James Graham has issued a passionate warning that Super League is ‘going to die’ unless the NRL steps in and makes pivotal changes.
The NRL has been linked with a takeover of Super League, with reports suggesting the league could buy up to a 33% stake in the UK and France competition. The Aussies want to get full admin control by 2028 and there have been even reports of them wanting a 10-team Super League.
Graham believes a change to Super League is better off coming sooner rather than later, explaining in his podcast The Bye Round that clubs currently hold too much power in the running of the game in the Northern Hemisphere.
“If we don’t act on the Super League like yesterday or the day before yesterday, it’s going to dwindle into us not having a competition,” Graham claimed.
“Salford, what are they doing having a say at the table? They have a say? They’ve been on the bones of their a*** since I’ve been a supporter of the game. What are Salford doing having a say in how that competition is run? They’re broke. They always have been.
“If we (Super League) don’t act and if we don’t get the help that we need, then the competition that I was a fan of since I was at the age of 7 and that I got to play with the team that I supported since that age – if we don’t get that help and get some radical change, it’s going to die.”
Graham also added that he feels there needs to be a reduction in the number of Super League teams, which currently sits at 12.
He added: “There’s an argument that there’s not enough in the talent pool and there are too many teams that are too close together in terms of their proximity.
“They’re going to have to make some really tough decisions around what the competition is actually going to look like and who meets the criteria.
“They have this bu*****t licensing criteria that has obviously failed. Salford are the prime example. It’s going to require sacrifice from everybody – clubs, players, and fans – in order to keep the game alive.”
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John Andrews
April 10, 2025 at 1:34 pm
Totally agree Jamma it’s never been promted in the right way imo
Colin Pownall
April 10, 2025 at 4:01 pm
Our game has been around for over 100 years but i dont believe it will last another 5 years without intervention from somewhere. Super league owners cant keep putting £2 million a year into their clubs. IMG have not come up with any ideas of value and the RFL is leaderless and toothless and completely lacking in ideas
Wiganexpat
April 10, 2025 at 10:22 pm
Spot on.
Its foreclosure time, if the NRL will take it on, give them the keys, lock, stock and barrel and let see what they can do with it. We cannot afford to be play nice anymore. I could have written something very similar to Graham (except the playing part)so I know that it is heartfelt and from someone who has always worn his heart on his sleeve. Never mind a third, give them the blooming lot. I know its a vastly different market to Aus but gee, they can’t make matters any worse can they ?