Like others have said, I thought the latest format was introduced to avoid meaningless games, although it wasn't perfect, it did that to a degree, so let's now go back to automatic promotion/relegation! It does seem very odd to me, almost like they had to change something for the sake of it, mainly because of the new guy at the helm? I'm sure licensing will be back in about 3 seasons......

Or sooner if Toronto and Toulouse fail in their bids for SL

On the other hand:
There has been a continual bleating that fans can't plan for the season's fixtures because 33% aren't known in advance
Season ticket sales have slumped across the game for this reason
Clubs no longer seek excellence in weekly fixtures so long as they make the 8.
How can any sport that deliberately undermines its credibility by having an uneven fixture list caused by Magic Weekend be taken seriously by fans, potential sponsors and the media.

This is not tinkering by the RFL, it is a takeover by SLE of the control of finances. Of interest to Wakey might be the return of minimum Standards, I have no idea how rigidly they will be enforced but by the language coming out they will not be the RFL easy beats.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/44468711 what the hell's going on

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/44468711 what the hell's going on

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/44468711 Its beyond a joke how this sport is run

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/44468711 Its beyond a joke how this sport is run

Reading that all I can say is WTF

I thought Robert elstone would bring some stability and professionalism to RL

This sounds like a PR disaster

The last thing we need is more messing with the format
I don't care how we do it
Just make a decision and stay with it

It looks like Gary Hetheringtons comments from the other day were spot on!

Franchising, but based upon expansion, not inclusion. That is, you don't say 14 clubs and re-apply. You decide which 14 should be in. Then if further clubs wants to be in, they present a business case, show why they should be in. If acceptable, let them in and grow, which may evolve into conferences.

A less than auspicious start to Elstone's tenure - conflicting press releases, which has created more confusion and set clubs against each other; nothing much changes in RL...

He's the only one coming out with any credibility here.
Not everone likes the bloke but he does want to help the sport, not just himself.

When I started watching Rugby League in the 1950 s it was 30 clubs with a top 4 play off,Lancashire and Yorkshire Championships and Lancashire and Yorkshire cups.Since then I have lost count of the number of different League structure changes that have been made.Every few years there is a new system that will cure all the problems of the previous system.The sport needs some stability and a league system that isn't ridiculously complicated.

Can anyone advise who pays his wages and where does the cash come from. Are Sky paying him?
Have all the clubs agreed a reduction in Sky income to fund it? Seems weird when not all are in agreement.
Gary Hetherington for one. You have to laugh as Leeds / Bradford were as thick as thieves not so long ago and were also called self serving, the same argument he is using against Wiggin, Warrington and Sint Ellens.

Usual RL shambles. It would appear to be by SL and not the RFL though??