Quote: caswigan "As I understand Maurice Watkin is overseeing a complete review of Rugby league after 10 years of Richard Lewis’s tenure.
In my opinion the following areas need addressing immediately otherwise our great game will go into further decline.
1.Super league Format (Structure) to be changed from 14 clubs to 12 to increase competition and quality of games.'"
Would be a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Decreasing the number of clubs, doesnt address why we arent producing enough players.
Why not just take the development of youngsters away from the clubs, do it centrally, benefit from economies of scale. Its probably not viable for Wigan or Leeds to pay £60k for Andrew Johns to come over and work with 4 halfbacks for 6 months, probably would be for a central body to pay him to come over and work with the 25-30 best 16/17/18 and 19 year old halfbacks.
Quote: caswigan "1a. To compensate for loss of four fixtures introduce a mid season competition including championship clubs e.g. Regal Trophy or Lancs Cup as previously. Super league clubs to be handicapped e.g. with players under 25 only qualifying to play.'"
Look at the early rounds of the challenge cup, even the semi-finals, attendances arent good, they would be even worse for a secondary competition with large amounts of the big name players left out. It would likely be a loss making competition.
Quote: caswigan "2. Reintroduce promotion and relegation, 1up and 1 down or even a play off between bottom and top clubs for the right of a Super league place.'"
How are these lower clubs, the ones you dont think are doing enough, supposed to 'catch up' when they are constantly looking over their shoulder? You want to increase the SC but remove the ability for clubs to plan 1/2/3 years in the future, you want them to develop youngsters but want them to run the risk of dropping out of professional competition by doing so.
Clubs should be given a franchise in perpetuity. If a club is failing to meet its obligations, they should be put on probation with set targets to meet by set dates, if they arent met, their franchise is seized by the RFL to do with as is best, sometimes that club will be relegated, sometimes there would be a better owner on the horizon.
Quote: caswigan "3. Salary Cap to be increased to a more realistic level (at least £2 million) so that we can compete with RU and NRL.'"
The salary cap is a nonsense. Whatever level we set it at it still has the same problems.
Quote: caswigan "4. Super League leaders to be crowned League Champions with a suitable trophy and prize money similar to CC final winners, The most consistent team over the season must be rewarded and recognised as such.'"
It doesnt. It really doesnt. You may want it, but it isnt needed. What we do need is a league full of teams which could all win the competition, where teams cant relax because there are teams who will overtake them, where leeds, Wigan, Sts etc arent virtually guaranteed a play-off place. Leeds winning from 5th is something to be celebrated, it showed the depth we as a league are developing. I know it fits the Wigan narrative that Leeds took it easy, but in reality Wigan, Sts, Wire and Les Catalans were all good value for their league positions, all would have been worthy winners of Super League, we actually had 5 teams who, on their day, could all beat each other, and would have all been worthy champions, Leeds were, that is a good thing. Now we need 8 teams who could do it, then 10, then 12, then 14, then we have a league where everyone is looking to win it, where every game could go either way, where finishing first gets you a home route to the final and that is a great advantage because all teams are so close, home advantage could be crucial.
Quote: caswigan "5. Challenge Cup final to be moved back to May to replace the contrived Magic Weekend and create a bigger gap between major finals. Magic weekend has always been an unfair fixture arrangement with some clubs having easier games.'"
The league doesnt decide the champions, its not that important that it isnt even, the Magic Weekend is a good event, highly visible and makes money. It is exactly the type of thing we should build on rather than get rid of. As the league already isnt even, it also means we arent restricted by a straight home/away fixture list, and if there are other opportunities to make money by extra games we can do it.
Quote: caswigan "6. Grand final play off format back to top 5 only.'"
The season would be over far too early for far too many sides.
Quote: caswigan "7. Pricing of CC and Play off games to be discounted with rewards for loyalty e.g. season ticket holders.
'"
If say, wigan, get 8k to a play off match, and all pay, and we suppose that they pay on averaged £12.50 a ticket, thats £100k in ticket sales, If they offered tickets for a fiver, and got 16k, that would only bring in £75k. I appreciate there is added complications of what people buy when they are there etc, but its a valid consideration. We need to do what is most profitable, long and short term, the game is pretty accessible, it isnt relatively expensive. Cheap ticket offers are a tool, but they arent the only one available to us as a game.
Quote: caswigan "8. Refereeing inconsistencies to be addressed.'"
The game will never, and cant ever, get rid of refereeing inconsistencies. You have to remember when fans claim 'refereeing inconsistancies' they are almost always complaining about a decision that went against them, and go out looking for evidence for only one side of the argument and their criteria for what can be considered an 'inconsistancy' becomes wider and wider until they have convinced themselves their argument is correct. I think for the most part the refereeing in SL is ok, its not quite good enough, but I dont think it is just general inconsistency but more we have rulings and interpretations handed down from Mr Cummins which just ask for fans to complain. The PTB is a mess, the current interpretations of it will always leave it mess, that needs dealing with, thats not the refs fault, its the person telling them how to ref it's fault.
Quote: caswigan "9. A video referee to be made available at all Super league games, this would ensure all matches are treated equally, not just TV games.'"
Can certainly agree here.
Quote: caswigan "10. Video refereeing decisions to be consistent with clarification of his role with a clear definition of when and what he can intervene for. A transcript or voice recording of all communications between the Video Ref and Referee to be made available after every game.'"
What will this achieve? That at some point we may find a VR giving advice to the ref he shouldnt have? And then what? We end up complaining that a ref got to the right decision the wrong way? The VR is a trained and approved referee, he should offer advice as and when he sees fit.
Quote: caswigan "11. The disciplinary - Judiciary panel to be more transparent and consistent with punishments e.g. Rangi Chase elbow to jaw causing a serious injury not sent off, on report 3 match ban. Michael McIlorum late high tackle no injury caused, Red card given plus 3 match ban.
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I wont defend Chase, but again is this 'inconsistency' or is it just two different incidents being looked at in two different ways. As for the 'on report' we have a fully trained and approved referee in the stands, one who has full access to numerous camera angles and slo-mo instant replay at his fingertips. Why isnt it just dealt with immediately?