New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:45 pm  

So the new format is 12 teams, 5 team play off, 1 up and 1 down (the same as what we had in 2001). What are people's thoughts? Personally I'm not keen because

- We have missed a golden opportunity to promote three expansion sides whilst they are strong. This would have removed loop fixtures, and I suspect replacing Widnes with Toronto, London and Tolouse would have sat well with broadcasters and sponsors.

- No qualifiers or MPG means there is no guarantee that the team coming up is stronger than the team going down

- The top 5 play off system means you will often see the Grand Final teams play in twice within two weeks. Add in loop fixtures and the cup, and we could end up playing the same team six times - overkill!

- Play off attendances are always poor, because of the short notice, it not counting on season tickets, people saving up for the Grand Final etc, so why have an extended play off format?

Having said that, I can appreciate that having certainty over the fixture list is better for the clubs and fans, and the top 5 play offs are good for rewarding finishing positions. We needed to do something, because the sport is slowly dying.

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:24 pm  

All I can say is I was expecting so much more. I can’t believe we’ve gone back to top 5, we changed because it was cack! We continue to reward mediocrity and dilute the intensity of key fixtures with loop systems. Back to the potential of playing a team 6 times a season. Very frustrating!

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:46 pm  

Top five is fine for me but the loop fixtures are really a step backwards. Yes it’s better that teams will know who they’re playing in the summer holidays in advance but I don’t think manufactured fixtures against a team you may have already played 3 or 4 times is the way to go.

It’s a better set up then the current one but could be better.

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:51 pm  

Very underwhelmed to be honest,super 8s had to go but if the brains trust could only come up with this well it doesn’t bode well and I suspect we will be here again in 3 years ago bemoaning the lack of crowds,if loop fixtures are the way forward why did the sport get rid of them once before? I suspect Lenegan is going to have to blame poor crowds in future years on them much as he has done the super 8s.

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:57 pm  

Excuse my ignorance but what are loop fixtures?

[DaveO]

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:06 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

- No qualifiers or MPG means there is no guarantee that the team coming up is stronger than the team going down

Eh? How did that guarantee anything? Like any playoff system or knockout game they reduce the matter to who is better in a handful of games or one single game not who has been better over a season. That is always going to open to luck with injuries or one poor refs decision. With the qualifiers it was theoretically possible for a championship team finishing fourth to replace a SL side who finished 9th. Apart from it being crazy a side finishing 9th was up for potential relegation in the first place on what planet given the standards in the championship is a side only good enough to finish fourth in the regular season going to be good enough to handle SL? In fact what sides outside of Toronto are up to standard? If the defence of this format is the likelihood of 4th replacing 9th was so slim it will never happen then the qualifiers were a pointless and contrived exercise.

- The top 5 play off system means you will often see the Grand Final teams play in twice within two weeks. Add in loop fixtures and the cup, and we could end up playing the same team six times - overkill!

This is true and there has been little imagination as to what to do instead of the S8's. Playing teams so regularly won't help attendances IMO. Perhaps you are right about not promoting several sides this time was missed opportunity as this could have enlarged SL and reduced repeat features.

- Play off attendances are always poor, because of the short notice, it not counting on season tickets, people saving up for the Grand Final etc, so why have an extended play off format?

Having said that, I can appreciate that having certainty over the fixture list is better for the clubs and fans, and the top 5 play offs are good for rewarding finishing positions. We needed to do something, because the sport is slowly dying.

If we must have a playoff top 5 is the best one IMO. As you say rewards higher league finishes so ought to make every game in the league count. That said I'd simply scrap the playoffs and GF completely. All having a GF has done is devalue the cup and league and this is reflected in the attendances. I mean we are guaranteed a semi-final position so what is the point of going to any remaining S8 games and will Wane (and other coaches) be resting players etc? I do not think the GF has delivered on its promise of improving standards in the game as it is all supposed to be more intense. Other games are less intense because of it IMO.

What they have also not addressed is relegation from SL to the championship is still not viable financially. Look at Leigh. All their woes stem from having a side paid to SL standards then having to break it up once they could not bounce back up and as I have said many times before its peoples livelihoods we are talking about here with players who will have mortgages facing an uncertain future if their team is relegated.

So I am glad the S8's have gone and if we must have playoffs the top five is the best option but other than that it is underwhelming. I would have preferred no playoffs any more, the cup restored to a higher status and two or three clubs promoted with a return to the franchise system where promoted clubs are protected as Widnes were for a few seasons to give them a chance to establish themselves.

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:27 pm  

Will the magic weekend games be chosen from teams that are not in your loop pool? Just imagine if you get a weak opponent in Magic and your loop opponents are weak. The fixture list could be very one sided if your opponents are having a rebuilding year.

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:59 pm  

I actually like the current format, especially the middle 8s. It just seems like we are blaming the format for underlying issues and the fact the game is slowly falling behind its competitors. We just seem to be going round in circles.

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:17 pm  

Think we missed the boat here SL should have been extended to 14 teams with 2 teams relegated. I can see where the Championship clubs are coming from regarding funding etc but we need a strong SL once we get this the whole of RL would benefit .If I can recollect the championship had increased funding for at least 4 clubs to help them to be in a par with SL.It was not the championship that was losing out on gate receipts especially Thursday matches it was the SL clubs footing the loss. Time for all the SL clubs to have a reserve team I think Elstone has highlighted this. We should adopt the NRL formula as having a feeder club .

Re: New Format (Well old, actually) : Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:43 pm  

It'a a tricky one. I'm fine with top 5, and will make season-long SL matches count for more, which arguably is the most important thing. Should SL have been expanded to open the door more easily to Toronto or Toulouse or whoever? Maybe, but are they currently good enough? Perhaps this is as much change as we can hope for right now. I think it's step in the right direction at least. One thing I would have liked to have happened, and I've said this before, is for the winners of the regular season being better rewarded, but with a better trophy, and more money too, as per the Minor Premiership in the NRL.