At the Bulls forum last night, Andrew Chalmers mentioned the return of licencing to Super League in 2021. Seems all the Bulls are doing when they restructure is ticking boxes for a licence. Good luck to them by the way and let's hope, if licencing does return, it's fair, consistent and open, not the shambles we had last time.

What are your thoughts chaps?

It will be tough for us if past history is anything to go by, if it is the case that we are going back to franchise.
Everytime we ticked a box the RFl found another issue with us and moved the goalposts so we could never get a chance to get in. Having eventually ticked the grade C box and Celtic Crusaders going bump we still didn't get in which just about hacked me off totally.
Interesting to note at the time that Thrum Hall, Wheldon Road and Belle Vue stadia were not up to scratch. We moved and dropped out of the league. Cas and Wakey still there with the same stadia.
As long as Big Nige and his cronies are still running the show I think our franchise task is all the more challenging.
Best try get plans in place to either a) get in SL before under the current system or b) have a much more robust case for applicationin 2021. At least we have time to bulld.
Personally still prefer promotion and relegation.

I doubt Bradford will be back in SL anytime in the near future certainly 10 years plus. They just dont have the money at the moment to sustain a team that the fans think they deserve.

No to franchising from me. Just nothing to play for at all the middle 8s are brilliant good viewing on sky also

x2 hope Saturdays fayre is worth a view.

No for me as well. Licensing / franchising closes the door to team all teams not in the top flight. It is just a way for the RFL to control the teams they want in the top league and we know who they will be before any paper work is submitted. it will kill the game as it nearly has done. top players wont go to clubs outside the top flight. Now, if a team is playing well and looks like they will get promoted top players will go to that club, look a Leigh before they got promoted.

The top teams in the league below have no real goal except to win that league and I bet the RFL wont have a million pound game to paly for in the lower leagues. its a farce. As stated above, Fax toed the line made changers, move ground all for nothing. I feel sickened that the RFL may even be thinking about this again. I like this system we have at the moment it gives clubs a chance for promotion and to get reasonable amount of prize money if you make the middle 8.

The New Super League 2021:
St Helens
Wigan
Warrington
Leeds
Castleford
Hull
Hull KR
Wakefield
Huddersfield
London
Catalan
Toronto
Widnes
Salford.

Statement from the RFL: After listening to the clubs we have introduced the new 14 team system. This is using the new licensing system brought in so ALL clubs have the opportunity to play in the top flight competition. The independent licensing board (paid by the RFL) have looked at all the applications from all the clubs who submitted their business plans for the next Licensing term which will be 125 years.
They have chosen the best 14 teams to play(those we like and who's owners have the most money) in the new system.
The system will ensure that clubs offer the best in terms of playing staff, stability of the clubs financially and modern day stadia. The first game will be Wakefield v Castledford played at the iconic Bell View ground.

The league will be sponsored by the Austrian Merchant Navy, who have paid nothing but promise to put the lettering 'Super League' on the side of their Antarctic Ice Breaker

Welcome to the death of Rugby League.

You missed out Toulouse.

They'll be in.

I will wait and see if this is confirmed but this cannot happen

People making the mistake of thinking the RFL run the game. Sky run the game and they will tell the RFL what they want, I think it is unlikely that Sky will want licensing to come back in.

Good point,Play offs and million pound matches are the epitome of the Sky concept.

Never going to happen. Think it's just wishful thinking on the Bulls part, as someone as already said it would be their only chance of getting in, but realistically no chance.

They are telling their fans what they think they want to hear and it does look like some will be sold on it but they are getting sold down the river once again.

Licencing's inevitable. Having all these foreign teams makes no sense when they're playing part time players. Somebody - probably Dewsbury - are going to be traipsing off to Toulouse at a week's notice at the end of September.

Eagles are flying out 5 am on Bank Holiday Monday, afternoon catching up on a bit of sleep, play 8 pm, no flight back on Monday night, so a four hour bus ride to Milles to fly back Tuesday.

Why the RFL didn't take control and block-book some flights is beyond me. Toronto knew their first three games would be away and they're next three or four at home. The home away pattern for at least six of the seven rounds could have been set for these foreign games and some seats booked on planes. "Something we're considering for next year" apparently.

Or "we didn't think it through" is another way of putting it.

Typical RFL no foresight/planning thinking ahead make it up as we go along