IT was no surprise to hear that rugby league bosses declaring that the competition’s suspension is likely to be considerably longer than that first announced.

We are going to have to brace ourselves for a very different competition once the season re-starts and who knows what shape the clubs will be in.

The scale of this means that all usual norms go out of the window….and some players may have to have their Mad Mondays on 30 November when their contracts expire.

So, what are the options for rescuing the season?

Working towards the Grand Final on same date in October.

1. Eliminate all loop fixtures and Magic and so every team plays each other just twice, home and away. Squeeze in a series of midweek fixtures.

2. Scrap play-offs – and have a straight 1 v 2 Final.

3. Scrap the play-offs and Grand Final (although is that an option for a sport that will be desperate for cash.

4. Scrap the Challenge Cup rounds, but how would that be squared with the whole game approach and the BBC. That should only be contemplated as an option if there is no chance of making the 18 July Wembley date.

Move Grand Final till end of November, when players contracts expire.

If there is a very short number of weeks in 2020.

1. Start from scratch and just play 11 games, playing each team only once. Relegation would have to be abandoned for 2020.

2. Formulate a fixture list that plays as many games as the weeks allow. Not every team is played home and away to maximise matchday revenue for clubs. Comp would be littered with midweek games and play-offs would have to stay.

3. Play the rest of year without Toronto and Catalans due to travel issues.