i think its to the general consensus that people want promotion and relegation back but judging on here that most people don't want it via this method. I have no problem with promotion and relegation as long as the RFL can financial support the relegated team for the following season. So just let the team that finishes last get relegated.

clearly it does 2 out of 3> than 1 out of 3. Considering you get beat by the worse super league team of the past decade as well.

Top 12 purely on league position.
I've no idea about the bottom of the championship

Thanks mate, is it definite? As a Widnes fan I expect the worst if it isn't down to league position. Not that I'd take us finishing above the bottom two for granted either mind you.

I think if the cap is thought out right enough then the second league will actually be very competitive.

Realistically, in terms of resources / support etc at the moment, what is the real difference between the top of the championship (if allowed to spend and get a fair divy of TV money) and the bottom of Super League? Not much in reality!!!

The group in yr one would probably be likely to be something like Leigh, Halifax, Sheffield, Featherstone, London, Wakefield, Castleford, & Widnes. Done in the right way, with a reasonable parity of spending, that could be a fantastic fight each year for the 4 spots the following season!!

Reinstating relegation is a ridiculous & backwards step.

We'll soon be back to clubs packing their squads with journeymen (often overseas ones) just because they're experienced, cos the chairmen are terrified of the financial consequences of relegaton. The major plus of having no relegation is that SL clubs have been far more happy to play young players, which is a massive boost for the game in the longer term.

As usual, RL is on a short-termist and totally parochial basis.

No, have you seen the weather? Should start on the last Thursday of February. Oct/Nov in Aus is spring/summer time. Flip they would be playing for 11 months on the yr if they started in December, their brains/emotions need a rest as much as their bodies. It's not a normal job. Have you seen what their bodies feel like, did you read the article on Sam Burgess about this?

Top 8 playoff with only 14 teams is ridiculous.

Top 8 playoff with only 12 teams is a farce. If that's where this is going.

There has been no mention of Championship 1, except a vague reference to them becoming part of another structure entirely, and I think that is shocking. It's like they don't exist (which, to the superleague chairmen they don't appear to). However, there has been no mention of how this daft idea is going to be financed either, the meeting on Tuesday (which IMO was the one discussing the real issues) ending without agreement. How ludicrous! Only in rugby league could we entirely change the structure without giving consideration to one element of it (Championship 1) and without agreeing upon how it is to be financed and governed! Then of course on top of that what is going to happen to Premier Sports who presently screen the championships? And what about a sponsor? A sponsor won't come on board for the championships if they only have a championship league for half a season.

It's all totally ridiculous.

And I'll add that the splitting of leagues mid-season, with some teams retaining their points whist others don't, is just gimmicky, unnecessarily complex, and totally witted.

This could be the end of me following the game. It's just a joke.

Theres is a shorter season. Aussies could simply start one month earlier in feb (to account for a month break for internationals in July), and still finish the grand final to coinside with the end of our season at the end of september...and not then need to play internationals after that as they have to now!

Simples no problem

Well obviously you start with chicken but we don't want to upset the lamb, so after 23 mouthfuls you split it into three smaller dishes, one chicken, one lamb & one....there's a meeting to decide the third dish later in the month....feels like dice should be involved somewhere

Also for this to work we will have to introduce a transfer deadline and alter the rules on loan signings to avoid some clubs strengthening their side just for the last few games.

The reason they will have DESERVED it is not down to the lack of effort of the players on the field, but the lack of money to buy the best players by the respective clubs – who do DESERVE it, how’s that?





If you think part time teams are going to get the better of full timers, that’s your prerogative.

Can't believe some clubs fans are saying they won't buy a season ticket due to this structure.
Support your team no matter who they play and if they drop down then tough you weren't good enough..
At last teams can get to the top level again and the ones that have been there going through the motions better watch out

Very true. Time to man up and fight it out like real heroes. Just feel sorry for those left out from the whole thing. From a Widnes point of view I say bring it on.

isn't that the championship clubs fans excuse they are playing 2nd rate teams so why would they pay?

You're correct it's disgraceful how they've been ignored. Hunslet and Oldham are both down there and I've watched both play in the Championship grand final during Widnes' first spell there. If the Cumbrians all finish in the bottom of the Championshiip it will effectively remove them from the league which is madness.

Also you mention the money and this was the reason for the original walk out or so it was touted. So have the clubs that walked out got the money they wanted or not? Maybe we'll never know....

well if it was any way else id think widnes would be safe reguarless, modern stadium, finances fine etc

I see quite a few positives:

More intensity in matches to make sure you finish in the top 8 first tier and to finish in the top 4 of the 2nd Tier.

Will probably sell more season tickets due to the costing down to 22 games. I would summize the clubs will offer a season ticket extension for the top 8 first tier and top 4 of the 2nd tier.

Clubs like Featherstone, Sheffield, Halifax and Leigh will have a slim change of promotion and might upgrade the quality of player without breaking the bank.

In theory the quality ofthe 2nd Twelve should improve as they will now have something to play for.

Our current structure has stagnated, the 2 x 12 and 3 x 8 might actually work give it a 2 year period to find the right finance balance and innovation.

As it says on the press release the exact details will be explained later in the month so finer points will be clearer then.

Teams demoted from championship next year will not have the door slammed and locked behind them as you put it. It was stated early on when the plans for restructure were first mentioned that P&R between the 2nd tier (Championship) and 3rd tier (Championship 1) would continue. So from 2015 there will still be a way for the teams below the top 24 to get into (and leave) the top two leagues. Also there are 23 teams in the Championships (14 and 9) not 28.

It has not yet been confirmed that Toulouse are joining the set up but if they are then 9 teams from the Championships will make the initial top 24. If no Toulouse then 10 will make it. It was also reported at the end of last season that there would be opportunity for one team from Championship 1 to win promotion into the top 24 at the end of 2014 (most likely via a playoff). So we would have a scenario where the top 9 in Championship in 2014 would make the 24 with the 10th placed team in a playoff against the winner of Championship 1 for the final place in the 24. (If Toulouse are coming in then it would be the top 8 making the cut with the 9th placed team in that playoff for the last place). This detail along with whether or not Toulouse are in will be announced with the rest of the full details.

It has not been confirmed how the cut to 12 will occur though it has been assumed that the bottom two in SL will be relegated. That matter needed to be voted upon by the SL clubs and now I would assume this has been done.

I can believe it.

They aren't real fans of the game.

They are merely adherents of a failed franchising/licensing ideology which maintained their club in the top division irrespective of results on the field of play.

That's why they are spitting their dummies and throwing all their toys out of their prams.

For all those super league fans that are going to stay away many championship fans will return.. Look at wakefield attendences when in the then northern ford premiership in 1998 the year they beat fev in the final to get to super league they were similar to revs crowds now.
Best news in rl for years this

I like the system generally (a top 8 playoff in a league of 12 is stupid) but what happens to the bottom of the current championship 1? thats my main concern