Super League’s loop fixture chaos further underlined by Challenge Cup draw

You almost certainly didn’t need reminding by this stage – but loop fixtures are about to become a major talking point once again in Super League over the coming weeks.

There are some glaring examples already in the early weeks of the season about how loop fixtures just don’t seem to add any value whatsoever to the competition, and provide repeat games at far too regular a juncture.

But the Challenge Cup draw has further added to the situation this week: specifically with Warrington Wolves being pitted against St Helens.

They were already due to play each other this weekend – Round 5 – and in Round 9 towards the end of next month. That, in itself, is a ridiculous situation.

But you can now add a third meeting inside barely five weeks into the mix at the start of April. Of course, the nature of the cup draw means it is possible that there will be league and cup fixtures played close together in short notice in any sport.

We’ve got it again this year: Wakefield play Leigh in back-to-back weekends in league and cup, and the two Hull sides meet twice in just a handful of weeks in both competitions, too.

That’s fine. But loop fixtures are completely unnecessary and are adding a sense of imbalance to Super League’s calendar once again in the early stages of 2025.

Salford Red Devils face Huddersfield Giants this Thursday evening – their next home game, their third of the season in Super League, is against Leeds Rhinos. Who they have already played at home in Round 2.

Leigh Leopards will have played Wigan THREE times this season before they’ve even come up against St Helens once, with their two league meetings squashed into the back end of the season.

This would be frustrating enough if it hadn’t already been suggested by IMG – who the sport is paying in excess of £400,000 per annum – to get rid of loop fixtures based on their sweeping recommendations for the sport.

Paid advice, that was promptly ignored. And of course, the rationale behind it is financially driven, and that’s fine. Super League clubs have got used to having 13 home games. They don’t want to lose two opportunities to make money.

But at some stage, the madness surrounding loop fixtures will end. It sounds boring, but a simple schedule where every team plays everyone once, before they do the same again in the second half of the season.. is that too much to ask for?