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2026 Super League Discussion

Timmah

LeagueUnlimited News Editor
Staff member
Messages
101,308
Fans will look at the fixture list but looking at the fixture list is moot. What one is it then, big’un?
Your comprehension skills aren't great.

"Whether a club is facing relegation or in the title race next July or August is moot to fans looking at a fixture list in f**king November this year lmao."

A club's relegation or title prospects are moot in November when assessing a fixture list. Unless you're a clairvoyant. I'm quite clearly saying that people will look at the fixture list for their own purposes (attendance planning, favourite games etc) than what it means for ladder positions months and months from now.

And if anyone is truly worried about whether relegation is happening versus grading - then they'll know within a fortnight. But I truly don't believe there would be more than a very small handful of people upset about that when looking at the fixtures.

Teams, broadcasters, players, fans and sponsors not knowing what is being played for when the fixtures released and barely 8 weeks before the season beginning is the real nonsense and some weird Aussie laidback “nah, chill” doesn’t make it right. It’s not done in any other sport or sporting league and certainly not in any credible competition that allegedly wants to grow and be taken seriously.
What is being played for?

1764113370813.png

Hope this helps
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
Your comprehension skills aren't great.

"Whether a club is facing relegation or in the title race next July or August is moot to fans looking at a fixture list in f**king November this year lmao."

A club's relegation or title prospects are moot in November when assessing a fixture list. Unless you're a clairvoyant. I'm quite clearly saying that people will look at the fixture list for their own purposes (attendance planning, favourite games etc) than what it means for ladder positions months and months from now.

And if anyone is truly worried about whether relegation is happening versus grading - then they'll know within a fortnight. But I truly don't believe there would be more than a very small handful of people upset about that when looking at the fixtures.


What is being played for?

View attachment 108037

Hope this helps

It’s funny isn’t it? The NRL draw for 2026 was released on 14th November 2025.

On the same day, this was posted;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/11/14/every-teams-2026-nrl-draw-ranked-from-hardest-to-easiest/amp/

and this

https://www.zerotackle.com/ranking-every-nrl-teams-fixtures-for-2026-228958/

and this

https://afx.adfixus.com/afx_prid/20....11.25.1&afx_sap=&afx_plsd=&hn=www.smh.com.au

This one…24 hours later

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/e4a6bb7505413bc9289322567767dcd9

Not content with analysing fixtures and ranking them from least to most difficult, we had this on the same day the fixtures were released:

https://www.espn.co.uk/nrl/story/_/...-draw-see-games-first-four-rounds-2026-season

In the very first paragraph, the Dragons are described as ‘bewildered’ and ‘fighting to avoid the wooden spoon in 2026’.

Fast forward a whole 24 hours and Fox have this:

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/8a1a7d6cc37df99bc37ac2b83ec657ae

I mean, it’s not looking good is it? All this chat in November about fixtures, who’ll be the wooden spooners in 2026 and predicted tables all inside 24 hours of the NRL releasing the draw. It’s moot lad, it’s moot! Immediate, striking whilst the iron is hot and that’s without even then considering that on here, a thread that is around the 2026 NRL draw has had 245 replies to it, at the time of posting - the link is here https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/2026-draw-venues-info.494677/ - in which the strength of the draw for the Sharks, Tigers and Raiders is discussed the very day the draw was released.

The added bonus in Australia was that everyone knows that it’s so many rounds, an eight team play-off and the following years draw is partly done depending on how strong you are onfield. No two week wait, no “come back later” but immediate news articles, reaction and speculation. Whilst you can bang on about which journalist has it in for your team, which pundit has their eyes drawn on and what publication is the scum of the earth, there’s immediate reaction and anticipation created immediately.

Whilst yes, it’s very much anticipated when is Toulouse away (can it be late May/early June, please?) and if York is a Saturday evening so that you can wander around York and have a few beers pre-match, there’s a little missing not knowing what is being played for. And yes, there are 14 teams in Super League and there is a shiny pot on offer in Manchester in October to the victor, much like the NRL, not all clubs are realistically in with a chance of winning said pot (these teams are called the Eels, Tigers and Knights in Australia) and their expectations, fan predictions and what it is exactly, they’re playing for, should be encouraged to be discussed, even as early as November. It’s what makes footy so bloody good. You can spend countless hours talking about the game, watching games, watching old games, writing your feelings about the game on social media, joining a rugby league forum and talking about rugby league on the internet with a load of strangers you’ll never meet and it should be encouraged rather than told not to discuss it in November by you. And yeah, when the fixtures are released and 8 or so weeks before the games actually happen, this information should be confirmed for everyone’s benefit rather than letting the draw happen and then working things out later.

So yeah, I’m leaving it there. People want to talk about draws and subsequently who will finish bottom as well as who will win the trophy in October, it’s human nature of a sports fan and it should absolutely be encouraged from the second the draw is released rather than paused until some old suited fellas get some pie and peas and decide what they’re doing a few weeks later.
 

Timmah

LeagueUnlimited News Editor
Staff member
Messages
101,308
The references and your links you are posting about the draw have no bearing on and nothing to do with what happens at the end of the 2026 season.

None

At all.

All the things that you've illustrated being analysed about the NRL fixtures can similarly be done for the Super League fixtures upon their release. Suggesting that people won't be encouraged to discuss, dissect the fixtures when they're out tomorrow is hilarious.

