14 Team SL and Merged Championship?

[Perth Red]

Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington has defended the decision to increase Super League to 14 clubs insisting it’s a “positive message.” The 12 existing clubs yesterday voted to extend the competition for next season.

Many people thought the rise might occur in time for 2027 but club owners have opted to move now. Although the decision helps in some aspects including getting rid of the much-maligned ‘loop’ fixtures in the current 27 round campaign, it’s hard to see how a 14-club competition will stack up with the sport already financially struggling.

There is also an argument there is not enough quality even to sustain a 12-club operation. However, what has annoyed supporters more than anything is how the extra clubs will be decided.
The IMG club grading system will decide the top 12 teams, as it did last year. But, randomly, an independent panel chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine will recommend the final two clubs provided there are ‘two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria.’


It is a bizarre stance to take but Championship leaders York Knights, who have signed Aussie powerhouse Paul Vaughan for 2026, joint-top Toulouse, Bradford, Oldham - who aired their Super League intentions in an exclusive AORL interview - and London will all hope to benefit. The move came following a strategic review of the sport by Nigel Wood, who stood down as Bradford chairman in March to undertake the role, and is now RFL chairman.

Hetherington, who stands down as Leeds chief executive in October and is heavily involved at London, insisted: “It’s a real positive message from the game going forward to expand Super League to 14 clubs.

“It replaces loop fixtures, which is a positive, and the application process to join Super League next year is going to be a very robust one. I think it will create a lot of interest from clubs who aspire to be in Super League.”

Hetherington revealed London will be bidding to join in 2026. He said: “London doesn’t just want to survive. Its whole intent is to be a successful entity on and off the field and add real value to the game of rugby league.

“There’s work to do but in some ways this accelerates the process.”
Hull FC and Hull KR voted against the 14-club proposal while champions Wigan abstained. Super League made a brief statement last night to confirm the news of the competition rising to 14 clubs. But Wood was not available for comment at the time of publication.

Meanwhile, another former RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer has returned to the sport. He will undertake a three-month project with Huddersfield Giants to try and secure them a new stadium.

Super League club chief defends "positive" change of increasing to 14 team comp'

Leeds Rhinos CEO Gary Hetherington voted for a switch in 2026 and explains why

www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk

 

[Taking The Two]

Hetherington, who is CEO of London, a side most likely to benefit. John Davidson from the i Paper over here reckons Salford are getting an 8 point deduction, London, York and bloody Bradford are up and Toulouse are being told they’re not wanted with Catalans set to be taxed to the eyeballs to take part.

When I say this is the death knell of the sport in the UK, I cannot understate that. I’m ashamed my club have voted for this.

 

[England87]

If Toulouse do not get in... I will never watch Super League again

 

[Perth Red]

If Toulouse do not get in... I will never watch Super League again

Spoken like a true rugby league fan!

 

[Taking The Two]

The worry now is this is going to be, much like when we went to 14 teams previously and Celtic Crusaders got in Super League over clubs who had applied and seemed a more suitable fit, namely Widnes Vikings. With former Bradford chairman Nigel Wood and one of his big mates, soon to be London CEO, Gary Hetherington involved it seems like it's going to be a situation moulded so that certain clubs are admitted to Super League over possible clubs with more reason presently to be in Super League.

If you look at the Championship, there are a few teams that will surely be in the conversation. Quick off the mark were Doncaster and Widnes to put their hands up for a place at the top table but you've got clubs like Toulouse Olympique, York Knights, Bradford Bulls, London Broncos and Oldham, alongside Widnes, who are going to make a case for their inclusion. Doncaster are, bluntly, living in Dreamland if they think they have any chance of being in Super League in 2026.

Toulouse Olympique
PROS
* International feel.
* The number of French born players in Super League doubles overnight, which is a player pool we really under utilise.
* Big city club. The fourth biggest city in France, population of over 1.25m
* Super League experience.
* Pathway. Their reserves play in Elite XIII, the French domestic league.

