So we are into April and still in the dark about what the format of the league will be next year. I thought I might start a thread about the rumours people have heard.

The strongest rumour I have heard is that the league will be expanded to 14, I haven't heard what format that will take over the year but all 12 clubs currently in Super League will definitely remain with 2 coming in.

Catalans are already looking to next season and will stick with McBanana and try and give him the squad he wants.

This might be true because Sam Tomkins if true would not play in the championship if they went down would he

personally i am sick of the game hoping and changing the system and coming out with gimmicks, the game desperately need some stability over next few years and in my opinion we should go with a 14 team franchise system and stick with in for 5 years minimum ideal 10 years. if aniseed is not cutting the mustard in terms of crowds or goes into admit they are out and their place given to the next best championship side and let them have a go.
I am not going down the route of naming which sides should be in it, but most of the sides pick themselves. I would like to see a strong stable Bradford side in the super league again and ideally London and another french side. Not sure about Toronto yet, i think they need another 3-4 seasons to prove they are sustainable.

top 6 play offs 26 rounds, scrap magic weekend but encourage some on the road games around the country maybe 6 games a year. season starts end of march ideally early April starting in mid fed is too early.

we should not close the door on lower leagues but make the championship a strong completion in its own right(which we are getting there at the moment anyway.

Challenge cup move early rounds to start of year like we used to. no seeding complete random draw (that was some of the magic of the cup you never new who was going to draw who) also play the final about a month earlier than it is now.

And lets really spend 5 years promoting what we have and making it work.

I know you are entitled to your opinion, but are you smoking something funny?

well this is why nobody comes on these forums anymore. because all you get is smarts or the same posters just arguing amounts them selves.

i put up a genuine post with some valid ideas for discussion and this is the response.

Pipe down and get a sense of humour owd lad.

I do think a license for 3-5 years is a good thing for junior development but I also think there needs to be an element of on-field achievement when the licenses are up for renewal.

We saw the approach Widnes took with the license and it was very much geared towards youth development and home grown players, it still is to this day really (another side who don't seem to panicking about relegation). Whilst that is admirable and the approach has good intentions, how good will these young players ever become if they're getting beat most weeks like they are now? It's great that their starting 13 regularly has 8+ academy products but they finished bottom last year and will be in the bottom 4 again this year no doubt.

Clubs should be encouraged to blood home grown players but a license shouldn't mean you can get pumped every week for 5 years. If you aren't competing in the league then you're license should be under scrutiny.

Nobody's actually considered that we are tied down to a TV contract to the present format, for another 3 years.
For anything to change would rely on all present clubs, And SKY be willing to change any present contract, and starting again. Given that sky are offered less to Football for the next contract. Would it be wise to test them at the moment?

You are correct that for the structure to change sky need to agree to it and the clubs need to vote with a majority backing. However that’s no excuse for not having it sorted. The 2019 structure should have been sorted before the 2018 season kicked off and needs confirming ASAP.

My preference would be 14 teams playing home and away + magic + earlier Challenge Cup entry for all Super League clubs.

If Toronto have to play another 3/4 seasons in The Championship, they will run out of cash.

IF we had stuck with a "franchise" type system, "we" could simply added Toronto and a.n.other to the top flight and carried on, with an expanded comp, which just shows how short sighted the game was when it scrapped that model.

With expansion always on the cards, either with Toulouse or Toronto, there had to be a system in place to accommodate them.

Instead we've had Bradford go bust and then narrowly lose the MPG, KR go down and then come back and Leigh, finally get their chance in SL but fall at the first hurdle.

Was it really worth the change and the nonsense of "every minute matters".

Having said that, the promotion/relegation aspect is probably more exciting for the average fan than the Grand Final but, it doesn't fit with the idea of expansion.

Any club lucky enough to gain promotion under the current system is necessarily thrown into jeopardy the following season, when, to have any chance of a long term future in the top flight, they need protecting.

It's utterly poor that there is nothing in place for next season and quite frankly, if something were to be announced now, it would be plain wrong, therefore, the game should say there will be no change and IF there is to be any re structure, it needs to be for the 2020 season.

According to Hetherington, nothing will change unless everyone agrees to it.

Given that the Champ clubs aren't going to vote to be sacrificial lambs, ditto L1, and ditto some SL clubs, I can't see anything changing until the contract comes up for renewal and Sky put their cards on the table. Oh, and Super League/the RFL go to Sky with a clear vision and plan (I say very much tongue in cheek).

I don't mind a laugh and have a great sense of humour, not even bothered by your stupid meme, but after posting it just then add something decent to the discussion otherwise its just rude and disrespectful.