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Resetting the Points for the 8’s makes zero sense

A player from all 12 Super League teams lines up at the 2017 launch.

Well we are in to July now and we’re still not sure what the league structure will be for next year.

It has been rumored that Super League want to go up to 13 or 14 teams, dependant on whether can agree a fair share of TV revenue.

One thing is being considered,  if the league decide to split like they do at the moment after 23 games,  and that is to reset the points for the start of the Super 8.

I’m surprised this concept has raised it’s ugly head again now, I could sit here and bore you with my opinions as to why this is a daft idea but only one real reason needed, Castleford currently sit 17 points clear of 8th placed Huddersfield, are we really suggesting that they should start a 7 game shoot out on level points?

Even giving a couple of point head start based on finishing position offers no respect to the season Daryl Powell’s side have had.
The argument being here that the likes of Huddersfield and Wigan will have nothing to play for as they are too far back.

But if we did this, Castleford qualified for the Super 8 about 4 weeks ago and have already qualified for the extra home game, in fact they have guaranteed top spot going into the Super 8, so they would now have nothing to play for.

Whatever system you use there are going to be sides that have nothing at stake at the end of the season.
Mind you if they’d won more games they wouldn’t be in this situation.

I’m sure the sides fighting for their lives in the middle 8 will happily swap a few meaningless games to avoid the chance of being relegated, they are meaningful games they can well do without.

Maybe we could give financial incentives for teams to finish in a higher position, or maybe players should, and do,  take pride in their performance regardless of what is at stake.

Widnes had a memorable win at Wigan last year in the Super 8, whilst Daryl Powell used it to prepare his squad for this seasons challenge for honours, all games where supposedly nothing was at stake for them.
The season before Hull were decimated with injuries and used the games to blood their young talent, which they are reaping the rewards of now.

Most sides that make the 8 will have a mathematical chance of reaching the top 4 at the start, they may have 4 or 5 games where they have nothing at stake, but I’d rather the teams in the middle of the table had nothing to play for than the teams at the top.

We need to stop rewarding mediocrity, you are where you deserve to be

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