Dave Craven: Big kick-off is here, if you live in Wrexham or London

I know there should be no middle ground here as either it is or it isn't.

But, as we prepare to venture to another ground – that of the Racecourse – it is hard to sum up where exactly we are with Super League's annual debut.

The first game of its 15th season is certainly happening tonight.

Despite the ludicrously early start in January, there will be no big freeze to scupper the grand opening in Wrexham, and Eddie and Stevo will be suitably excited at the prospects ahead.

But it is hard to muster too much cheer about the prospect of watching the worst side in the competition who, by their own admission have endured frightful preparations, against champions who are in frighteningly good shape.

Brian Noble will have prepared his quickly-assembled side as well as possible and it is not as if they are walking out still asking each other's names but a mis-match of gargantuan prospects is still the fear. Hardly a great advert for the sport.

Harlequins welcome Wakefield to the capital tomorrow in the only other fixture as the now traditional random start takes some semblance of loose shape.

However, as well all know, in essence the season really does not get up and running until a week's time.

That is when a full programme of seven fixtures kicks off, the pick of which is Huddersfield Giants and Bradford Bulls – two sides who could seriously challenge Leeds's stranglehold on the title – facing off in what is a fascinating West Yorkshire derby.

Sean Long then heads back to St Helens in his first game as Hull captain the following night, inevitably ready to write his own script.

Now that is what you call proper fixture planning.

It all begs the question, why isn't it happening now? Even if the Crusaders pull off the biggest shock in Super League history tonight, or the greatest game in years is witnessed at The Stoop, is it not time for some simple uniform?

The splintered opening to the season, which will continue to happen as long as the World Club Challenge is placed where it is in the rugby calendar, does not help the promotion of the sport in any manner.

When the RFL are going to the trouble and expense of holding their season launch in London, attempting to attract fresh media and audience, and breaking more new ground in Wrexham – even if the Crusaders are only expected to survive there another year – it seems foolish not to then give the competition the start it deserves.

For any new followers of the game, the approach must seem crazy and, just when it should be creating a buzz, the stunted commencement of it all risks the event being diluted or over-looked completely.

The simple option would be to bring the full round of fixtures forward and have all 14 clubs in action together rather than just the current four unlucky candidates.

The players might not like it, starting earlier in the year when weather conditions are already a threat to the quality of contests, but if it is good enough for some, then it should be fine for the rest.

It would create a free week in late February when the aforementioned World Club Challenge comes around which some critics might see as an unnecessary halt in

proceedings.

But on the positive side, with no regular fixtures for the rest, there would be an increased chance of securing a larger attendance at the World Club.

The sum of it all would be, rather than Round 4 Crusaders v Leeds Rhinos and Round 3 Harlequins v Wakefield Trinity Wildcats baffling people from the outset, the real novelty of.... on the first weekend of the season... a set of fixtures cleverly entitled..... Round One.