Sure, you can write another 200-word, barely intelligible paragraph and paste another 6 links, but either way, the fixtures are out tomorrow - and while most will excitedly be checking what they're clubs doing, news articles will be written - you'll be here sooking, it would seem.
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
The references and your links you are posting about the draw have no bearing on and nothing to do with what happens at the end of the 2026 season.

None

At all.

All the things that you've illustrated being analysed about the NRL fixtures can similarly be done for the Super League fixtures upon their release. Suggesting that people won't be encouraged to discuss, dissect the fixtures when they're out tomorrow is hilarious.

Sure, you can write another 200-word, barely intelligible paragraph and paste another 6 links, but either way, the fixtures are out tomorrow - and while most will excitedly be checking what they're clubs doing, news articles will be written - you'll be here sooking, it would seem.

The difficulty of teams fixture list has no bearing on the season and where people think teams finish? Hahahahahahaha you’ve got to be thicker than zoo glass if you genuinely believe that. You’re literally writing nonsense here now. Give it a rest. You look daft now, man.
 
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Timmah

LeagueUnlimited News Editor
Staff member
Messages
101,308
The difficulty of teams fixture list has no bearing on the season and where people think teams finish? Hahahahahahaha you’ve got to be thicker than zoo glass if you genuinely believe that. You’re literally writing nonsense here now. Give it a rest. You look daft now, man.
"Where people think teams finish" means less than nothing in November.

A couple of media outlets and a handful of fans might do "predicted ladders" etc - which they can still do if they want to.

You're upset that people can't speculate about who might not be playing SL in 2027 in November 2025.

That's where we're at. lol
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
Nice reward for York, getting the Champions at home in their first game.

Literally into the deep end for Paul Rowley at Saints, having to go to Warrington, who need a good start otherwise Sam Burgess is going to be under increasing pressure. Catalans and Huddersfield is an interesting one, both need massive improvements on 2025, Hull should get over Bradford, Wigan should beat new look Cas and Wakefield should beat Toulouse at home.
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
"Where people think teams finish" means less than nothing in November.

A couple of media outlets and a handful of fans might do "predicted ladders" etc - which they can still do if they want to.

You're upset that people can't speculate about who might not be playing SL in 2027 in November 2025.

That's where we're at. lol

Are you actually a sports fan?

It fills column inches, it creates social media debate, it fills things like forums (y’know, like a rugby league forum, maybe even one called something like League Unlimited). That’s just the fans.

For broadcasters, players and sponsors, it’s pretty important information.
 

Timmah

LeagueUnlimited News Editor
Staff member
Messages
101,308
Are you actually a sports fan?

It fills column inches, it creates social media debate, it fills things like forums (y’know, like a rugby league forum, maybe even one called something like League Unlimited). That’s just the fans.

For broadcasters, players and sponsors, it’s pretty important information.
It didn't stop you from dissecting the opening round fixtures literally one post prior to this one - thus proving my point entirely.

You are miserable.
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
It didn't stop you from dissecting the opening round fixtures literally one post prior to this one - thus proving my point entirely.

You are miserable.

Like a dog with a bone, man.

One round. You cannot be that dense. That’s very different to 27 rounds. 27 is a bigger number than 1. Knowing also dictates the conversation as well. Obviously.
 

Timmah

LeagueUnlimited News Editor
Staff member
Messages
101,308
I look forward to the entire discourse being about something you're obsessed with and nobody else gives a flying f**k about
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
Of course you despair.

You're finding misery in joy on purpose.

Nobody's thinking about the "narrative around the league table" when fixtures come out. They're looking at who they play, what trips they can make, when the derbies are etc. That's what creates the anticipation and excitement and it's not going to kill momentum or deflate the moment.
Yep! Got my eye out ready for the hull derbies and away at Toulouse! Didn’t think much to Everton so I’ll reluctantly skip MW (would have gone if Newcastle) to go to Toulouse of timing is tight and we’re not somewhere else. Can’t wait for the season ahead. Could be a classic with a number of teams in potential contention for title and the interest in seeing how the new clubs go. Knights will become my second team.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
Good opening game for SL. York should be sold out as long as they sell the seats to rovers fans and with an eye on brisbane and Vegas a chance for York to have a crack at the champions.
HKR quick off the mark and selling tickets from today.
 
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Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
On the round release, img would be directing this and they know sports marketing so happy to go with their expertise. I can see the logic. Get the media for round 1 then in a short time get more media for the rest of the seasons fixture release.
with the demise of loop Games it’s not like we don’t know we are playing every team home And away.
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
On the round release, img would be directing this and they know sports marketing so happy to go with their expertise. I can see the logic. Get the media for round 1 then in a short time get more media for the rest of the seasons fixture release.
with the demise of loop Games it’s not like we don’t know we are playing every team home And away.

We released R1 fixtures (and 2 usually, as clubs would announce their first home game of the season) long before IMG were in town. It’s not their thing, this.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
We released R1 fixtures (and 2 usually, as clubs would announce their first home game of the season) long before IMG were in town. It’s not their thing, this.
And if it was a poor strategy img would have recommended Changing it by now. You’re literally the only person I’ve heard that has a problem with it!
 

Taking The Two

Juniors
Messages
902
And if it was a poor strategy img would have recommended Changing it by now. You’re literally the only person I’ve heard that has a problem with it!

They suggested getting rid of Magic and it’s still here. It may have been a suggestion, it doesn’t mean we listened.

I don’t have a problem with releasing a fixture in isolation. I’m not sure how you’ve come to that conclusion, but never mind.
 
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