According to the T&A this is to be discussed on Monday and by all accounts the RFL favour expanding the Super League and Championship to 14 Teams for the 2018 season which is good news for Dewsbury and Bradford as they get a reprieve.

Wont this now make the Middle 8's totally pointless? Instead of an intriguing relegation dog fight that would attract interest we would basically have dead rubber everywhere!!!

It was obvious that something would change as soon as Bradford couldn't make up the points deficit.

Hull KR and London get automatic promotion, no money to other clubs as there is no need for middle 8 s paly off Bradford saved. Red Hall very Happy with themselves

Another reason for fans to walk away from the game if this comes about.

There was a full article on it in this weeks press under the banner of "What's in Ian Lenagan's pocket" with all the changes backed by him for the benefit of him.

You guys don't get pulled down with me but this is just one of the reasons I am struggling to keep any interest in the game.

I never thought I would say it but this is including my beloved Fax.

The future is being set by others that gives us little or nothing to play for so what's the point of bothering anymore.

This post is 100% where I am at. This is the first year in 8 that me and my family have not bothered with season tickets, Last years performance helped me make that decision however it's the running of the game, the clear and obvious plan from the RFL that they want Toulouse, London and now Toronto and Sod the rest. The change in Cap to lower leagues was purely to justify the restructure and give Leigh chance to compete( which they did well) also for the Wolfpack to climb the ranks.

I've pretty much had enough, surly they can't change the structure next year as that would mean this year is a written off already.

To top it all, another lifeline thrown to Bradford.

How will an increase of teams in the so called super league increase the intensity/quality of games ? Not enough quality players as it is.
Imo KISS (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID)
Have 4 Divisions of 10 Teams play H/A still room for cup & play offs in each Div
Scrap the waste of time Magic W/E & Summer Bash
Championship 2 would basically be a Development League
Make it Mandatory for S/L Clubs to have a reserve side
Scrap D/R
Or am I stupidly simple ?

It's just gutting that all the hard work and input that clubs and supporters from the likes of Fax have put in over the years amounts to nothing in the eyes of the ones now calling the shot's.

They talk about crowds being down as one of the reasons behind the changes, well how many away fans from Toronto, Toulouse or London will they get, it makes no sense.

50 years watching Fax and the game but I seriously feel

Fax shouldn't be relying on away support.

Fax? You've lost me on this one Griff.
Lenagan complained the crowds were down because of the middle eights and wanted them scrapped which now seems to be the case.
It is being strongly touted that the Expanded SL will include some of the 3 clubs I mentioned but that contradicts Lenagans declared concern and has nothing to do with Fax.

No they shouldn't, but with meaningful local games they can boost each other's home attendances where more distant teams wouldn't.

No you're not. You are right in the head, unlike those that run the game. Sad but true. Three Pig's Halifax. Ossett Pale Gold 3.8%. Mmm!

Weren't the SL clubs and coaches moaning about too many fixtures and a back up of games. too many games over the Easter weekend, having to play in the Challenge cup then playing a mid week game to complete the schedule. All very tiring for the great athletes who play the toughest most physical in the world! I know lets agree to introduce another 2 teams to the competition........ f@'king madness!

I'll say it again. Where is the organised supporters campaign against the farcical running of the game? Until there is one those at Red Hall will continue to make a mockery of the game.

the middle 8s needs to stay. teams may disagree but look at the championship now.
the league is stronger and more competative.
halifax used the money to set up the reserves which is a huge sucsess
would rasthorne be playing sl without are reserves setup
would jwh morris etc be playing championship rugby
this is all down to us making the 8s

If they do this restructure and there is no relegation in 2017 - they may as well finish the season at the end of July and spare us all 6-8 weeks of dead rubber rugby .....if we finish 5th that its say if its us or Fev / Toulouse we'll be 8-10 points clear of 6th and the bottom 4/5 will have little to play for; the end of last season was even more soul crushing than 2003/2004 seasons - Middle 8's would be more of a dead rubber than normal......

All of that is not down to you making the 8s. It is down to you finishing third in the table once all games had been played and the dust had settled.
There's no reason why a restructure would have any effect on the central funding currently allocated to this division. This will obviously be the main concern for every chairman that attends the meeting on the 5th and if the plans do indicate reduced funding for this league, the majority - if not all - of the chairmen will vote no and it won't pass.
But if the funding stays the same then you will still be able to finish third and receive exactly the same funding you did a couple of years ago.

Everybody cited this current structure as ludicrous when the details first emerged. Chairmen were convinced to vote for it under the promise that the new league structure would bring intensity throughout the whole season and increased attendances as a result. Remember the whole 'every minute matters' catchphrase?
Well it didn't quite turn out that way, did it?

The middle 8s have produced some great matches between champ and SL clubs, I will admit that much. But they've thrown up some stinkers too and up in SL the super 8s are nothing short of a disaster in terms of gates. Teams finishing in 8th, 7th and 6th will pretty much have 7 dead rubber games to finish off their season with. Fans know this and stay away as a result.
You can't have one without the other and supposedly several SL chairmen - led by Lenegan - want things changing. Ultimately it seems like the money men call the shots.

Some more good points.
I'm still trying to work out how if SL goes to 13 or 14 teams they will be able to keep the same funding, obviously X Figure = current central funding divided by 13 or 14 will be less than if as now it is divided by 12.
I presume Lenegan complaining about crowds being down was the loss of revenue from the lower numbers of paying supporters as opposed to just seeing a bigger crowd.

If they put Toulouse and Toronto in with their own tv deals they won't have to give them funding, a la Catalans. Super League expands in size and geography and it doesn't cost super league clubs a penny!

Either that or cut championship funding and chuck cash at throwing a woefully inadequate Bulls club run by Wood into super league

Catalans get exactly the same amount of central funding as any other SL club.