I don't think fans would get behind a nines comp. they barely get behind the 13s version at times. I reckon this is why the RFL are sceptical about risking it.

I dont disagree, but is a lop sided league proggrame acceptable with P and R?

The time for a magic weekend was always after the split. It makes complete sense to start the next phase with games at a neutral venue then an even 3 home three away fixtures.

Well they had it 2001-2007. The fans still came to support their clubs.

Fans are not the issue, ending up in a top/bottom 4 due to a harder/easier match is

As regards the home/away issue in the middle 8 ,that is decided by you finishing positions in the initial league programme

Magic first game after the split, three day event to bring all three eights together.
Challenge cup final back towards the beginning of the season (rounds every three weeks would be ideal, home, away, CC). International windows after both major finals, with fixtures and venues announced at least a year in advance.

If done well with a real party atmosphere, fans village, good themeing, and decent sides I reckon they would. Nines is an amazing vehicle to grow our game and making it a must do party weekend for fans would see decent crowds I reckon. If a city as small as Auckland can fill a stadium for it surely the whole of the M62 corridor plus a some frenchies can?

I think the MW would lend itself very well to a standalone 9s competition. It could be worked out so all teams are involved on both days and would therefore make it so more fans come for the full weekend rather than just the days their team plays on, as a lot currently do.

On the face of it, I'm looking forward to the new league structure coming in for 2015, but I don't think it's gone far enough to address a couple of issues, most notably the fact the MW is still an additional fixture and the timing of the CCF. I think the CCF should have been moved back to May so that it doesn't clash with the "Super 8's" stage of SL. The MW needed to be better integrated in to the season, I think there are several better options than having it as an extra fixture without making a team lose a home game (1st game following the split/9s comp/CCQFs). It would also spread our big events out throughout the season.

I'd look at structuring the season something like:

February - CCR4 (Champs clubs enter)
early March - CCR5 (Bottom 4 SL clubs enter)
late March - CCR6 (SL clubs enter)
April - CCQFs
early May - CCSFs
late May - CCF
July (after 22 rounds) - 9s Magic Weekend
September/October - Playoffs and GF

I think one of the main criticisms of the MW is that it creates a lopsided fixture list. An understandable criticism.

I think one of the main attractions of the MW is the festival atmosphere it brings. The main reason I love it in fact!

You could kill two birds with one stone here by changing it into a Nines tournament.
In fact, you could kill four birds with one stone by having it on the same weekend as the CCSF and including those two games in the concept!

CCSF crowds are low. This would boost them tremendously as you'd know where they would be played in advance and your club will always be involved as they'll either be in the Nines or the SF, so people would be more willing to purchase upfront. It would also attract a lot more neutrals.

Having it on the same weekend would also reduce the season by one week whilst maintaining the MW concept for all clubs and the money it brings in.

I'm not saying it's the answer to all our problems, but it certainly could be the answer to a few of them and worthy of discussion.

In fact, if you had it on the weekend between the split, I suppose it has an even further advantage of giving fixture planners more time to arrange games for after he split.

But like I said earlier, it all relies on whether the public would get begin a Nines tournament. I suppose with the CCSF involved, it gives you a far better chance.

Spain getting into the Nines scene www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/rlp-na ... -league-9s

Spain getting into the Nines scene www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/rlp-na ... -league-9s

I like your positive thinking and that of other posters on this subject, as I agree with unfairness of MW lob-sided fixtures when P&R are involved balanced with a need to promote our sport.

However, I'm not convinced that tagging on the CCSF is a good idea as it could easily blow the carnival atmosphere with rival supporters getting involved in a bit of OTT goading in two 'must win' games. To be fair I've not seen much evidence of this at Wembley even though it is open to all RL supporters, but, at the GF a bit of unsavoury nonsense has unfortunately raised its ugly head.

You say that the CCSF crowds are low, so what and how is that judged? The LSV is a sell out, but, that 'small' crowd will be having a great time they've waited some time for Sunday. It's a season defining fixture and shouldn't be lost in the midst of knockabout RL and when I'm at Langtree Park tomorrow I wouldn't thank you for having a load of Widnes species cheering any Leeds score and vice versa in their game.

But having that 4 home game advantage gives the teams that incentive to carry on trying to win games to finish as high as possible (even if they can't finish top8, or below top4 in the Championship). Removing that advantage could render some games at the end of the 23 rounds meaningless.

In terms of the MW being the difference between staying in SL and getting relegated? That's a bit dramatic. They would still have the 7 games in the Qualifiers after that, which is more than enough opportunity to make sure you survive.


9's idea - I enjoyed watching the floodlit 9's a few years ago, but from the comfort of my own armchair. Would many supporters go for the weekend to watch predominatly youngsters playing for something that isn't important? Let's be honest, most clubs wouldn't take it seriously and only send a few senior players.

If it was a standalone competition that was properly sponsored and there was a decent prize money on offer, it would be taken seriously. Plus there could be a rule about how many first team players had to be included.

I think there are two reasons why the MW has been left as a standalone game and not integrated in to the post-split part of the season, one is to give the top 4 an extra home game as you have mentioned and the other is so they can sort the fixture list out early. Leaving it until the leagues of 12 are finished would mean fans would not know who they were playing or on what days until the very last minute. This way it can be sorted out months in advance. So I can see why they have kept it as it is but creating a league system with one additional fixture isn't great. I like the MW as a concept but it needs a better purpose IMO.

I still don't understand why another Cup Competition isn't introduced.
Something else for clubs to play for.
I'd love to see the Lancashire and Yorkshire Cups return to the game.
A stipulation whereby each team could only select a maximum of 10 first team squad members and the remaining players would come from the Junior team.
Would be great for development of the young lads, but would still provide enough experience in there to attract the fans.

I agree though I wouldn't do the Lancs & Yorks cups. I'd have a League cup like football where it's only the pro league clubs that take part. And I'd have all the clubs from SL, Championship, C1 in from the start.
I'd also have, like you say, either a max limit of so many first team players or a minimum of so many young players for each SL team.

So after a prelim round to get it down to 32 teams it'd be a straight knock-out comp.