Rumours of the talks between NRL and RFL for a controlling
interest in the Super League, have produced an old idea of reducing the
competition to a 10 team European Super League. The names of clubs pencilled
in:


Warrington, Wigan, St Helens, Leeds, Hull KR and Hull FC included
in the potential 10-team revamp, alongside Catalans Dragons and Toulouse, with
two more spaces available.


On a purely selfish point, that leaves only 2 teams from the
Super League, Leigh, Wakefield, Salford, Huddersfield and Castleford. Alternatively,
York, London, Widnes and Bradford. Leigh and Featherstone have traditionally
been shafted by false reshuffles, with franchising keeping both these team from
entering the promised land.




The current 12 team format has been much derided for the use
of loop fixtures in an attempt to make up a 27 game regular season. A 14 team
competition fits the criteria perfectly with 26 games home and away and the
neutral ground Magic Weekend. The downside according to the critics is less
money for the clubs and not enough talent to fill 2 extra squads (60 players)
from the UK and France + 14 overseas players. Nobody makes the argument that
young players will get more opportunities. A 10 team competition creates a
horrible solution of playing each team 3 times in a season if they stick with
the magical 27 rounds. Good luck to anyone justifying leaving 3 teams out of
the current Super League.




Hull FC, it is hard to justify giving a rubber stamped
position when the last 3 seasons have produced a 9^th, 10th and 11th placed
finish. IMG gave them a rating of 10^th and B score of 14.51.




Leigh are possibly best placed for one of the spare places
due to a Challenge Cup victory and 2 years finishing in the play-offs. Downside
is proximity to Wigan and a sub 10K average attendance.


Wakefield is on a similar trajectory as Leigh with a rebuild
after a season in the Championship. Crowds are on the up, but there is still a
restriction on the match day capacity. They scored 15.09 and scraped an A
category, boosted by 1895 Cup which lasts only one season on the IMG grading.




Castleford a team destined for a number of seasons at the bottom
end of the table. A 7^th, 11^th and 10^th place
finish in the last 3 years with a difficult 2025 expected. Well supported, but
in a 98 year old stadium which barely fits the dimensions required for playing
area.




Huddersfield, are another team with a B grading, due to poor
attendances and playing in an oversized football ground. 2025 looks like being
a second season in the bottom four.




Salford, it is currently difficult to write anything
positive about a team that have been assembled completely on debt and the
goodwill of Salford City Council. The IMG rating of Category B - 13.97 is
likely to take a huge dent after being in special measures for at least the
first few months of the 2025 season. Several of their best players have now
left, and it would take a miracle to turnaround their season. The new
management team have got very little goodwill left with RFL Commercial and the
Super League owners.




Widnes and Bradford are two larger Championship teams who
have plenty of experience in Super League. They both have had financial problems,
and it is unclear if the fans would come back in large numbers just because
they got selected to play in a re-jigged Super League.




London and York are two clubs ultimately required by the
Super League to expand the reach. London have never fully set the capital
alight, but this is one candle that needs to shine bright, with NRL funding.
York on the other hand have worked tirelessly with the local community and
produced one of the best women’s teams. They have a tidy little stadium which
they share with York City FC. Huge potential with the right backing.




Not sure I would want to be making that decision, especially
bringing the axe down on Rugby League in West Yorkshire.

Leigh, or specifically Derek seem to be a lightning rod of negativity around what it going on at the moment.


Derek man bad.


I'm content to sit back and see how it plays out, far too much speculation (which can be fun to read) at the moment and little substance.



One thing I will say is if we start crapping on other teams (of a similar size) in order to sell ourselves a future then I find that very undignified and feel that is precisely what the "big teams" would wish for.


"Rugby League family" for me but not for thee.

When we are talking about Catalans and Toulouse taking a spot at the expense of big teams from the past , something is really wrong .