Fev've been the best team in 2010 (ok there was a hiccup in the final but we were still the best team over all) and 2011. Has the bubble burst? The problem with no automatic promotion is that teams are bound to have difficulty keeping up standards for three years. Will Fev's performances in 2010 and 2011 and in the cup count towards serious consideration for SL? Had there been promotion, we'd have strengthened and perhaps survived in SL. But there wasn't. Look at Barrow, in 2009 they looked all over SL material now they're in Championship 1. Are 'Fax the coming team? I suppose 'Fax fans hope so, but how long can they keep it up for? The whole system stinks.

Fax the coming team? we've been to 2 GFs in 3 yrs plus a NRC final. We are already here!

One thing that struck me yesterday at POR was how poor the ground is. How on earth you hope to attain SL status with your ground really puzzles me.

If all goes to plan it won't look like that next year

There is more chance of me ing on the moon than Fev being in SL

Its better than Cas's ramshackle ground.

Cas worst ground in SL closely followed by Wakeys.

Bradford & Leeds pretty naff too.

Surely the past 10 years has proved although it is talked about it is not just about your ground standard.

There is more chance of me ing on the moon than Fev being in SL


You could of done us a favour beating us yesterday were now mid table so more chance of S/L Ha Ha

What has league position got to do with getting in SL?

The RFL might get that soon but will turkeys vote for Christmas ?

Don't forget the only two places on earth where sports franchising works is on two continents where teams are invariably hundreds of miles apart.

Course nobody who watches our game thinks the excitement for the games fans has anything to do with promotion and relegation. All we are interested in now is the second phaze the second stanza and the momemtum rule.

I love powerpoint presentations and CGI fly-throughs of pretend stadiums. That part of the game has really developed well.

I see Widnes have imploded again - the Pete Docherty of Rugby League. Another 30 points shipped in they've lost another player to that awful epidemic today - "personal reasons". It's a coach killer. Bye bye Anthony Watts, wheel in the next misfit Denis . . .

They really are just a shambles, so not prepared for Super League. They'll still be struggling after year three at this rate, nicely done RFL...

What makes me laugh is Eddie and his ilk's oft repeated "this is only the first year, they have 3 years to get up to speed."

Wrong! They have as many years as they like. Has any SL club been denied a franchise renewal for being poor on the field? Are they likely to be? No, of course not. When it comes around to franchise time, on-field performance is not even mentioned.

I would be amazed if Fev were ever considered for SL as they simply do not fit the SL Vision Template of "Big City Teams". It's totally wrong but there it is.

On the plus side, criticism for the present system is gathering momentum so let's wait and see.

Possible restructure?? SL 1 & 2?? It's been mooted several times and that concept seems to have a hell of a lot of backing within the game and is gathering quite a bit of momentum. Both Fev n Fax would sit comfortably within SL 2 and with P&R to shoot for it would make the season have some real meaning!

It won't happen - well, not the way you want it to anyway. Basically, you've got to spread the paltry amount of Sky money across a selected few clubs. The current selected few clubs will choose to cut off its wobbly legs and keep it all thank you very much. The legs will join the head of The Championship and we'll play for free through Premier TV and doff our caps and be thankful for the TV exposure. As Nigel says (with his expert sponsorship deals) "You can't buy advertising like that". No Nigel, you fat twerp - you sell it!!!

I kind of anticipated that Rich, and I can kind of live with that if there is genuine P&R twixt SL1-2! But I would like to see the promoted club given a 'lift' with a bigger pot for winning SL2 to improve their chances of competing in SL1.
It might mean Cas share the yo yo duties with Wakey for the first 5 seasons or so but would in my opinion be a step nearer the egalitarian/utopian ideal I have in my mind for RL- but sadly my mind is the nearest it is likely to get to reality.