Restructure will bring return of winner-takes-all match

Furthermore, the governing body have estimated that the extra three games Super League clubs will play in 2015 will generate an aggregate of almost £3m more than the current total.

Super League clubs have agreed to a new format from next year which will see two 12-team divisions split into three leagues of eight after 23 rounds to play off the remainder of the campaign.

The convoluted middle tier workings – where the bottom four of Super League combine with the top Championship quartet – to decide who reaches the top flight for 2016 has caused the most contention though Wood believes, given time, fans will see “it’s not that complicated”.

After seven games, the top three teams qualify automatically for Super League with the fourth and fifth clubs scheduled to meet in a winner-takes-all clash for that crucial 12th and final place.

That will stir recollections of the famous final-day West Yorkshire derby between Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Castleford Tigers in 2006 which crucially determined the relegation spot.

Salvation equated to £1m of central funding for the winners and victorious Wakefield duly consigned fierce rivals Castleford Tigers to the drop in front of a full-house at Belle Vue.

Soon after, licencing replaced promotion and relegation but clubs voted last week for a return of relegation and, also, to reduce Super League from 14 to 12 clubs.

There is scope for a two-legged tie for the fourth v fifth match in 2015 but Wood said: “It will be big enough to stand alone; it will be like the million-pound match.”

The RFL Independent Board of Directors is expected to ratify the restructure decision either today or tomorrow before the governing body’s next major challenge – getting clubs to agree on how funds are divided to aid Championship clubs a greater chance of success.

In the RFL’s Policy Review proposals, Championship clubs were set to receive as much as £650,000 a year (currently around £90,000) to enable them to compete better with existing Super League clubs, who receive around £1.2m.

“At the moment there is a funding ratio of 12 to one and, if that can be changed to a two-one ratio, we will have a more competitive structure,” said RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer.

Clearly, it is easy to see why some elite clubs are concerned about gifting funds to sides from another competition.

However, Rimmer has said that studies show Super League clubs could generate £2.9m extra when it comes to playing those added fixtures at the end of next season.

Super League, meanwhile, will today announce a new title sponsorship deal with an energy firm.