. For me the stand out area is SL vs the Guinness Premiership. SL is a far more competitive league with bigger crowds and a better on the field product even with some of the weak sides we have in SL.

A 10 team SL, which would give us a chance to cut some of the weaker teams is the quickest way to have a really competitive, professional looking league.

Wigan
Saints
Leeds
Wire
Hudds
Hull FC

That’s more than half of the league already at the level we need. All could potentially win SL this season although I think Hull could struggle. Most importantly however all of them have an excellent pedigree when it comes to producing home grown players. From an aesthetic pov only Leeds let the side down with their stadium.

I’d then bring in Widnes due to the money they have behind them. I’d bring in Hull KR due to their fierce rivalry with Hull FC and Catalan.

The last spot needs to be taken on the merits of teams like Salford, Cas or Bradford and their ability to get increased crowds and a new stadiums. I know Bradford have worked hard on their crowds and Cas and Salford have made movement on their new grounds.

Lets make SL as strong as possible and then use this excellent league and product to move forward.

Forget it, Peacock is just a p***k

Very insular viewpoint, a symptom of the place that League finds itself in England. Lets look after ourselves and make believe that nobody else matters. If we are to make this a true sport of Kings then we need to help others build their capabilities and therefore improve our competition base. Then we can truly start to enjoy a significant interest from the rest of the sporting world. I'm afraid that keeping it to a small number of elite clubs will inevitably lead to isolation and is to the detriment of the game.

Can I just point out that from a Saints perspective, the quality of play we dished up for the first 65 minutes tonight was no better than the quality of play Quins dished up for their last 65 minutes.

And if we dumped Quins, Cats, wakey & Crusaders (or Salford, or Cas) out of the competition, then which of their players would we be taking on at the other clubs to hugely boost the standard, hmm ? The best players at all those clubs are arguably the Aussie/Kiwi ones, so the net result of cutting the competition, reducing the fanbase, shrinking the geographical footprint and reducing money coming into the game would be.....?

Peacock's a good prop forward. I think we should leave it there.

14 is just right for me.

Hopefully in the next 10 years or so all these teams will be strong:

1. Wigan
2. St Helens
3. Leeds
4. Warrington
5. Salford
6. Cumbria
7. Crusaders
8. Harlequins
9. Huddersfield
10. Bradford
11. Hull FC
12. Hull KR
13. Catalan
14. Tolouse

Twelve is about right i'd say, with a top 5 play offs in three divisions. Keep franchising and guidelines between all three divisions. Reduce the number of domestic games.

SL

Bradford
Castleford
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull FC
Hull KR
Leeds
Salford
St.Helens
Warrington
Widnes
Wigan

Championship

Barrow
Batley
Crusaders
Dewsbury
Featherstone
Halifax
Harlequins
Leigh
Sheffield
Toulouse
Wakefield
York


Championship 1

Doncaster
Gateshead
Hunslet
Keighley
London Skolars
Oldham
Rochdale
South Wales
Swinton
Whitehaven
Workington
AN Other Expansion team

By the way, i've not put any teams into any division to cause any offence! Just off the top of my head, I think the championship looks very strong.

And how would Mr. Peacock arrange it so that there were still the same number of games as we have now? Or is he prepared to take a walloping great pay cut?

Two welsh and two french? Non-league football is more popular in those countries than rugby league. Why dilute the sports popularity??

Hmm lets see, we currently have 27 rounds, 9x3=27

With the sky money being split 10 ways as opposed to 14, he would get a walloping pay rise rather than a cut

Not sure how you think this would dilute the sports popularity? They should be included to help expand the game and get 3 competitive northern hemisphere nations