Expansion 'Super League's big failure' says Leeds Rhinos chief

Yesterday, Hetherington revealed eight ways he believes rugby league has improved since Super League began in 1996, but he also admits it has been far from an unqualified success story.

In particular, most attempts to expand the competition into new areas have failed, with Paris St Germain, Gateshead Thunder, Celtic Crusaders and London Broncos all having come and gone as Super League sides.

“There has not been any planned expansion policy or strategy and the game is still pretty much on the same footprint as it was 24 years ago,” Hetherington reflected.

“We have a team in France, but we haven’t even got a team in London now so [other than Toronto] it is pretty much as it was.

“I think as a game we have failed to take advantage of the sport and expand it in a planned, strategic way.”

Hetherington also believes clubs have neglected to expand as businesses or develop new ways of making money.

He added: “There has not been enough growth, particularly over the last decade - particularly by clubs themselves, growing their income streams and as a commercial entity and the fan base as well.

“I believe that is very much the responsibility of clubs themselves.”

Though Hetherington reckons new, modern stadiums have been one of the benefits of Super League, he also feels certain clubs have not kept pace, describing the facilities at Castleford and Wakefield as “of a different era and out of keeping with some of the advances we talked about earlier”.

Of where the competition goes now, Hetherington said: “Inevitably there are uncertainties, particularly with the broadcasting agenda for sport, which is ever-changing and we are so dependent on.

“But it also has a potentially very exciting future as well.

“Clubs like Toronto, Ottawa, New York and Toulouse offer the game interesting and exciting opportunities, but also threats as well.”