A NEW plan has been drawn up for the planned restructure of Super League.

Rugby Football League bosses hope to convince clubs that splitting two divisions of 12 clubs into three of eight midway through the season is the way to go.

And after an initial plan to do it after 12 matches floundered over concerns over revenue and even how it may affect players’ contracts, they now hope to do it after 23.

Super League clubs were handed the proposals for the 2015 season onwards yesterday ahead of a vote in August.

Under the new scheme, the 12 teams in the top flight will face each other home and away and at Magic Weekend, making 23 games.

From then, the two 12-team divisions will split into three groups of eight and they will play each other once.

The top four of each pool will then play semi-finals and the Grand Final – meaning a team will face 32 matches to win the competition.

This new proposal would have a knock-on effect for the Challenge Cup as the top flight teams will enter a round later than at present.

Initial plans to split divisions have not gained much support among top clubs – Leeds were believed to have been concerned about the lack of revenue.

And Hull chief Adam Pearson said they were too complicated and had proved a ‘disaster’ in football.

However, this new scheme with at least extra home fixture guaranteed may placate some of the dissenters.

Until this latest plan was devised, a simpler model of two divisions with one-up, one-down was being discussed.

But the RFL is eager to increase the competitiveness of matches across the board and sources feel the split could help that.

Discussions between all rugby league clubs, players’ unions and other interested parties will continue until the vote is taken.

It is nonsense, but what else do you expect from the RFL.

You are too polite. The plan is plain stupid.

I can't see any reason to even consider such a daft idea but you may well be right - the RFL wants at times.

Hmm, as poor plans go at least there will be more games and more revenue opportunity for clubs. In effect it's what we have now with extra playoff games for the lower ranked clubs - as I see it anyway!

Maybe I've missed the detail, but I don't see any P&R or any route for clubs to be moved up to the top 12 or up/down from the top 24?

I don't think the walk up supporters will be walking up as much. A top club playing a lower club will not attract as many home supporters nor will supporters of a top club travel as much to see a top club put out some reserves against a club that they normally would never go to see.

I don't think the RFL know what they are doing -- Am I being original in saying that?