Second-row Rhyse Martin, 32, is in favour of rise to 14 clubs but it comes with a major caveat
Hull KR star Rhyse Martin has urged for patience admitting Super League’s sitting on a “knife-edge.” His side are flying high at the top of the competition, hoping to push on and win it for the first time in their history.
But plenty of talk has already turned to next season and the controversial decision to see Super League increase to 14 clubs. Second-row Martin, in his seventh campaign here since switching from the NRL, hopes it will be a fruitful move but can understand concerns with his own club having voted against it.
The Papua New Guinea captain, 32, said: “It’s a difficult one. I think as a sport, we need to grow. There’s a lot of question marks around funding [for 14 clubs] and all the decisions that get made, TV rights and things like that.
“As players, we don’t want to be playing loop fixtures. That’s been very common ever since I’ve been in Super League. But playing some teams three times? What’s the point?
“So it’s good getting rid of those. And I think 14 clubs is good for the growth of the game, depending on where the teams are and where they come from.”
But given the NRL expands to 18 clubs in 2027 with Perth Bears’ arrival and again to 19 the following year when PNG gains their own team, there’s going to be a squeeze on talent. Martin, who won the 2020 Challenge Cup with Leeds, admitted: “It’s going to be difficult for rugby league in the next couple of years, because you’ve got two teams [joining] here and then you’ve two teams in the NRL expanding.
“So for teams to potentially have the best players playing around the world, it’s going to take some time. There will be 140 players that need to be found in the next three years.
“It’s good for the sport in terms of growth, but it’s going to take some time to build the foundations. Hopefully we can keep growing the sport, keep people engaged, just keep delivering the product that people want to watch and keep turning up. I think at the moment it’s on a knife’s edge.”
As a case in point, Rovers walloped Salford 74-12 on Thursday, dishing out another humiliation for Super League’s bottom club who continue to be badly hamstrung by myriad financial issues. They are a cautionary tale for everyone involved as rugby league plots its latest path.
Meanwhile, Martin, who joined Rovers from Rhinos ahead of this season, passed 1,000 Super League points in that demolition job at Red Devils.
He scored two tries and also booted seven goals as he kicked for the first time since returning from a four-month quad injury in late June.
Willie Peters’ side host Castleford Tigers on Saturday hoping to further extend their lead at the top with the final weeks of the regular season looming into view for the Challenge Cup holders.