A breakaway is a not starter Chris , collaboration on the other hand is a must if the Championship clubs are ever to get anywhere

A breakaway?
To where?
A sponsor?
Who? (see other thread about championship attendances)

I think you will find that next year with only Sky interested in Super league we have been "broke" away.

As Starbug says, best to try and work together.

Rumours on wakeys board???????

Sesquipedalian wrote:Latest rumour:

RFL will move the goalposts YET AGAIN though in the long term it might benefit WTW.

The SL will remain at 14 teams with the unlucky club being Wakefield
There will be a silver lining in the form of a 12 month review of the stadium situations for Castleford and Wakefield.

At the 12 month review If Wakefield have gained planning permission and begun building while Castleford have still not secured FULL funding and also begun construction then The Wildcats will return to the SL and The Tigers will lose their franchise.

If both clubs have begun construction the SL will increase to 15 in 2013, this solution works for the RFL because it appease the Championship clubs who are denied promotion, it allows the RFL to back up their statements that one team will be relegated and that the SL will remain at 14 teams, even though that might just be during 2012.

I have it on good authority that Wakeield have accepted these terms as they are confident of attaining planning permission and commencing construction. The Wildcats will also receive a parachute payment and a 25% increase in the salary cap meaning their year in the Campionship will do limited damage to the infrastructure of the club. AG and JE believe they can sell this compromise to the fans as a consolidation and rebuilding phase for the club.


I've been toying with posting this for a week or so but decided against it; now that it's out there though, I can say that I heard exactly the same thing with exactly the same details, from someone who is in an excellent position to have the inside track.

Personally, I think it would be a decent compromise; it would get the RFL off the hook (and we know they look after clubs who help them avoid embarassment) whilst giving AG and co a bit of breathing space to get NM sorted.

We all know that Cas won't be going anywhere in the next 12 months, so it would be no contest come the next round of franchises.

Fully agree with the last 2 posts but at this point I am really trying not to get wound up as it may all be nonesense.
All we can do is wait and see.

So, that will be three clubs who have gone into administration in the last 4 years being allowed to play in Super League. Marvellous.

If bookmakers opened a book on this situation, the odds would be

Wakefield to be relegated 1/100
Castleford to be relegated 16/1
Salford to be relegated 25/1
Fax to be promoted 33/1

Simple equation, Widnes up, Wakefield down.

If Crusaders go bust (again), Wakefield back in, or Halifax up.

Our chances hinge on the Crusaders going out of business, I'm afraid.

Call me a pessimist, but the RFL are too predictable.

Fax are in i tell ya!

can't see crusaders coming down at all. Even talk of Keith Senior going there next year and he wants to stay in super league. Doubt he go there not knowing which league they'll be in. I think we're pretty sure they'll be in super league next season.

This Wakey stuff is bollox, they won't /can't just put them back in cos Cas can't build a ground.

If it does happen what would the legal position for Fax as we have ticked all relevant boxes, probably more than Wakey.

It could well be the last straw for me as well.

Me Too

I would say the legal issues regarding such a scenario is why the above is complete . All Clubs signed the franchise application form and agreed to it and the set pattern of it being a 3 year thing was in place. They also signed off saying they couldn't and won't challenge the issue legally.

An agreement between Wakey, Cas, the RFL or whatever this weird scenario is claiming has the square root of **** all to do with all the licensing agreements between the teams and therefore no where will it say Halifax (or any other Club) won't be allowed to legally pursue it. Cas will win the 3 year license they put forward for, do you really think if they don't have full funding etc they'll just go 'fair enough' after a year and drop out?

There's more chance Swinton getting a Super League place than that happening.

Part quote.
"I would say the legal issues regarding such a scenario is why the above is complete rubbish. All Clubs signed the franchise application form and agreed to it and the set pattern of it being a 3 year thing was in place. They also signed off saying they couldn't and won't challenge the issue legally."
end quote.

I can't see any legal challenge either but on the point of all the clubs signing something should that not make it binding on all parties involved??
If that is so then how can the RFL change things at will without getting approval from all the parties involved.
The signees would be directly affected and the other clubs from the championship although not actually signing anything they are going to be indirectly affected and I would think the negative implications for the latter are potentially massive if not terminal.

Couple that with the strong rumour about having the Sky coverage of the championship games under threat how will potential sponsers / investers be got on board.

I just cannot understand how or why the RFL would want to kill off things below Super League.
How does that help the game.
Where will the up and coming players of the future come from,whilst the youth systems will play a part they will not fill the gap in the immediate or long term.

i cant see even the RFL stooping to that level, and making a complete mockery of any franchise structure they only put in place 3 years ago.

if that did happen, i would not attend pro rugby league ever again. and im sure i wouldnt be on my own with that stance!

expanding to 16 teams looks the most likely outcome to me still...fingers crossed!