We need to thank Halifax for putting this information on their webpage:



from how they have approached the whole issue of the ridiculous (in my opinion) extra bonus point, I feel they are not entirely convinced as to the efficacy of this system for all three leagues>



Anyway judge for yourself just google Halifax RLFC official web site:



Here is a taster of their findings, interestingly Leeds will leapfrog Saints at the top of the league whilst winning less game..a sure fire indictment of it's ridiculousness>





They have done a complete league table of how it has affected the Championship.



However: When they did a comparison of how it would have affected SL if it had been in force for 2014.



Leeds would be top, after winning less than Saints and Hull would replace Salford in eleventh place, and Salford would be third bottom.

So let's make sure the RFL don't get their way and slip this system into the equation for 2015..

I'm 100% against it, unfortunately I think the numpties at red hall have already made their mind up.

Sounds like a fat Nigel idea. He really earns that £300k a year salary doesn't he?

Except they can of course do no such thing; since IF you accept that the existence of a bonus point makes a material difference to the way the players play out the games, then it must follow that the scores would have been different had there been no bonus points. Otherwise, there is no point to the bonus point, obviously.



You cannot draw a league table and say "look, that is how it would have ended up" unless you at the same time argue that the existence of a bonus point would have made no difference whatsoever to any of the final scores.

The point is not lost, but it should be??

For the sake of clarity let me paste the info. (excluding the actual impact it has had pre relegation, to the Championship over the season from 2010 see the charts on their web page)



>There is no significant difference to any of the league tables in those years, although the first round of the play-offs in 2009 would have been the other way round, though neither of those four teams progressed to the Grand Final anyway.

Looking at the 2014 Super League season, it is hard to say explicitly what impact the bonus point would have had by simply looking at the results, because the idea is that the bonus point system pushes teams to fight harder when they are behind in games.

Hull have been the team to lose most often by 12 points or less, something they've done six times, followed by Wigan on five, and Castleford, Leeds and Widnes on four.

Converting the league table to the bonus points system, it would mean Leeds displacing St Helens at the top of the table, and Hull leapfrogging Salford in to 11th.<



I am merely the messenger: You make up your own mind, are you for it or against it and the reasons for either.

Someone of greater ability than me, could run a straw poll, for a bit of fun??

I don't think it's a good idea personally but if the RFL is going to use "Every Minute Matters" as a slogan then it seems logical to keep bonus points.

Personally, I'm against pointless [ha ha see what I did there?? changes to the rules, of which bonus points is a perfect example. Like three points for a win, which only entered British sport due to soccer authorities wanting to see more teams going for the win and fewer sides just holding out for the draw [a situation which has no parallel whatsoever in RL, so totally unnecessary.



As far as the league format goes though, the one really important thing for me, is that once implemented, it doesn't change mid season. Before we start, if nothing else, we need to know what the rules are, how they are to be 'interpreted', and that they are fixed. I'm not even holding my breath on that simple requirement.

The promotion/relegation system is already too complicated (I’ve only just grasped how it works) so having bonus points just makes worse. Such developments only disillusion the casual fan IMO. Why the eff can’t we keep things simple???

But it isn't just up to them is it?

Here's another reason that the Bonus Point is patently unfair:

looking at the Championship table Whitehaven and Batley were both on 39 points (Batley in relegation zone due to 3 points deduction for fielding ineligible player) but Whitehaven had won 11 games to Batley's 10 however Batley were above them because they had an extra bonus point (for losing) and a drawn game.

Remember the points are 3 for a win 2 for a draw, and 1 if lost by 12 or less..



So let's compare a hypothetical club result to emphasise how wrong it could be..let's use Haven and Batley as the example...



Both teams are at 39 points with either being relegation candidates in the battle to stay above 10th in the table, which this year will see them go into the conference league.



Lets suppose that each have two more games to play?

Haven have the easiest run in and Batley the hardest:

Haven are 9th and Batley are 8th (because Batley have a better points difference, even though they have lost one game more than Haven).



So when they play the two games Haven results are (this is now hypothetical, as they are fictitious games) one game won 3 points and one game lost by over 12 points (no bonus point)> Total points to add to the 39 points makes it 42 but scoring ave is still below Batley:

Batley now: Results from their two games: Draw and a loss by 12 points points awarded 2 for a draw and 1 Bonus point = 3 or 42.

The actual games won by Whitehaven would be 12 (see actual results to date in LE) and points 42 Batley actual games won is 10 points 42>> Batley though have the better points average for and against..so Whitehaven finish 10th and are relegated and Batley stay up..

Apologies to fans of either team, I am only using your teams as an example as you are the nearest to the unjust system of the Bonus point ?



Another misnomer is the 2 points for a draw, it used to be a drawn game shared the points equally ie 1 point in SL... this is ok for the two teams concerned, but as the example shows patently unfair for other teams in the competition, if they haven't had any draws or a low bonus point reading..

You might prefer to stick pins up your cuticles, and I'll forgive you if you just say rubbish. and don't bother to read it.

Not liking a system isn't the same is it being unfair. In your case both teams know how to score league points and the table is decided accordingly. Whether you agree that it is a good system is another question