Derek Beaumont claims Super League clubs agreed to 14-team league

Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has underpinned their brilliant season finishing ahead of the likes of Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves and Hull FC in 2023.

But Leigh haven’t always had it easy in Super League suffering relegation in 2005, 2017 and 2021.

In the 2021, Beaumont felt it wouldn’t be fair for anyone to be relegated and pushed for a 14 team Super League.

He revealed on the Super League channel:

“I didn’t think it was a bonafide season from which to promote and relegate,” he said.

“But I didn’t want to see Featherstone Rovers or Toulouse told they couldn’t come up. So it set us back and the irony was what really fuelled me and more so than any of the other things I’ve spoken to you about about being knocked down.

“I wasn’t going to be part of not promoting someone to save my own skin because that wasn’t right. So we came up with a proposal to change to 14 teams, which a lot of people think it should be.

“We all agreed that that (a 14-team league) was what we should put forward to the board. Then, these other clubs got a win or two and we didn’t and then when it got put to the vote they voted against their own proposal, and that made me see red.

“I stormed out of this particular room that we were in. I said, ‘that’s me finished, rest assured. I will be back in 2023, one million percent, with a team that sees one of you go at my expense.

“And when you want to go to 14, my answer will be no.”

This comes after Stevo responded to Beaumont’s recent comments about pulling funding.

“Well, he’s certainly got the money to be able to have a gripe,” he said on the Eddie and Stevo pdocast.

“Throughout the history of our game, we’ve always blamed the referees. It’s as simple as that. This is nothing new.

“We’ve always had problems with referees because of one thing, they’re human beings. So what do they try to do? They bring in technology.

“Technology is supposed to eliminate any problems, but sometimes you can’t see. You haven’t got 48 cameras from different angles. Sometimes it’s difficult for the video referee to make a decision.

“I think we should keep the technology. I don’t like what they do in Australia where they’ve got a captain’s challenge. I think that slows the game down. They do it on purpose. If they say 10 points in front, that they use that as a ploy to get a little bit of a rest for the players. I don’t like that.

“We brought in the technology, and the technology has been able to save so many tries especially with the changing of the touching the corner flag.

“Now, how many tries would be allowed or disallowed if we didn’t have the technology to see whether it got that ball down inside the line on the outside or the goal line it’s as simple as that.”