Featherstone Rovers boss Brian McDermott explains why he thinks Super League should scrap relegation

Today at Featherstone’s Press Day Brian McDermott spoke passionately about the positive direction he believes the Rovers are heading in.

The club had already made major waves in the transfer market with the signing of Joey Leilua from down under but today announced a further three signings as the club prepares for a tilt at promotion in 2022.

Featherstone confirmed today the acquisitions of Ryley Jacks and Ben Mathiou from Australia and former Man of Steel nominee and two-time Super League Champion Adam Cuthbertson who McDermott worked with successfully at Leeds.

With arguably a Super League calibre squad, McDermott voiced his opinion on whether his side could stay in Super League should they fend off their top of the table competitors this year.

However, he also voiced his views on promotion and relegation citing that Super League should be about more than on the field success and should give clubs the opportunity to grow both on and off the field.

He said: “I think this club is a very sustainable club. Forget about all the other competitors this is a very sustainable club.

“If it was in Super League could it stay in Super League? I’d be very confident it could because how you stay in Super League isn’t so much about what you do on the field, or it shouldn’t be.

“It shouldn’t be about what you do on the field in terms of promotion and relegation. It should be about whether you can grow each year.

“Hull KR finished bottom in 2020 but didn’t get relegated because of Covid and the following year Tony Smith takes them to the play-offs. Isn’t that just the best example of why you should scrap relegation.

“Every owner I speak to doesn’t want relegation or promotion, so who voted it back in?

“It’s going to be a big ask for us to get promoted this year, I’m confident but it’s a really competitive league.

“If we were in Super League I’d be really confident we could stay there. But it shouldn’t be about whether we can win enough games but whether we can generate enough funds, if the ground is good enough and if the crowd is good enough.”

McDermott previously had to toil against relegation whilst in charge of Harlequins before licensing came in at the start of 2009 which gave the club the breathing space to grow and improve. A similar example can be seen in Crusaders and Catalans who finished bottom in 2010 and 2011 respectively but a year after picking up the wooden spoon both finished in the play-offs.

Despite pursuing promotion this year, it is clear that McDermott believes there’s a better way and a way that would reward Featherstone for their impressive work both on and off the field.