Indeed it did.



Yes they have, but suspect that as long as they can demonstrate they have things sorted contractually then the RFL are likely to accept that as sufficient to grant one of both of them another 3 years... BUT if still not sorted by the time after next, they are both chocolate ducked!!!

Pretty much agree with all of that.

I know I've been a bit naughty in the past saying that they should merge but even ground sharing seems unreasonable to the two sets of fans.

It's a shame because one ground, two clubs halves the cost doesnt it? Makes both clubs stronger straight from the off.

Don't worry I take no offence from it. You are from that industry, and will know a damn site more than me on it.

I have seen your posts previously on it, and can understand why they council would prefer the Newmarket site. Personally though, I don't think that will go through without time wasting oppossition. And I don't think the RFL should wait that long for assurances.



I do think it would work though, and I think the RFL should enforce it. I notice how you only mention Cas in that statement though. In all honesty I think Cas bring more to the game, and would be better for the game, than Wakefield do. Of course that's my opinion though.

A true merger would result in more than 50% of the fans of each club walking away rather than watch a merged side IMO, leaving the new club with a shiny new stadium and nobody sitting in it.

How many true mergers have their been in RL over the last 20-30 years, rather than what have in effect been takeovers?

Wests is probably the only one that springs to mind where the identity of both teams was retained. St George was in effect a takeover with the sop of retaining a couple of games at Illawarra and the name, likewise Hull FC-Gateshead and Huddersfield-Sheffield.

We had this a couple of months back. It's all opinions. What you have with Cas and Wakefield is nothing like Hull -Gateshead, or Huddersfield-Sheffield. It is a completely different scenario.

And yes, you are right to say initial opinion would be against. But I am 100% convinced that if enforced by the RFL it would prove a success. It certainly would be an improvement on what we have now.

Which was my point - in the other two cases you had a bigger team effectively taking over a weaker one and retaining its own identity, ground, fanbase etc with a couple of cosmetic changes.

If you're talking about a true merger of Cas and Wakefield to create a brand new "third party" club such as Calder, then (IMO) it won't carry any of those things from either Cas or Wakefield and will be starting again almost from scratch having alienated a large percentage of its potential target audience (rugby league fans in the Five Towns area).

Which is the bit where opinions are all subjective.

If the RFL enforced a merger and gave no membership to any offsprings, there is no doubt in my mind that it would work. They love their RL down in Cas, and despite it been a minority in Wakefield the diehards love it there too. They may give initial oppossition but they would go in the end.

Neither club as it stands is doing anything more than making up the numbers, yet Cas fans especially continue to go. The game would be far better with the one merged club. I see no benefit in either as a singular club in super league.

There will be no enforced merger by the RFL, IMO.

It's a matter for Castleford and Wakefield to sort out between them and merger, I imagine, would be low down both club's lists.

An agreed site for a groundshare appears the logical way forward.

The RFL wouldn't want the publicity that would ensue from effectively closing two businesses and making people redundant

Think best way forward is for the Fev Fan (s) to mediate on this and draw this to a swift conclusion.

All 3 clubs could merge though

Just blame the tories.

Works everytime.

Castlefield Wildtigers – has a ring to it don’t you think?

maybe for now, but in 10 years?

maybe a merged club would only have 5-6k now, but with a bit of success a fair few would come back, and the kids now (who are the important ones) have little loyalty, in 5-10 years when they become young adults they wont really know anything other than a one club city, and their kids will never have known a 2 club city of wakefield.

the question isnt really what is best for both clubs right now, but what is best for the sport in the district for the future

maybe £1/£2Million to the owners would help, they may not be forcing but greasing the wheels im sure

I like it kinky.