Why would it be more likely??

Currently Saints v Wigan

2 times in the league, 1 in the CC, 1 at Magic Weekend, 2 times in playoffs inc GF.

2015 Saints v Wigan

2 times in the league, 1 in the CC, 1 at Magic Weekend, 1 time in the split league, 1 time in the playoffs inc GF.


To me it's less likely you will play Wigan 6 times.
Odd on the league, CC and Magic remain as they are now.
Odds of getting into the playoffs are reduced.

It's more likely we will play Wigan 5 times or 3 times.
But 6 times it's less likely.

Currently to play twice in the playoffs, one has to finish in the top 4 - team who doesn't do so win, then be given the other in club call OR both go on and win to both appear in the grandfinal - or both make the top 4.

In the new system, there's a 13/16 chance they will play each other that 6th time. (The only way they wouldn't is if they were on opposite sides o the draw (ie 1st and 2nd) and then either or both lost in the first game.)

I suppose it depends in the how probably you think saints and Wigan finishing in the top 4 is, the more likely you think it is, the more the new system is more likely (and certainly less convoluted!)

I prefer the new system to the current one. You have to finish in top 4 after 30 league matches so that means no messing around in the regular season which is better for fans.

Last season
1- Huddersfield
2 Warrington
3 - Leeds
4 - Wigan

1 v 4
2 v 3
If it had been the same format as proposed in 2015, the end result would still have been the same.

To pick up on a few points/concerns some posters have mentioned...

The MW is set to continue and was mooted as the last round of the 2x12s phase. Though this would perhaps bring it too close to the Challenge Cup final. Logistically the MW will almost certainly have to be in the first league phase despite the sensible point that it would remove an imbalance in the number of home fixtures if played during the second phase. The reason being that people are already complaining (and were doing so before the format was confirmed) that they won't know who they will be paying to watch during the 3x8s phase. Some people are also unhappy that the MW fixtures have not yet been announced. If held in the second part of the season the absolute earliest anyone could know the fixtures would be after round 22 (and that is only if the RFL used a predetermined formula to select fixtures such as 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 5v4 using placings from the first phase(SL9vKPC4, SL10vKPC3, SL11vKPC2, SL12vKPC1 in the middle 8 )). You would then have people complaining and refusing to buy MW tickets through the first 22 rounds as they could not know who their team would play. The RFL would have at most 7 weeks to sell the majority of tickets once the fixtures were known to an event that would be packed into a tight schedule alongside the Challenge Cup final and the GF. I would expect it to remain in May as it is now.

The allocation of 3 or 4 home fixtures during the second phase is determined by league placing in the first phase. Top 4 get 4 home games as a reward for being in the top 4 in the first phase (KPC5 to KPC8 will get 4 home games in the third 8 ). In the middle 8 the 4 KPC teams get the four home fixtures as reward for finishing high up in their league. So a club that decides to sell its second phase games separately from the first phase will have an idea of how many depending on league placing.

The plan is for the top 12 to enter the Challenge Cup at round 5 rather than round 4. That has been known since the plans were first mentioned last year. It was also proposed that a round of the Challenge Cup (possibly two rounds) would occur in the gap between the two league phases to allow time for organising the second phase.

The season ticket issue is a valid concern but there does not seem to be any set policy being dictated on how games are grouped and sold. It will be up to each club to sell tickets as they see fit. Some may sell a ST for the first phase then a 3 or 4 game bolt on ticket for the second phase. Some may sell a first phase ST then have the second phase games as pay on the day like cup and playoff games. Some may sell a whole season ticket covering all 14 or 15 games. Some clubs may offer a range of options at the start of the season whereby individual fans can choose the option they want. Different clubs will take whatever approach they think best suits their situation and fans. Such decisions are what the clubs employ people in marketing and ticket sales for.

It would have been a bit different the two previous years though wouldn't it. His point is obviously that a team could no longer rest players knowing that they were going to be top 8 and then coast along before becoming bothered again when the playoffs kick in. With teams in 5th and 6th going all out to get into the top 4 there would be more risk to taking your foot off the gas. It would be less likely that you would see star names making only cameo appearances as we had at the back end of last year.

so basically it is warning teams 7 games before the real plays offs that you better hurry up and try and finish in the top 4. So why not just change the top 8 and make it a top 4?

This sport isn't going to be around much longer.

I think it's a good plan but we need to see more detail.

I would go with a very intense first half of the season where the split to eight teams happens after each team has played each other once. That would be 5 home games, 5 away games and a magic weekend fixture. =11 games.

Then leagues of eight then play home and away, 7 home games and 7 away games. 14 + 11 = 25 regular season games.

Top 5 of each league of eight would go into playoffs.

All points gained in first 11 games of season would be carried over into leagues of eight, meaning the second tier would be very intense as you could have a super league team starting from a 20 point deficit for their final 14 games.

With only 25 regular season games you would have ample time to fit in cup competitions and an international break.

Season tickets should cover 15 games with 12 home regular season games and your choice of three other home or away games in cup or plays offs excluding finals.

Lots of other details to sort out but this would be my base position.

The growth of international rugby league is arguably more important than that of our domestic league. Can't imagine too many top line players willing to slog it over here and expect to be fresh for the internationals at the end of the year.

I'd go top 5 because that system worked.
If it is to be top 4 then I would go like this

Week 1
Game 1: 1 v 2 - winner through to Grand Final
Game 2: 2 v 4 - loser eliminated

Week 2
Game 3: loser game 1 v winner game 2 - winner through to Grand Final

Week 3 - Grand Final
winner Game 1 v winner game 3

I would also have the Grand Final winner and runner up plus loser of game 3 in an extended world club challenge at the start of the following season.

I don't like the new system and think it will hit season ticket sales hard.

Not seen it but apparently the local rag over here is reporting that the vote was 7 in favour of the new structure with 6 against, with Catalan abstaining.

Against were:

Wigan
Wire
Hull FC
Hull KR
Hudds
Salford

It's certainly a strange set up. I can see the idea to keep all teams playing at a competitive level all season as it makes for better watching, makes players better which adds to our national team as we strive for a England team that can play at a high intensity for 80 mins against the Aussies.

However, I'm not sure I like the set up. Teams from the championship playing super league teams to gain promotion isn't ideal for championship clubs. Super league clubs are on a much higher salary cap than championship teams. I just can't see anyone if them beating super league clubs with the recent history of challenge cup blow outs v championship sides. The isn't enough talent to go around super league never mind the championship sides trying to find some to gain promotion.

The crowds for those super league v championship teams could be a disaster. London v Halifax in London could be embarrassing.

The spectators and clubs won't know until the last week of the 12 team season whether there will be three or four home games in the 8 game part.
That will give the clubs and the RFL less than a week to sort out fixtures (it could be as little as four days if a club plays its last game on Sunday and is selected for the Thursday match)
How are the RFL going to get the fixtures sorted out in that short space of time?

What about the teams who have shared facilities (Wigan , Hull , Huddersfield, Leeds, Salford etc) how do their games get scheduled in the one week timeframe?

I hope the clubs and Superleague have a very good PR machine, because they are going to need it.
Adverts soon to be seen at all clubs "Spin Doctor required" Needs a degree in bull!!