Dave Craven - Moving Super League goalposts again seems pointless at this stage of season

All the constant uprooting and repositioning must be truly causing havoc. I imagine the pain is unbearable.

It certainly feels like that looking in as the sport contemplates yet another needless change of tack, the sort of manoeuvre that makes Boris Johnson look like the doyen of assertive, straight-talking common sense.

The regular Super League season is due to finish in less than a fortnight but that apparently is too long to wait.

So it might be ended on Monday when Super League’s powerbrokers - essentially the clubs themselves - will decide on whether to do away with the final fixtures and, instead, revert to another plan.

That involves changing the top-four play-offs to a top-five. Or a top-six. Or top-eight. TBC.

There are plenty of reasons why some want the season to end now and plenty are valid.

As the fixture schedule has intensified, so many players have put in immense efforts to get games on, regularly playing busted to help fulfil fixtures.

And, let’s not forget, that list was backloaded as clubs thought they would have crowds back in watching by now which, obviously, has not happened.

Also, the need to satisfy Sky’s broadcast demands is understood to be just about sated, too, so, with that in mind, they could call it a day and have more ‘meaningful’ play-off games. But just because they could does not mean they should.

To change things now, so close to when the regular season is due to climax anyway, will make a mockery of it all and open a proverbial can of worms.

It is demeaning to those who have busted a gut so far - Wakefield Trinity are a case in point given what they have done to get a side out - to then just throw it all in.

Moreover, if those in charge are truly worried about player welfare, why is Trinity’s game with Leeds Rhinos - a fourth in 11 and ten days respectively - going ahead tomorrow?

If it is getting canned, surely Monday’s meeting could be held today to avoid what would be a meaningless match if the competition is ended less than 24 hours later. However, it is working out who will qualify that will cause real issues.

The RFL showed prescience by ruling this season’s table would be decided by win percentages.

If it is ended on Monday, though, Catalans Dragons have only played 12 games and not reached the requisite 15 games to qualify for the top-four.

They are in contention and it is through no fault of their own that they have seen so many games called off while they went to vast expense travelling over to England on a weekly basis to help the competition continue.

But what about Hull FC who are currently in sixth spot? If they sneak in and go on a surge, they know the Grand Final is now being played at their home ground the KCOM Stadium.

Imagine the furore that would cause. The goalposts would literally have to be moved somewhere else again.

After the damage Covid has wreaked, it has already been decreed the 2020 Super League champions will forever have an asterisk next to their name.

However, if they were to end the season early, the pages of the history books would not be wide enough to cover all the asterisks required to explain it all.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.