Red Hall's policy review document is now available to read online, for those interested. 28 pages but a good read for sad acts like myself. I have to say that apart from the nature of the restructure there is little there to disagree with. Thoughts? www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/29 ... umentation

Red Hall's policy review document is now available to read online, for those interested. 28 pages but a good read for sad acts like myself. I have to say that apart from the nature of the restructure there is little there to disagree with. Thoughts? www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/29 ... umentation

That is the problem with the 8In Tier 1, the current Elite Squad Representative Dispensation Allowance
is removed, to be replaced by regulation that limits the Salary Cap Value
of a Club Trained Player at a nominal value of £100k (i.e. for any Club
Trained Player with a Salary Cap Value of over £100k, his Salary Cap
Value will be assessed at £100k only with any additional wage not
included in his salary cap value). This would reward clubs for producing
elite talent and give them an opportunity to retain this talent in the face of
competition from other sports and competitions'"

There is a vast amount to look at in this document. What disappoints me is the lack of (presented ? ) data to support their case. It therefore comes across as a university students dissertation - long on theory and rules, short on evidence. The central case for the new structure needs to be backed up by estimates of game attendances in order to get some form of projection on income - the whole plan depends on this one aspect, and nothing is forthcoming. At the moment some SL clubs are / have been close to folding, so income needs to be estimated so we know what level of risk is involved in providing extra income to the Championship clubs.

I like the P R introduction, If affordable I like the connection to the Championship clubs also. Reducing bureaucracy on licensing seems a good move. But I don't like the academy rules much, particularly stating there will only be 10 allowed and introducing a salary cap. If clubs can get more youth into academies using higher salaries, then I think they should be encouraged to do so.

Finally, no mention of the RFL's ability to attract sponsorship. I think this aspect needs to be removed from their remit and given to SLE.

I just can't imagine how clubs will legislate for the proposed changes in dividing up the league's. Season ticket sales will be an issue. Without being disrespectful to lower league clubs, imagine paying top dollar for a season ticket for a SL club to end up playing mid table club's from a lower division at the same cost? Whilst I understand the rules will be the rules to all but I can only see it as a recipe for disaster if clubs go chasing the prize to stay in the top flight but don't make it. Hopefully the recent turmoil that Bradford went through Will serve as a warning to other clubs.

I like the 8:8:8 as it addresses a real problem of far too many meaningless games. I think it's about time we stopped saying it's too complicated. It's really very simple. I think it's a bit of an insult to people's intelligence to suggest it's too complex. How daft do you think we are? Don't answer that!

The proposal is over complicating something that should be relatively simple. It should be 2 leagues of 12 with 2 up and 2 down and a top 4 play off

Can I ask a question Doc? Do you personally think it's complicated or are you concerned that other people will find it complicated. My view is that anyone who takes a minute to look at the proposed system will understand it. If they aren't prepared to look at it they won't watch the game anyway. I really think it will spice up the games. The end of season Middle 8 fixtures (Super League Qualifying Play Offs) will be great fun. It will be a good way of assessing who should be in the top tier the following season.

I don't think that it is complicated to understand but that it's complicating something that doesn't need to be made complicated. Personally I wouldn't want any play offs under the current or future structure unless you adopt an American format where the play offs actually mean something, i.e. the best of one league play the best of the other league.

While you mention the American format Doc, lets have a draft system so that those clubs in the second 8 get first dabs on academy players from the top 8.
Can't we just have a rugby competition where the best rise to the top, and the bottom goes to another league whilst the top of the lower league goes to a higher league? I think it is called promotion and relegation and is currently being tried in the round ball game. Could work.
I don't want to buy a season ticket with the possibility that I could be watching Wire versus Batley in the second half of a season. No disrespect to Batley by the way.

It wouldn't be the second half. It would be 23 matches in your 12, followed by an extended playoff series of 7 matches, then semis and a final. So actually you'd know what 76% of your fixtures would be up front.

Think how life will suddenly become much more exciting for the likes of Batley, Leigh, Halifax, Sheffield and Featherstone. There is suddenly a real incentive. You get into the top four then finish off the season with a crack at four super league teams. Great fun! It's 8:8:8 for me.

I like the 8:8:8 proposal.