Former Warrington Wolves and Leeds Rhinos half-back Blake Austin believes Super League has to get smaller to ‘get better’ – insisting 10 teams is the maximum size to ‘get with the times’.
Austin was a guest on the podcast of Bradford Bulls and Ireland forward Ronan Michael, which focussed on the differences between the NRL and Super League.
Inevitably, the conversation turned to whether or not expanding to 14 teams was the right decision – with Michael’s Bradford side one of three teams who were promoted in the off-season.
Austin, who featured at international level for Great Britain and also played Super League rugby for Castleford, insisted he felt even 12 teams was too high a number – and would go lower than that.
Austin said: “I think there’s too many teams. I think there is. I’d go smaller and I’d get better.
“Lock in your.. eight, I reckon ten maximum. Lock them in and then you get two or three extra from a team out of the Championship to come up and you start getting a better balance.”
Perhaps more controversially, Austin said there were some teams currently at the top level who needed to be removed and told their only purpose is to produce players for the elite clubs and to play for a second-tier title every year.
He warned Super League needs to ‘get with the times’ and modernise.
Austin added: “You’re going to say you’ve done a lot for our sport and thank you very much, but from hereon out you’re going to play in the Championship comp and the only trophy you’ll ever be able to win is a Championship trophy.
“The Super League is for the big boys, we’ll take some of your good players every now and then and give them a chance to play on the big stage but otherwise you’ll just be a smaller community club and you’ll keep producing players.
“Unfortunately, that’s the way the game has to be. There’ll be a few 70 or 80-year-old blokes backing Keighley and clubs like that for a long time but sadly, we’ve got to get with the times.”
