Meeting held to consider radical restructure

The first ever IMG gradings have been revealed with Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, Hull KR, Hull FC, St Helens and Catalans Dragons being awarded the all important Grade A status.

But as this massive step forward was made for the sport with the release of these grades, there is still a sizeable problem to be resolved in the shape of League One’s future.

The problems began when London Skolars announced that they would be withdrawing from the competition and then only exacerbated by the news that Newcastle Thunder would be following suit.

Now, Newcastle could be on the verge of making an all important u-turn but this will only serve to minimise the problems facing League One and the current structure.

A number of solutions have been suggested. The one League One clubs have pushed for is merging with the Championship and splitting into two conferences. Meanwhile, an alternative would be bringing in reserve sides like Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, St Helens and Warrington Wolves to complete the league.

As questions loom over the future, a meeting was held on Wednesday after the release of the IMG grades. However, no definitive solution has been reached meaning that this problem still looms behind the shadow of IMG’s new era.

Despite this, RFL CEO Tony Sutton still made the following statement: “So I’d start by saying that we embarked on a journey 18 months ago with IMG as a strategic partner and this is a core and very important one of their initial recommendations and we’ve worked through that for the last 18 months and that brings us to a grading day today.

“I think it’s important to say that the sport has, had to examine itself really closely at all levels, at all of the top three tiers here, for ourselves and for all clubs in terms of assessing themselves and providing data against the grading criteria.

“I think it’s really heartening that seven clubs have achieved that top grade, A grade, and let’s not forget after a huge amount of data and a huge amount of assessment about what makes a successful club.

“There’s been as much data crunching, in fact far more data crunching and scenario testing, than opinion which I think is very very important in this.

“17 clubs have earned that B grade and therefore should clear map of how to progress, how to score more highly and how to progress up should they choose to.

“We’re really heartened by the number of A grade clubs and I think they should be commended for the outcomes that they have delivered, as should all clubs for the engagement in the process and their work in the delivery of data submissions submissions over the last three to four weeks.”