Hull humping highlights why convoluted structure isn’t needed

We’re heading in to September not knowing officially what the league format will be next season.

In their final game of August, Hull shipped 80 points to a Warrington side who have now all but confirmed their place in the play-off semi-finals.

Let’s be clear, the Super 8s has nothing to do with that result.

You would get dead rubbers, at least for one team, in any league format and that’s exactly why a convoluted structure isn’t needed.

What a load of shite this super 8’s ballacks is

— Adam Milner (@AdzMilner) August 30, 2018

The much maligned “every minute matters” slogan that was used to appease us during the absurdity of the announcement and explanation of the doomed Super 8s format has often come back to bite the RFL and its clubs in the backside.

Hull have nothing to play for, that much is true. Old pros can waffle on for as much as they like about pride to play for, but the reality is that rugby league is a brutal sport, and a bunch of guys with nothing to play are not going to be as up for it as those that are.

That being said, for that Hull side to ship 80 points in the manner that they did, especially only a few weeks after shipping 72 at Wakefield, is a disgrace.

Even with the injuries they’ve got, they still have enough quality to put up a better fight than they did, even with nothing to play for. It seems injuries are only rolled out as an excuse when it suits the narrative, when the reality is that many clubs battle on with injuries at various points of the season and don’t serve up the dross that the Airlie Birds did last night.

Of course, you have sympathy with the travelling fans, but that’s sport. I’m sure they wouldn’t swap the magic of Challenge Cup glory, which they’ve enjoyed for two years, for avoiding nights like last night.

Lee Radford acknowledged that fact, and don’t forget, Radford is a man who has transformed Hull in to the club they should be – challenging and winning honours. Sure, they’ve fallen short this year, but everyone wanted a competitive Super League and that’s one of the consequences.

Playing Warrington for a third time is one too many, and hopefully that will be eradicated from any future seasons.

This time next year, Warrington and Hull may well meet again in a fixture that only means something to one side, but at least it’ll be in a logical format that you can explain to a casual supporter, and boy does rugby league need as many of those as they can get right now.