CONS
* They'll be forced to pay for oppositions travel to Toulouse to complete their fixtures. They shouldn't but this is UK RL.
* The old men of Super League boardrooms will moan that they fetch no away fans and therefore, sell no pies.

York Knights
PROS
* Far enough out from typical rugby league heartlands but yet still close enough to be a decent pull for players.
* Modern ground with a long lease.
* Sides across the various formats of the sport - the women are particularly successful.
* Grown slowly onfield, rising from League One to the top end of the Championship, with 1895 Cup finals thrown in for good measure.
* Decent sized city with plenty of attractions, history and infrastructure to support a top flight Super League team.

CONS
* No Super League experience.
* They don't give out their attendances anymore, so what sort of crowds are they pulling in?
* What growth is there when it's new ground broken, as York haven't been a top flight side since 1980?

Bradford Bulls
PROS
* An average crowd of 3500 in the second tier.
* Super League experience.
* Plenty of Super League experience within their side.
* Big city, relatively speaking.
* A "big" side for the early part of Super League that, during a different era, could draw upon bigger crowds. Whether they can re-engage with those people and/or attract the next generation remains to be seen.
* Pathway. They have an academy licence and therefore have an academy and reserve side, which is reasonably fruitful for them.
* The stadium is owned by The RFL.
* There's plenty of amateur rugby in the city and immediate area.

CONS
* The stadium. You look at it and it could be in Pripyat, if you didn't know any different. The corners of the ingoal areas are curled up like a warm sandwich and players have to wade through six inches of mud from the banger racing track to make it onfield.
* Their recent history. In the previous ten seasons Bradford have gone bust (for a FOURTH time), couldn't afford to play at Odsal, have moved to Dewsbury's 5100 stadium, moved back and in September 2024 (less than a year ago) warned that, with increasing costs, it would need significant help from investors, supporters and volunteers to keep the club going.

London Broncos
PROS
* Big city club to give a national feel to the comp.
* The stadium. Plough Lane is probably one of the best venues that London have played at for their needs. It is a good size for their crowds, holds ample space around the ground for food, drinks, events etc and is in an affluent area. AFC Wimbledon, the owners, are a fan owned club and are paying off the build of their stadium, so appreciate the income.
* Super League experience.
* Pathways. Whilst they ended their academy, you look at the make-up of their squad and many are London or Southern born and almost all stood up under difficult circumstances in 2024. That is without also considering the careers that Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Tony Clubb, Dan Sarginson, Keiran Dixon, Mike McMeeken and Bill Leyland have had and in some cases, still have.
* They pulled reasonable crowds in 2024 in Super League considering they were relegated before a game had been played and where they were as a club. Four times they pulled over 4000 and drew over 3000 another three times. Given their biggest in 2023 was 1849, there is appetite for Super League rugby.

CONS
* Perhaps harsh but after 50+ years, should we be as forgiving with them?
* Who owns them? We know there is NRL interest but nothing public on who. Do they still want in now Super League has gone to 14, instead of 10, as per the NRL's desire?
* The stadium. There is a break clasue which can be activated with a year's notice.
* London's history. In the recent past they've played at Barnet, Ealing and Wimbledon permanently. Their nomadic history is a negative.

Oldham
PROS
* Rapid growth in such a short period.
* Decent lease on their home ground, which is a decent size.
* Rugby League heartlands.
* Plenty of amateur rugby around the town.

CONS
* Rapid growth, what is their ceiling?
* Average crowd of 1700, that's a low base to grow from.

 

[England87]

I love how IMG gradings effectively mean nothing as the two other sides are going to be selected by a committee. This has become convoluted clap trap designed to screw over the French clubs.

Seriously just scrap the salary cap, make the clubs pay for their own bills and see who survives.

 

[Perth Red]

You missed out financial troubles at Toulouse. With their funding cut from council can they afford to be in SL again, especially if they have other financial Impositions on them?

London have no ownership, Hetherington is out knocking on doors trying To find investors.

bradford stadium is their big issue, along with question marks over how much money the owners can put in.

york is largely untested but has all the ticks to suggest they can give SL a good go.

the rest not worth mentioning as no chance.


