My variation of the original suggestion was for the friendlies in the pre-season to be carry on as each coach wants but that the results go towards a merit league.

All the proposed ideas have thier merit. One point I keep comming across from players coaches & comentators alike is that our players play to many games as it is. Adding more games would not go down well. What I would like to see is the game run on the American football system, small area based leagues, split the whole competition into two conferences each team to play 16 matches + play offs & chalange cup. This has two advantages it ends teams fear of relagation it alows the game to expand to as big as can be supported by the games income,The players will play at most 24 matches so they would be fresher for international duty.

It's not a case of playing extra games, more a matter of replacing the friendlies. That said, from a conditioning point of view, I doubt a pre-season comp would be [ithat[/i much more keenly-contested than the existing friendlies, or you'd be getting injuries all over the shop.

Trophy presentations
First, I wish they'd be done a lot sooner after the final whistle. One interview with the man of the match straight away, then the presentations, team photo, then more interviews.

Second, an idea for the team photo and any trophy presentations that happen on pitches: Allow a certain amount of supporters (behind stewards and ropes/barriers) quite close up. Aim: to give the effect that their ‘tribe’ are all celebrating together and it would also look good in the media rather than 17 players, a trophy and a sponsor’s board surrounded but nothing much.

Some realistic and sensible ideas:

1.Expand the 'federation trained' category of the quota to include players from RLEF countries, which would allow clubs to take a punt on European talent without compromising their squad.

2.Move junior RL as a whole to the summer. This is being done gradually, and will take a lot of time, but is massively important for the British game.

Youtube
Persuade the NRL to stop having rugby league clips removed. I'm not saying let people upload entire matches (annoy the broadcast companies maybe) but RL sporting moments should be shown to as many people as possible.

Week off
Give the Super League champions a bye in round 4 of the Challenge Cup because they play an extra game with the WCC.

France
Get the French to switch their leagues to run at the same time as ours. Their amateur and junior leagues might attract more players when not competing so much with RU and football.

Their semi-pro teams could perhaps join the UK ones in the Northern Rail Cup at some point or...

The Championship and Elite champions could play-off in a [iEuropean Club Challenge[/i

6 subs instead of 4

Increase the number of subs but keep the interchanges

Subs 18 and 19 can only play in the backs rest can replace 1 to 13.
also two of the 6 subs should be 21 or younger.

This is to encourage youth and to give young backs a chance in the first team which currently is difficult with an overemphasis on loading the bench with forwards.

Try to reduce number of games for rest and internationals

A Few tweaks could shorten the season and be beneficial like :

Mix challenge cup & Magic Weekend

Seed Top 6 finishers in SL plus NL1 winners and NL2 winners into last 16 of challenge cup.

Make millenium magic the last 16 for the challenge cup.

By seeding eight teams you can make a draw for MM in December or a soon as the SL finishes.

They can be drawn with 8 balls which will be the qualifiers from the earlier rounds later on.

MM gets a competitive edge to every game and NL representation whilst boosting the challenge cup.

We also get a weekend of Rugby league on terrestrial TV or games split between Sky and Beeb.

Top 7 instead of top 8 for Grandfinal playoffs

No second chances and a week shorter.

2v7
3v6
4v5

1 gets week off then picks from 2 lowest placed teams

semis then grand final.

OK other things

Challenge Cup

- SL clubs to play away if drawn against lower league opponents until last 16

- Shorten the time between last 16 and final no more than 3 weeks between rounds

- Hold challenge cup final end of july not august

world club challenges

Top 3 from

Grand final winners & runners up
League leaders
Then highest placed league finishers

V same from NRL

Over one weekend with the final game being the world club championship

Wooden spoon to enter NL finals

Self explanatory - Seeded last good benchmark for applications

Xmas and new year 9s

Regional 9s tournaments on boxing day with winners into a national comp on new years day.

Heritage rounds

the nearest 2 rounds of sl to August 29th should be heritage rounds.

Retro shirts - a home game in one of the rounds for each team - honor past players that have died in the last 12 months etc.

video ref

Decisions to be no longer than 60 seconds. The length of time is getting ridiculous - if in doubt we already go with the attacking side but we can go to refs call as well.

On report decisions can be reviewed by the video ref as play continues within 5 minutes. If inconclusive then can be reviewed later by panel.

One game one ref, use the big screen but only the ref on the field make a call.
The report point i fully agree with, look on the screen and make the decision straight away

All Junior RL to be moved to the summer. There would be a 5 metre gap between attack and defence at the play the ball to try and imrpove ball skills and to minimise the impact if tackles. I would have bonus points for tries that come from three or more passes, to try and discourage teams from simply giving the ball to the biggest kid all the time.

The Challenge Cup semi finals should be a double header. This way you could make it into a real event to encourage as many people as possible to attend. I would also move the Challenge Cup back to the beginning of the season, as in August teams should be focusing on making the playoffs and the Challenge Cup Final is a distraction.

I would also go back to the top five system as it will be more of a test of consistency to make the playoffs.

The World Club Challenge should alternate between England and Australia.

Wouldn't that disadvantage St Helens too

A player who represents one country should NEVER, under any circumstances (except the creation of a new country) be allowed to represent another. Just like in football.

Mid-season international tours.

Central contracts.



Pre-season 'Champions League' style tournament involving the top 3 clubs in the NRL and SL. Played in Australia!

Yes, end of season, NO!, interesting.