Both Hull FC and Super League are set to return to action in August.
Plans to restart the competition will see those games postponed before lockdown begin to take place on the first weekend in August.
A return date for all clubs would be a fortnight later (weekend of August 15/16), meaning every club starts again having played seven rounds.
There are three different proposed fixture schedules all put together with different end dates, with the Super League Grand Final either taking place on November 28th, December 12th or January 16th 2021.
All games will be behind closed doors until at least October 1st when crowds may be allowed to attend – subject to government guidelines.
The three proposals would see either a 22-round, 24-round or 28-round Super League competition, with the Challenge Cup to take place in all three options and no Magic Weekend in any.
The play-off system is effectively a top four semi-final like in the old Super 8s format; 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 with the winners contesting the Grand Final.
Some midweek matches will take place, but they have been kept to a minimum – four for the first two proposals and three for the January ending proposal.
Super League clubs will discuss the three different proposals at a meeting next week, meaning we are ten weeks away from a return.
Proposal One (22 round competition)
AUGUST 2nd & 9th: Postponed games pre-lockdown to be played
August 16th: Super League Round 8
August 23th: Challenge Cup Round 6
Midweek: Super League Round 9
August 31st: Super League Round 10
SEPTEMBER 6th: Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
September 13th: Super League Round 11
September 20th: Super League Round 12
September 27th: Super League Round 13
OCTOBER 4th: Challenge Cup Semi-Final
Midweek: Super League Round 14
October 11th: Super League Round 15
Midweek: Super League Round 16
October 18th: Super League Round 17
October 25th: Challenge Cup Final
Midweek: Super League Round 18
NOVEMBER 1st: Super League Round 19
November 8th: Super League Round 20
Midweek: Super League Round 21
November 15th: Super League Round 22
November 22nd: Play-off semi-finals
November 28th: Super League Grand Final
Proposal Two (24 round competition)
AUGUST 2nd & 9th: Postponed games pre-lockdown to be played
August 16th: Super League Round 8
August 23th: Challenge Cup Round 6
Midweek: Super League Round 9
August 31st: Super League Round 10
SEPTEMBER 6th: Super League Round 11
September 13th:Super League Round 12
September 20th: Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
September 27th: Super League Round 13
OCTOBER 4th: Super League Round 14
Midweek: Super League Round 15
October 11th: Super League Round 16
Midweek: Super League Round 17
October 18th: Challenge Cup Semi-Final
October 25th: Super League Round 18
NOVEMBER 1st: Super League Round 19
Midweek: Super League Round 20
November 8th: Challenge Cup Final
November 15th: Super League Round 21
Midweek: Midweek: Super League Round 22
November 22: Midweek: Super League Round 23
November 29th: Super League Round 24
DECEMBER 5th: Play-off Semi-Finals
December 12th: Super League Grand Final
Proposal Three (28 round competition)
AUGUST 2nd & 9th: Postponed games pre-lockdown to be played
August 16th: Super League Round 8
August 23th: Challenge Cup Round 6
Midweek: Super League Round 9
August 31st: Super League Round 10
SEPTEMBER 6th: Super League Round 11
September 13th: Super League Round 12
September 20th: Super League Round 13
September 27th: Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
OCTOBER 4th: Super League Round 14
Midweek: Super League Round 15
October 11th: Super League Round 16
October 18th: Super League Round 17
October 24th: Challenge Cup Semi-Final
Midweek: Super League Round 18
NOVEMBER 1st: Super League Round 19
November 8th: Super League Round 20
November 15th: Super League Round 21
November 22: Midweek: Super League Round 22
November 28th: Challenge Cup Final
Midweek: Super League Round 23
DECEMBER 6th: Super League Round 24
December 13th: Super League Round 25
December 20th: Super League Round 26
December 26th: Super League Round 27
JANUARY 1st: Super League Round 28
January 10th: Play-off semi-finals
January 16th: Grand Final
FOOTNOTE – Proposal one is the only option where the 2020 season would be completed before November 30th, the date when the deals for those players out of contract expire.
It creates the least loopholes in terms of players deals, welfare, and the 2021 season too, with a home World Cup at the end of that. Given all three proposals, it’s fair to write the Ashes off for the 2020 season.
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