I have found out that there will be 14 teams next year with London and Bradford tipped to join SL next year so every team plays each other once home and away rather than teams playing at home twice against the same team!

i've just replied to a post on the london forum


i'm pro London in terms of the bigger picture for the game, but said that this just stinks of jobs for the boys with Woods in charge if Bradford and London are both fast tracked back into SL. IMO, they need to earn it both on and off the pitch and demonstrate that they are financially viable both short and long term

I despair at the state of things at the minute. An increased number of teams, when we don't have enough good players or money to service 12 teams already and the answer is to increase the quota allowance up to 10 payers, so the usual suspects will continue to ignore any investment in to grassroots rugby league and their academies and instead compete by picking off players from elsewhere in the UK and Australia and when those teams do well, it's celebrated as a massive success for the game. 


Where this sport will be in 20 years time is a scary prospect. 

There is no logic moving to 14 teams next year apart from Wood wanting Bradford and London back in. The current Sky deal isn't lucrative enough for 14 teams so why not just wait until they begin tendering for the next broadcast team and as part of the tender they push for 14 teams then? I cannot stand loop fixtures but for one more season just keep it as it is.

The fact Wood is back in at the RFL makes me feel absolutely depressed about the sport. Everyone has been saying it for years and years but the sport is crying out for a genuine leader to come in and govern the sport properly. The sports riddled with owners and clubs voting in favour of self interest and clinging onto survival despite bringing absolutely nothing to the table and it will never change whilst the clubs have so much say in what goes on.



I presume the NRL will be staying well clear of taking control now Wood is calling the shots?

I think this article sums it up pretty well. I can't say i agree with the point made on away attendances but the rest are all good points. https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/super-league-14-team-plans-1242786

I think this article sums it up pretty well. I can't say i agree with the point made on away attendances but the rest are all good points. https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/super-league-14-team-plans-1242786

There's talk of a couple of clubs just buying their way in by bypassing the grading criteria and agreeing to not take any of the central distribution cash. So that will lead to them having teams that are totally uncompetitive and we will see at least a couple of games each week that are horrendously one sided. Which broadcasters will fancy that? 

Personally I'd go backwards, to move forwards and go down to 10 teams for a period of 3-5 years and set a date/year where we'll go back to 12 teams and then a date/year where we go up to 14 teams and let clubs outside the 10 prepare themselves long term and get in to a place where they can compete. As we stand at the minute, we just have a load of clubs scrapping for crumbs on the table and then cutting corners to survive.