At the risk of sounding rather dumb. Can someone please explain the 7 game mini league.
In particular the home/away fixture structure.
Is it explained somewhere and I have just failed to read it?
Thanks.

Just heard on the radio it's increasing to five for the championship clubs. Is it still seven for the SL clubs?

It's in there somewhere just not that clear. I read it as the strongest teams, placed 1 and 2 in championship get four home games as do the 9 and 10 placed SL teams the 3 and 4 in championship and 11 and 12 in SL get 3 home and 4 away games. Thus there is at least an incentive at back end of SL season and some incentive not to just scrape into the top four of championship.

Not sure whether same applies to bottom 8 games.

How a club sells a season ticket on that basis is another matter?

I don't like the 4v5 play-off in the middle 8 division.

It seems as if a Championship does finish above a Super League club in the seven fixtures. They could still lose out via the play-off game. If it wasn't hard enough already.

I really like the sound of it! Top teams really want to make sure they have as much points as possible ready for the top 8 split when they have to face each other again. Some teams will be fighting just to get into the 8 to avoid chance of relegation! One problem though. Let's say a team is guaranteed a top 4 place after the split will they rest players for preparation for semis? Will other teams be affected by the resting of players? For example league position. I would be screwing if to reach the top 4 I needed the team who rest players to win to get in there. Wouldn't be right fair. Apart from that Roll on 2015

Any news on salary caps and overseas allowances yet?

There needs to be more of a reward for finishing top of the SL

I can see sides sitting back once they are guaranteed a top four spot.

The only incentive for coming top is a home draw.

We may see teams tactically deciding which position to finish in. This is something that has bedevilled the current top 8 system where sides basically coast into the playoffs.

I think it's alright, better than straight P&R anyway.

I don't like the name "Million Pound Game". It makes the sport sound incredibly small time. A million pounds isn't that much in professional sport. Just call it the Super League Decider or something more professional.

The increase in funding will be key for the top Championship clubs.

I like the new League 1 Cup, it gives those clubs something else to aim for and brings another dimension into that league.

I'm 50/50 on the changes to the Challenge Cup, I'd prefer the top clubs to play more Cup games not fewer. But I'll give it time to see how it works.

I'd prefer a top 5/6 playoff system to the 1v4, 2v3.


Re the discussion on licensing, I don't think licensing failed as such. I think it wasn't implemented as it should have been and it was unlucky to come in just at the same time the global economy crashed. Under any system RL would have struggled to increase/maintain crowds & revenue in this period.
I think it needed to be at least 5 year (rather than 3) licences, with in-depth gradings/reviews of every aspect of a club alongside targets for each aspect of each club to be met by the next licence round.
I also think it was a big mistake to add 2 teams to the league. If it had been 12 teams, with a top 6 playoff, I think it would have worked a lot better.

The Championship salary cap will be £1m, I didn't see SL's mentioned but I'd guess it'll stay roughly the same at £1.6m/£1.8m.

Five overseas players for the championship clubs.

Super league will remain at the same level for now at least.

Please please please do not bring bonus points to superleague. Never liked the idea - I don't understand why losers still deserve points, it's like giving the kid who finishes last in the egg and spoon race on sports day a medal for winning in spirit

I agree. I don't mind them for amateur or semi pro leagues. But in pro leagues I don't see the need.