“It threatens to bankrupt clubs” – Smith unmoved on relegation stance

Hull KR head coach Tony Smith has reiterated that Super League would be a better product without relegation.

Smith has long been an advocate for scrapping promotion and relegation, something that was forced on the competition in 2020 after the withdrawal of Toronto Wolfpack.

However, it is expected that promotion and relegation will be in place again for next season, something the Robins boss believes is not required to make Super League exciting.

Smith said: “I have heard people say some games do not matter. I have played in teams that have come last in the competition, every game matters!

“That is why there are no meaningless games when you play rugby league. I defy that!

“Whether or not there is relegation, the best competition in rugby league in the world does not have relegation.

“They play and say it is the toughest fought-out competition in the world. It does not need relegation to make games important.

“Nobody wants to have the wooden spoon or finish outside the top eight in the NRL so you do not have to have relegation to make something meaningful.”

Smith, whose Hull KR side survived the drop on the final day of last season, believes the issues surrounding relegation relate more to matters off the pitch.

“All it does is detract from competition’s worth and ownerships and investments,” he said.

“It also threatens to bankrupt clubs. As a result of that, I have seen people scared off about investing money in competitions where you do not know where your future is going to be.

“It does not matter whether you are at the foot of the table or at the top, a win inspires you to go even further.”