Well, that's thoroughly depressing. I could be selfish and just say "get London back in Super League" because it will be nice as a casual observer of London and a fan of a current Super League side but my overiding feeling is that this is a mess. We have a Super League that has Salford on the precipice, Huddersfield playing in front of nobody and moving to a stadium that has issues as it is without it trying to house a third team, a Cas side whose ground hasn't been classed as modern since Adolf was dropping bombs on the UK and in recent years we have had a literal part-time team compete in Super League and almost finish second bottom, a Hull KR side turn up to one of the competitions' marquee games, a Hull Derby, with 15 men and win and a variety of club chairmen who want the French team out because they don't bring many away fans and therefore, don't sell many pies. That's without addressing the quality onfield, which I think is quite poor, personally. But hey, we've lost loop games so never mind, we'll just spread the little money we've got as a sport thinner, continue to pay IMG a six figure sum and listen to Nigel Wood and his ideas...again. 

The simple idea and solution would have been 12-12-12 across the 3 divisions if you were to have three divisions (or 4 six team Conferences in the second tier). Each team plays 11 at home, 11 away. The top five compete for the play-offs in SL. The same with the other two but I wouldn't have had P&R between SL and the Champ. Lets get the 12 up to a suitable enough standard before we add team 13 and 14. Anyway, the Challenge Cup would be a 20 team competition - 4 groups of 5 made up of the 11/12 SL teams (depending on Toulouse's league position), the previous year's 1895 Cup winners and finalists and then the six highest ranked finishers from the year before. Each team plays 4 group games, 2 home, 2 away. Top two from each group through to the knockouts. The 1895 Cup would be between the remaining 15/16 (depending on Toulouse) and then four invitees - it could be four clubs at random or the NCL, Southern Conference, National Cup winners and one other and they play 2 at home, 2 away. 


That way: 


* We lose loop games. 
* Create a shorter season where results have greater consequence, compared to scraping half your games and getting in the play-offs as is the case now. 
* We reinvigorate the cup, allowing games to be included into season ticket packages. 
* Games retain meaning deep into the season. The cups would need seedings to give all groups and even spread and if Club A finishes 8th instead of 9th, they could be in a higher pot and therefore an 'easier' group for the following year's Cup. 
* Charity shirts/3rd kits are a thing now and clubs could use them in the cup to ensure max usage and get a guaranteed 4 games use rather than one or two in some cases. 
* All clubs play the same amount of games, even down to L1, and all clubs know where they stand compared to nonsense like Super 8's. 


Alas, Rugby League is the greatest sport there is. I genuinely belive that. Sadly, I also believe that it's been ran by the biggest clowns. 

10 team suggestion from the NRL didn't recognise that clubs can't afford to have fewer fixtures even if it meant a little bit more TV money.  

Maybe the NRL didn't recognise that after 120 odd years up north, 45 years in the capital & 25 years in Perpignan, the game here had made bugger all progress & still run on a self interest, rather than game interest basis. 

Can’t help but think how dodgy this new criteria stuff sounds. If IMG is what the game has tied itself to then shouldn’t it be the 13th and 14th highest graded teams joining the top 12?
Clearly Wood will be working to get Bradford in ( probably at Toulouse’s expense) and somehow I feel we might just miss out for another M62 based team.
Even if we do go up there’s going to be plenty saying it’s only because Gary has schmoozed a lot of his old mates to let us in. That said maybe it’s poetic justice for the way IMG stiffed us before a ball was even kicked last season ?

Had a look at the records of current fancied Championship sides for places 13 & 14 in SL over last 10 years.


Bradford
Won L1 in 2018. 2nd a couple of times in Champ. No Grand Finals & went bust.


Toulouse
Won GF 2021 1 Season in SL Lost GF in 2023 & 2024 Won L1 2016


York
8 seasons in Championship & 3 in L1
Best finish in Champ 3rd


Oldham
5 seasons in Championship, best finish 7th I think & 5 seasons in L1 enough said.


Fev
10 seasons in Championship, lost 2 GFs.


London
8 Seasons in Championship & 2 in SL. 2 GF wins of course.


I might be wrong but of the current Championship clubs, only London & Toulouse have been in SL in this period. Also, most seasons, London have had to pretty much build a new team.


Based on that, Bradford, York, Oldham & Fev are someway behind London & Toulouse on the pitch even if not on other IMG criteria. 


Just saying.......

London and Toulouse are the only ones in that list who’ve actually played in Super League in the past 10 years. That alone puts them ahead on pure rugby terms. Fev have been banging on the door for ages but always seem to fall short when it really counts. Bradford still living off past glories, York steady but not spectacular, and Oldham… well.


Also worth noting that London’s promotions came despite having to start from scratch squad-wise, which should get more credit than it does. It’s not like they’ve been loaded or stable – just found a way when it mattered.


So yeah, good summary, AI or not. Truth’s the truth.