Yesterday saw Championship clubs confirm their opening round fixtures, whilst League One clubs announced their first home games of the 2024 season, but now the two tiers have confirmed their full fixture list for the upcoming campaign.
Upon yesterday’s announcement regarding the opening round of fixtures in the Championship there was plenty of competitive clashes, but the stand out fixture saw relegated Wakefield Trinity host Bradford Bulls on Friday 15th March.
Now we know the rest of the games across the season meaning fans will be running through lists to pick out their favourite away days and checking which slots their team has been allotted to most.
It looks set to be a really interesting Championship campaign with the relegated Trin as the clear favourites under new ownership and the coaching of Daryl Powell.
Trinity have also flexed some pulling power in their recruitment as they’ve assembled a seriously impressive squad, however the likes of Featherstone Rovers, Toulouse Olympique and last season’s third-placed Bradford will all have plenty to offer.
New boys Dewsbury Rams come up with a new head coach whilst Doncaster have assembled a squad featuring plenty of former Super League legends, highlighting the depth all the way throughout the division.
As for League One relegated Keighley look to go again having last been in League One in 2022, during which they went about an incredible ‘Invincible’ season.
This year they’ll have more competition with Oldham the early favourites having put together a squad that has genuine Super League quality players in such as Leigh Leopards Challenge Cup winning centre Joe Wardle.
Sean Long has taken the reigns at Boundary Park and the ambitious side look the team to beat in the third tier.
The major news from the fixtures is again the fact that both competitions don’t start until mid-March to allow for the reformed 1895 Cup to take place in January and February.
Upon the release of the fixtures the RFL have confirmed the structure of each division, something that is of importance at the moment given Newcastle Thunder’s intent to return to the competition.
That has now been seemingly confirmed, Thunder being in the fixture list with the RFL confirming Championship remains as 14 teams and League One as nine.
They noted: “The Betfred Championship remains a 14-team competition in 2024, with the top six teams qualifying for a play-off series which culminates in a Grand Final on the weekend of 19/20 October at the home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season.
“Betfred League One also gets underway on Sunday 17 March, with the nine-team competition featuring Newcastle Thunder who face Hunslet at home in their opening fixture. Keighley Cougars have also been handed a home fixture against Cornwall after their relegation from the Championship, while elsewhere Rochdale Hornets will travel to the Alexander Stadium to face Midlands Hurricanes and Workington Town will take on Oldham at Derwent Park.
“In Betfred League One, each side will play 20 matches – 10 at home, and 10 away. This will involve four loop fixtures for each team, determined by seedings based on 2023 finishing positions. The League One Grand Final will be played on Sunday 6 October at the home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season.”
Full Championship fixtures can be found here, whilst League One can be found here.
