Full Time Championship teams will compete. PT championship teams will be beaten comfortably. But if 2 teams a year can chance their arm and unhinge a SL club from their previously guaranteed SL place then that's good. It's what the game needs - a shake up.

I think Leigh will be good enough to prove themselves in the middle 8, most likely at the expense of my club on current form

I also think Bradford are in with a shout too but they are maybe going to finish 5th in the middle 8.

I agree that the PT teams will struggle with the intensity. Over this weekend I attended the Wakefield v Halifax match and Sheffield v Hull FC. Of course I watched the match on TV on Saturday too.

I think Fax showed a lot of enthusiasm on Friday. I do however think fitness and a little bit of difference in skill made the difference.

I wish you well though, you have a great bunch of supporters and that is the best vocal atmosphere from away fans I've heard for a while (although I guess the roof helped too).

No - this is worse. Somebody would've been up in 2015 under licensing - probably Leigh - instead of playing for a place in a league to play in another league for a place in $uperleague in 2016. And they would have had three years in $uperleague instead of having to go through the whole Middle Eight Process again at the end of the 2016 season.

I don't see the attraction of Twelves and Eights. I suppose it's today's "I-want-it-all-and-I-want-it-now" attitude to life. Nobody's prepared to work for owt these days.

Don't get the reference to hard work. Surely it's harder to keep a club running, and enthusiasm as a supporter if there's a closed door to progression.

It wasn't closed.

The downside was you could only go up every third year.

The upside was that you had three years to consolidate before you came down.

Widnes v Batley
Leeds v Giants
Hull FC v Castleford
Wigan v Hull KR
Catalan v Featherstone
Saints v York
Wakefield v Leigh
Dewsbury v Wire

Upside for clubs like Bradford was that you could royally screw up without being kicked out although a second time in administration was a bridge too far. No SL club can now rest at the foot of SL and not give a damn. The pressure is on. That's sport for ya!!

You are wrong whilst its going to be tough for a Championship club to get into SL in the middle eights at least they have a chance and if it does go the way you think their is always going to be that 4th v 5th game which as a one off gives one Championship team a great chance look at the Leigh v Salford Cup game!
You seem to forget that the Franchise system was a bent system decided entirely at the whim of a few at the RFL. They chose who they wanted by whatever means they decided it was a cartel and stank of favouritism - remember Crusaders who had illegal Aussie players the RFL decided to ignore until it all blew up in their face???
Ask yourself this, do you want to be at the mercy of the Fat Controller to get into SL or through a system that whilst its not perfect at least gives you the chance ON THE PITCH!
Maybe you are happy as you are an 'expansion' club you get extra ticks cos they like you?

Like it or not, we're stuck with more "country mile" rugby for the time being.

Thoughts for Sunday Griff ?

There are twelve teams in Super League. Each are allowed five imports. That means there are a potential of 60 overseas players starting each week. Reduce this number (and the number in the Championship) and this will start to reduce the gap as each teams have to develop talent and narrow the gap on the pitch between squads. An old hobby horse of mine but one I still believe in.

We need to win to get back on track.