BATLEY BULLDOGS and Dewsbury Rams have got together to put a motion to this Wednesday’s meeting of the RFL Council that is intended to change the system for movement between Super League and the Championship at the end of the season.
The current system is that the top twelve graded clubs will make up Super League in 2026, regardless of their finishing positions in 2025.
However, the motion put forward by Kevin Nicholas (Batley) and Mark Sawyer (Dewsbury) proposes “that IMG Grading is amended such that if the winner of the Championship Grand Final is a Grade B club it shall be promoted to Super League either to replace the lowest ranked Grade B club in Super League or as an additional club if all clubs in Super League are Grade A.”
Nicholas insists that his intention is to avert the likelihood of controversy before it happens.
“As you are aware Batley Bulldogs are a Grade C club as are Dewsbury Rams and so this is not some kind of self-interest and it is not attempting to dismantle the Grading system, but is what we believe to be a major flaw which needs amending for the good of our sport,” Nicholas told the RFL in an email proposing the change.
“This season, luckily, an integrity issue has not arisen because the bottom club has been replaced by the top Championship Club, but this will avoid the issue arising whilst still seeking to improve standards.”
Nicholas admitted to League Express that he doesn’t know whether his proposal will obtain majority support at the Council meeting, while he also wished to clarify what the motion seeks to achieve.
“I haven’t canvassed support so if it succeeds is not my main concern,” he said.
“But if it doesn’t succeed and then it all goes pear-shaped next year, I can at least say I’ve tried.
“For example, let’s imagine the Bulls beat York in the Grand Final next year, but let’s say that York and Toulouse are put into Super League instead of them (because of higher gradings).
“What a car crash that would be!
“I will clarify at the meeting that where there is reference to the lowest ranked B club it is meant as the lowest in the league table, not the lowest Grade B grading points.”
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