THE Super League clubs are hard at it trying to construct a calendar for next season.

Up until this week they had categorically refused to meet with the Championship and League One Advisory Group, leaving it to the RFL who, by the way, are responsible for all members, not just the Championship and League One clubs.

So you have the nonsensical situation where Super League clubs choose to negotiate with an organisation which they are actually a member, while the Championship and League One clubs have not actually been at the table.

I am not sure what a judicial review would make of that.

Disappointingly a hastily convened meeting this week – to explore parameters between all the parties – was preceded by a press luncheon hosted by Robert Elstone in Manchester. Smells like bad faith or poor judgement.

Quite simply this is the wrong discussion at the wrong time, and it is one that has the potential to erode value in the sport with every passing week.

We are, of course, still three years away from a new TV deal being required, and this is not the time to be showing such a lack of confidence in our sport.

A few selfish club chairmen are attempting to hijack the sport to provide greater protection for their own clubs.

The bottom line is, within two months we could have a Super League of 12 clubs of which three are not even RFL members.

It is plain to anyone who can see, that before you start addressing structure you have to have a vision as to what you want the league to look like.

And of this there has been absolute silence.

The reason there is no vision from Super League chairmen, is because they haven’t got a shared one.

The bigger, safer clubs embrace new entrants such as Toronto and Toulouse, because it widens their brand.

The weaker and unsustainable clubs actually don’t want the sport to grow to a point where they get squeezed out.

This is the eternal struggle of the game in Britain, how do you grow and expand while keeping everyone in the tent?

The simple answer is differentiating between the RFL members and those clubs invited to participate, and whose presence is at the expense of an RFL member.

With other overseas applications on the horizon, the RFL has to design a league structure that is future proofed and that balances the rights and privileges of members against the desire to grow the sport into new markets.

The first issue is to standardise the basis on which invited teams are participating.

Toronto, as we are told, are doing so at their own expense, Catalan I understand are most certainly not, and neither are Toulouse.

If we have powerful and viable self-funded overseas clubs like Toronto there is no reason why the French sides should be afforded such indulgences, when to do so is at the expense of RFL members.

I think it is inevitable that the Super League must transition to 14 clubs, particularly if one is French and one is Canadian and that a minimum of 10 clubs have to be full RFL members.

Relegation and promotion must be retained between Super League and Championship on a two-up-two-down basis, with the guest clubs who represent strategic markets exempt from relegation. The two coming up can be organised to provide a first past the post winner and a million-pound game second promoted club.

A 14-team competition allows a straightforward 26 games fixture list, the clubs can keep the highly successful Magic weekend to make it 27 rounds, and there is no need for the plain stupid 'loopy fixtures' some misguided souls are currently trying to shoehorn into the fixture list to give clubs the amount of home games they have belatedly realised they need.

A 14-team Super League also allows the Championship and League One competitions to potentially consolidate into one single division to give some famous old clubs currently withering on the vine a chance of at least a reasonable fixture list, and an uplift in available funds crucial to their survival and the sports development.

The current attempted power grab is such a shame for our sport and so inappropriate.

Anyone who knows anything about rugby league, particularly in this country, knows it was borne out of a struggle against injustice and prejudice.

This sport was built upon unity, looking after the whole family and standing together shoulder to shoulder.

Cutting clubs adrift, taking money from them or pulling the draw bridge up are simply against the values of our sport.

Lose sight of your values and you quickly lose your identity.

I have been an outspoken critic of the behaviour of some Super League chairmen. I believe they have been arrogant and elitist and attempted to bully through what is in their best interests.

At the end of the day the sport has to pull together.

The point is to decide what you want the sport to look like in 10 years’ time, and build towards it. When you know what it is, go out and sell it.

But whatever might happen, do not simply change the rules in isolation for the benefit of a handful of poorly-run Super League clubs.

Such crucial decisions must be for the good of the entire sport. Whatever your point of view, one thing is certain. Change for 2019 even if desired is simply not doable. Enough.

As we move towards the end of the 2018 season, we are well into our recruitment drive for next year, with John Kear outlining clearly what he believes is necessary for a top four Championship position in 2019.

We are planning accordingly, on and off the field, as we launch our LOYAL 2019 season tickets campaign. Check out our launch video and jump online to reserve your tickets.

We also have some exciting player announcements, just round the corner. Stay tuned.

On Sunday our Ultimate Eight campaign is at Odsal Stadium as we take on ex-Bulls legend Leon Pryce and his Workington Town team in our fourth encounter of the campaign.

We sit on top of the table separated from York City Knights but only by 10 points difference.

We know the Workington boys will come trying to repeat the round five result, where we were defeated 17-16 in the final minute, of a tough physical encounter.

They will put up stiff competition, so nothing but our complete and total focus and respect for the opposition will work for us.

York City Knights will look to put Hunslet away the same day.

We are nearing the home turn in our race to the line.

Every point on the board is crucial, every kick essential, and we need to stop every score against us.

We must be at full noise, players and fans alike.