The circumstances you mention contributing to losses over 30 games would still have occurred if 1up 1 down P&R was still being used. Why does this system make teams and players more vulnerable?

If Leigh go straight back down next season, the system could be deemed a failure. If they stay up at the end of the 8's, get a second season in SL and start to build on and off the field, it would be a success. Wouldn't it?

They all signed up to it! What do they want to do now? Cross their signatures out. The RFL gave two clubs parachute payments (one off payments) to support the transistion. Thats what they all agreed to! And now some dont.

There's some right tools on here iggy. They thought there cosy little SL family was protected forever and then some little upstarts from Leigh spoiled there virtual terrace love in. Earning respect from some of the idiots on here who deride anything lower league is not going to be anything I will worry about this coming season. It is quite amusing.

Who do I want to go down....HKR....no wait Salford....actually don't know TBH but will enjoy the game for what it is.

I dont think that fan's have any objection to relegation (unless it's their club that is affected), it's the concept of the MPG that is being questioned.
It's one thing losing in a cup final and having to get over the disappointment but, with so much at stake, there is little pleasure for fans, players and employees of the clubs involved.
My club, Wakefield, have been involved in 2 of these games, Bradford last season and Cas a few years back and we've also had plenty of "scrapes" over the years to survive in SL by the skin of our teeth on too many occasions.

Where the MPG is so fundamentally flawed is, the fact that we have this game every season.

There is a world of difference in being the bottom club and "deserving" to be relegated and having to play a game under such intense pressure, with everything on the line. It's just not necessary.

Btw, well don to Leigh, it's been a long, long wait and I hope SL is all that you have been praying for.

It's the whole Million Pound game thing for me. I'm a Hull KR fan and have no problem with promotion and relegation as thats how we got back into the top flight. But this season we didn't finish bottom of the league after 23 rounds, finished above Salford in the Middle 8's but still have to play a deciding game to avoid relegation. In two league formats this season we have not been the worse team overall but could still go down because of one game.

fold - why? the sl club relegated wont have any player contracts come the 1st december? its then up to that club to cut their cloth accordingly with the 800k+ funding they will still get.

The RFL planned for relegation by having relegation clause put into players contracts and also adjusting funding accordingly...

whats happening tomorrow is no different than the game at Belle Vue in 2006 which resulted in rovers replacing the loser...

IMO both Watson and Cockayne are talking crap and actually brin the game into disrepute and as for Cockayne's link to the State of Mind organisation, is a complete disgrace and he should apologise.

Fate decided it came down to the final game of the season that year and the team that went down was the worse over the course of a full season. That is how it should be if we are to have relegation. Not this Million Pound Game rubbish. Rovers did not finish bottom after 23 games and finished above Salford in the 8's but still have to play a decider to stay in the league.

They should have been better in other games then, if rovers go down, it's the fault of Hull Kingston Rovers and no one else! they've had enough games to avoid going down but failed to win enough!
And FWIW, i don't agree with the MPG but it's there and so it's upto clubs and players to avoid playing in it.

yeah. They should probably have sealed the deal against your side last week i think you would agree, but they still have another bite of the cherry, and at home. Hull KR players can't really blame anyone but themselves if they aren't good enough to take it.

Yeh we've been rubbish this year. A bit rich from the fan of the team who finished bottom of the league yet didn't get relegated to say we didn't do enough.

But finishing bottom didn't matter- if it did the outcome may have been different. Coaches sacked early in the season, players brought in, players trying a bit harder in the games....

If Salford go down it will be a direct result of Koukash's cheating.
If he hadn't deliberately broken the salary cap in previous seasons, Salford would have probably made the top 8.
I won't feel for Koukash, but I'll feel for the genuine supporters of whichever club is relegated.

I think the difference between P&R and this system is with P&R the club going down would probably hold on to most of its players in the hope of a quick return having only to best fellow championship sides wheras the middle 8s you have to be better than a team not in your league but at the end of day we will have had 2 home games to seal our SL survival so if we don't it's our own fault and nobody else's

Jamie Peacock agreeing with Cockayne now. www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-lea ... -8949917?1 In fairness to the players, the players as a whole were hugely against this terrible idea from the start.

Jamie Peacock agreeing with Cockayne now. www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-lea ... -8949917?1 In fairness to the players, the players as a whole were hugely against this terrible idea from the start.

i dont think this idea is so terrible TBH- if we are going to have promotion the team promoted needs to demonstrate they can be competitive. The top four playing the bottom four is a reasonable scenario to evidence that. Leigh have shown they can be competitive against the bottom sides in the competition -last year they were not. should we therefore just do away with the MPG and say any team that finishes top four are in SL and those that finish lower stay on the championship. Keep the payment situation as it is so that all teams try to be competitive right to the end of the 8s.