I think it is about time for the sake of rugby league, Halifax as a club do not take this lying down and challenge tis decision to the highest level we can. even if it means going through the highest courts we can. The decision stinks of hypocrisy and bias and needs to be challenged before these idiotsruin rl beyond repair. I and others are wondering what is the point of following a rl team anymore. I have followed Halifax since 1977 missing only about 20 home games in that time but wonder if i can continue when there vis nothing to aim for any more.....

You have my fullest support. In my eyes, you have done everything asked of you to enter Super League. It must be frustrating that your bid has not been successful.
However, I do hope that you are not bracketing my club (Castleford) as one of those who have broken promises. As a club we never, ever promised that we would be playing in a new stadium by 2012. What we did promise was "significant development" towards a new stadium (which was the RFL stipulation by 2011), which has being achieved with both outline and detailed planning permission being given for a stadium at Glasshoughton. Our obstacle now is to sell our current ground, which requires planning permission so a retail development can be built. We will need to overcome this obstacle and be playing at Glasshoughton by the next franchise application.

It is time to change the farce or break away

We need someone with millions willing to fund competitions and things to be able to do that.

you made the promise last round of the licences as a criteria

I also agree, certain SL clubs have had all the advantages with the Sky money, better attendances, better sponsorship opportunities etc. Whilst Halifax's bid wouldn't have been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, IMO they did do enough to deserve a shot over Wakefield. 3 years ago it was all about finances + stadia - why has all that been forgotten about this time round? If Fax couldn't get in ahead of a poor team, who have just come out of administration, have reletively poor crowds and who have an awful stadium, they will never get in.

IMO the RFL needed to send a message to SL clubs that they do have the balls to kick out failing clubs, but instead Crusaders have saved them and basically gave a message to clubs like Cas, Wakey + Salford that they are doing a good job + to carry on as they are. Several clubs failed to carry out what they promised last time and they should have paid the price. In the 2 rounds of licencing the RFL have not yet gave any indication that they are prepared to give clubs a chance. I just hope that there is a guaranteed place for a Championship club next time round.

As a Fev fan I think the way that Halifax have been treated is shocking. All I have heard is that Wakefield's application was stronger without expanding. This of course does not effect Featherstone Rovers at this point but I believe that all Championship clubs should be in this fight together.

I don't want to start another thread or go off topic about past troubles between our clubs but it's decisions like today that makes me annoyed that there is friction between our great clubs.

We need to unite against the clowns at the RFL.

Cheers Pencil and thanks for the sentiments.

I think the one thing this decision reveals for your club is that even with your ground improvements, playing record and any investment in youth its going to be very tough for clubs like ours to progress under the current administration the game is cursed with. On the upside, nothing is ever final and I truely believe the Crusaders debacle will spell the end for at least one of the three wise monkeys. I for one will party hard when that announcement is made.

It's all Ralphs fault

Stand up and fight...

I'm a halifax fan man and boy, since 1985 . This is shocking. I travel a long way to home games, its costs considerable amounts of tim and money. I have never given up on the club, and now I want the club to stand up for itself. Fight this stupid decision.

With a dash of cold reality this morning. Have we really been hard done by? I see it as this:-

Had crusaders not fallen on their sword the RFL would have kicked out wakefield. We still wouldn't be in super league and we would have had a very strong wakefield team in the championship, probably playing with a bigger salary cap. This would have made it difficult for us to be in a position to apply for SL again.

Do we really believe that any championship club's bid could be better than that of a SL club? There's no way it ever could be! The stadium is a small part of it and, thanks to crusaders, administration is now irrelevant.

The RFL have had a lucky escape with regards to the outcome. I don't doubt that if crusaders hadn't withdrawn Wakefield would have been relegated and crusaders left to shamble along! A lucky break for the RFL. At least now expansion may be done in a considered fashion, beneficial to all in the sport....

We have every right to be angry about being used by the RFL - they should have told us from the outset that our bid wasn't good enough instead of using us to make the process seem more accessable to championship clubs - that action by the RFL is unforgiveable!

The good thing to come out of this though, is many RL fans, across the leagues, can now see how incompetent, (not corrupt) the RFL are, how licensing is unbalanced and unfair and stacked in favour of SL clubs and how forcing SL rugby into an area, in the name of expansion just doesn't work and needs looking at.

If this gets the RFL board looked at its a good thing. Why we would want someone who ruined british tennis in charge of our proud sport I will never know. Rant over!