I know the letter has been published today but when was it written?
Brian Barwick "newly appointed" Eh? He's been in his job 9 months.
His letter can mean all things to all people.
I don't think Lenagan would have gone ahead without McManus's support.
For Lenagan to speak out there must be a shift in the power base of Super League from the lower end clubs plus the Hetheringtons to the larger and more ambitious clubs.
As has been said, a lot of Rugby League politics is going on now, and in the trade press too.

True, he doesnt specifically say that he supports the 3x8 system - just talks about a "restructuring of the leagues which will benefit everyone". It could equally means that he supports a top10 with no P&R

I,ve only just got around to reading the SL Clubs v RFL debate, is it correct that the Board of Superleague does not have any Club representation from Superleague.

mentioned on radio Humberside tonight by hull fc owner adam pearson, the league looks set to be 12 team superleague, 1 up 1 down not this silly 3 groups of 8!

...and how does he know that. With the 3 eights thing that would put ip to 4 SL clubs in danger every year. Is it any wonder they are belayedly caising a sting. According to Saints SL clubs unanimously vored for change at their last non secret meeting.

I-phone, beer or both?

I suspect that we will see 14 teams start SL XIX, with 2 being relegated at the end of the year....as for whether we get 12+12 in SLXX with 8+8+8 after 22 rounds, or just 12+12 with 1 up, 1 down is open to discussion.

The RFL could and probably should show more strong leadership at the moment instead of hiding behind the RLWC 2013......

I read hull fc voted for the 12 teams and one up one down and pearson confirmed this tonight so it wasnt unanimous! Hull kr wanted a league of 10!

I'm not sure he has.
He has gone out of his way to say how good Brian Barwick is but fails to mention anyone else in the RFL that to me is telling.
He has avoided saying he likes the 12-12 8-8-8 outright, He has avoided saying he want's 12 teams in SL over 10 or 14 all he is saying is that everyone agreed that change was needed (Everyone is still in agreement over this IMHO) and that it will be sorted post world cup.

I would say he gives away the real issues in the disagreement in the paragraph.
"There may be some areas of corporate governance and representation which need to be separately addressed and improved (from the current system which, ironically, was enthusiastically constructed and endorsed by Super League Clubs only five years ago) and I have no doubt that these can be rationally and sensibly resolved."

I think it's a classic political statement where it's more what he doesn't say than what he does in parts of it.

"The main issues of the day are good and positive only in their substance and outlook......"

Does anyone know what this could possibly mean?

huddersfield wanted a league of 10 too.

so demonuk unanimous decision by all the all the superleague clubs is unanimously wrong!

It might also be the Championship Clubs who want more sponsors now, as well as SL clubs, seeing the Northern Rail Cup has been abolished and the sponsor gone too!

I assume you mean Magic Weekend?

Whilst what you say is quite true, one extra match is nothing like the old situation where it it was perfectly possible to have teams, first and second in the league, not even playing a single game against the same teams. It's being disingenuous to equate the two, imo, though I confess, I did once consider that MW was only introduced to give some spurious justification to the play-off system.

Oh dear, crisis, what crisis. www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/29 ... -statement I thought they were waiting until after the W.C?

Oh dear, crisis, what crisis. www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/29 ... -statement I thought they were waiting until after the W.C?