London York and Bradford added to SL with reds dropping out wouldn’t be the end of the world and may actually be more seen as more valuable to tv for the next deal. Time will tell.

 

[Northern]

I’m not sure about 14 teams, especially the way it’s being done. Non League fans I know scoff at the “criteria.” So do I. We have one already: IMG rankings. It’s obvious corruption is going to be called and it’s going to be very hard to shake, especially if Bradford & London end up as 2 of the 14. Look, I’m a Bradford fan and I want to promoted by the rules set which the club are working towards, not pulled in through a back door. That leaves a sour taste.

It seems obvious to me that the likelihood of Toulouse bettering Salford’s IMG ranking has sent some of the club owners into a spin and any decision made in panic has a pretty good chance of being a wrong one. Rushing it through is mad. How can clubs possibly be properly prepared to play in a higher division with such short notice?

Block Toulouse, especially by some hackneyed, made up thinly veiled bulls*it “criteria,” and you may as well kiss any chance of international northern hemisphere rugby league goodbye. You may say there is only a limited chance now, but it is a chance that has to be worth preserving with to me.

I love league, but I completely despair at those running the game at times.

 

[Perth Red]

So heres the lay of the land after another momentous week for English RL.

SL clubs voted for a potential 14 club SL for 2026. 9 clubs voted in favour. HKR voted no and wanted expansion to happen in 2027. HFC voted no and wanted a ten team comp. Wigan bizarrely abstained and had no opinion.

IMG gradings will continue and 12 clubs of the 2026 SL will be there based on the top 12 graded teams.

clubs have agreed to two extra clubs being added based on a set criteria that will be assessed by a panel appointed by the RFL and chaired by Lord Caine. If no club can meet the criteria then it will likely stay at 12. Any club can apply. It’s likely financial sustainability and value to media deal will be two of the top criteria.

it’s likely that the two new clubs will receive less or no club grant for 2026.

it’s likely that Toulouse will finish 12th in the IMG grading and replace Salford if they agree to the Catalans style travel agreement. It’s unlikley anyone will score higher than Huddersfield.

The clubs likely to look to apply for license 13 and 14 are
London
York
Bradford
Oldham
Widnes
Doncaster
Halifax
in theory Salford could also apply if they have money finally come through from the investors

Decisions will be made in October.

 

[Pippen94]

So heres the lay of the land after another momentous week for English RL.

SL clubs voted for a potential 14 club SL for 2026. 9 clubs voted in favour. HKR voted no and wanted expansion to happen in 2027. HFC voted no and wanted a ten team comp. Wigan bizarrely abstained and had no opinion.

IMG gradings will continue and 12 clubs of the 2026 SL will be there based on the top 12 graded teams.

clubs have agreed to two extra clubs being added based on a set criteria that will be assessed by a panel appointed by the RFL and chaired by Lord Caine. If no club can meet the criteria then it will likely stay at 12. Any club can apply. It’s likely financial sustainability and value to media deal will be two of the top criteria.

it’s likely that the two new clubs will receive less or no club grant for 2026.

it’s likely that Toulouse will finish 12th in the IMG grading and replace Salford if they agree to the Catalans style travel agreement. It’s unlikley anyone will score higher than Huddersfield.

The clubs likely to look to apply for license 13 and 14 are
London
York
Bradford
Oldham
Widnes
Doncaster
Halifax
in theory Salford could also apply if they have money finally come through from the investors

Decisions will be made in October.

Rearranging deckchairs on Titanic

 

[Perth Red]

Rearranging deckchairs on Titanic

It’s just the 4 year cycle lol. Every 4 years change it and around d and around we go.

having said all that, and leaving aside the haste and the lack of money to do it properly, a SL with (presuming they’ve got the money) Toulouse, York and Bradford In it is a stronger SL.

 

[Taking The Two]

A Super League with York, Toulouse and not bloody Bradford (this is 2025, man) is stronger only on paper. In commercial value, strength of clubs and onfield performances, it’s a much, much weaker competition than its proving to be in this present era, where we’ve had a literal part-time team and a club literally on the verge of extinction. The reputational damage and impact on stakeholders, who haven’t been communicated with, are also rather large negative effects on the competition and sport in the UK.

But hey, it’s rugby league in England. The people that hounded Wood out, then championed his return, will turn on him again by 2028 when the TV deal is a bag of half eaten chips and a paper clip.

 

[Perth Red]

A Super League with York, Toulouse and not bloody Bradford (this is 2025, man) is stronger only on paper. In commercial value, strength of clubs and onfield performances, it’s a much, much weaker competition than its proving to be in this present era, where we’ve had a literal part-time team and a club literally on the verge of extinction. The reputational damage and impact on stakeholders, who haven’t been communicated with, are also rather large negative effects on the competition and sport in the UK.

But hey, it’s rugby league in England. The people that hounded Wood out, then championed his return, will turn on him again by 2028 when the TV deal is a bag of half eaten chips and a paper clip.

Of all the potential teams bradford bulls have by far the best chance of getting a 10k+ crowd avg.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Rugby legue fans vote on Nigel Wood’s first priority as RFL chairman – Total Rugby League

www.totalrl.com

 

[Taking The Two]

Of all the potential teams bradford bulls have by far the best chance of getting a 10k+ crowd avg.

View attachment 104707

A picture from roughly a quarter of a century ago (JJB have long since disappeared) to back up your argument when;

* the consumption of live sport has changed in that time.
* the consumption of sport on TV has changed significantly.
* Bradford built a fanbase off of heavily reduced tickets and couldn’t keep that up forever.

That’s without considering that in the last ten years:

* Bradford Bulls have gone bust for the FOURTH time.
* Bradford have been unable to afford to play at Odsal despite it being owned by The RFL.
* Bradford Bulls, less than one year ago, had the begging bowls out to their fans and sponsors saying they needed help to stay in the black.

Bradford could get good crowds, however, they play in a literal hole in the earth that makes Pripyat seem like Hollywood, they’ve had financial issue after financial issue and have question marks again over them, less than a year ago. I’m not sure how anyone can genuinely go “yeah, they’re sound” without any sort of trepidation.

Frankly, it’s nostalgia ridden nonsense to suggest Bradford should be in Super League. A look at the general feeling amongst UK fans is very much the same and many are expecting Bradford to be shoehorned in due to the links between the club and Wood, which has gone down as well as a fart in a lift.

 

[Pippen94]

Of all the potential teams bradford bulls have by far the best chance of getting a 10k+ crowd avg.

View attachment 104707

Toulouse in big city winning matches has that potential

 

[Taking The Two]

Toulouse in big city winning matches has that potential

Fourth biggest city in France, international feel, able to double the French born players in the comp overnight, gives more French players opportunities to play the best here and lead to (hopefully) a better international side, French ‘Derby’ with Catalans, they’ve already got some big sponsors and a population of over 1.3m.

But hey, remember when Bull Boy would ride around on a tractor in 1999 at Odsal and they got 24,000 for a game with Leeds a generation ago?!

 

[Pippen94]

Fourth biggest city in France, international feel, able to double the French born players in the comp overnight, gives more French players opportunities to play the best here and lead to (hopefully) a better international side, French ‘Derby’ with Catalans, they’ve already got some big sponsors and a population of over 1.3m.

But hey, remember when Bull Boy would ride around on a tractor in 1999 at Odsal and they got 24,000 for a game with Leeds a generation ago?!

Catalans started small from memory now among the best and that's with very bad season. Toronto averaged near 10k.

 

[Perth Red]

Toulouse in big city winning matches has that potential

maybe.. Last time in sl toulouse avg’d 5k but they have the chance to build on that if they can stay in SL for a few years.

 

[Pippen94]

maybe.. Last time in sl toulouse avg’d 5k but they have the chance to build on that if they can stay in SL for a few years.

Finished dead last. Bradford's last superleague season they averaged 6k