nail on head

But the problem is that top flight RL can not compete for funding by having an ever shrinking pool of successful clubs in a smaller Super League. On the other side of the coin it can not attract more cash off the back of an ever increasing number of "no contest" games. IMO we have seen the emergence of a real chicken and egg crisis over the last 5 or 6 years. In essence we need a more intensive and competitive competition to attract more money into the game, but we need more money more widely distributed to achieve a more competitive competition. Again IMO we have squandered opportunities and cash on a variety of ill conceived changes and schemes. Not least of these has been the various attempts to favour wider geographical participation over ensuring that the game was in good shape as a truly competitive sport, before moving out of the "heartlands".

I am genuinely concerned about the outlook for full time professional RL in this country. I hope that the powers that be have a "plan" but I see no real evidence to bolster that hope. If they do not, I fear that we will see a continuation of the current managed decline and eventual oblivion.

In which case I look forward to being able to buy a season ticket just for the five or six competitive home games each season, gradually reducing year on year to five, or four, or three - we've been here before in the 1980s with Wigan, remember ?

I'm sorry, but some of the posts above are insane.

'If you had no salary cap, you'd need central contracts to allocate players to the teams who weren't competitive' .

It's this kind of sticking-plaster mentality that holds RL back. You want an immediate solution, and not to have to ask the hard questions about why a team is never succesful, or can't compete.

Shock of the day, some clubs are not commercially viable even with their sky money. Almost every club that has gone down or been exceptionally poor for a season has done so because they cannot get the fans through the doors. Fans generate ticket sales, merch sales, food & drink sales, and draw ad revenue and sponsorship. Without fans, trying to run a SL club is clould cuckoo.

The only way you can overcome that problem is by either creating commercially viable businesses in place of the current clubs, or axing the deadwood.

This is why Fev, Leigh & Halifax will never make it in SL - there's simply no way they can draw the fans to make themselves commercially viable at the top level.

The likes of Widnes, Salford & Huddersfield - all of whom draw small crowds for the size of places they represent - need to buck their ideas up. Insulating them from competition by holding back everyone else won't do them any favours.

As for Wakey & Cas, a merger is the only way forward. You can't split a borough of 300,000 between two clubs and expect them both to succeed.

the low points against is pleasing regardless of opposition

when we gave away soft points or played bad at easter we never used to say it was the quality of the opposition

I think that is one thing, also another area where JJB has been highlighted for......penalties. I don't know the numbers but I think we've more disciplined than we were a couple of years ago and not giving teams easy yards. Also gaining more metres forward, Peacock a large part of that obviously wasn't at his best in 2011/12 and the backs are all making huge chunks there too which is resulting in making the opposition start further away from our line.

One part that has drastically improved is the right hand side. Two years ago BJB/Watkins/Sinfield looked like strangers when defending that edge and you always felt teams could get 2/3 tries at least on that side.....that's the side Wire took advantage of in the 2012 Cup Final in those 10 minutes to take the game away from us.

Not said either of those quotes, but whatever I can see you're on a mission here coming up.



Yes facilities are poor at some grounds, but we're also no longer visiting Wilderspool, Knowsley Road, The Boulevard and The Willows nowadays.



Who said I cannot see that? Did I say the game was amazing and in great health?

No, I questioned why someone who gets seemingly no satisfaction from the sport spends so much of his time talking/posting/keeping up with news about it. I don't like RU or horse racing or tennis so I don't spend my time keeping abreast of what's going on. If a tv series I've previously watched has become bad or stale I'll stop spending my time watching it and not criticise others on a repetitive basis who still tune in.

So congratulations on reading what I put and going off on a different tangent and completely making up that I think the game is in fantastic shape and I've buried my head in sand. Stevie Wonder indeed.

Its quite possible to be concerned over the game that you have followed all of your life and so to air those views in public.

Problem is, some just don't want to listen or have no response so prefer the fingers in the ear and hum loudly approach.

I concur. I love the game but fear for its future in this country under its present format. There are fewer and fewer games that are becoming unpredictable. The likes of London, Wakefield and Bradford in their present state make a mockery of the game. For MCDermott to state any of these opposition gave us a tough time is propaganda at its worse. ..

Leeds can be safe in the knowledge at the season's start that they will finish in the top 5 whatever 16 MCDermott selects.

The state of our game is a worry and Bill Eve (Believe) with others make some valid points. What is clear is ditching promotion and relegation and introducing the franchise system has not enabled the lower clubs to invest in player development as was promised. The lack of enough young talent with true class and the drought from downunder has given us a real problem and unless we increase the salary cap to prevent the talent drain to Union and the NRL the future in not bright as our deteriorating product will attract less and less sponsorship which is much needed.

Lets hope the new reorganisation of SL brings some joy.

Having just watched Leeds Carnegie v Rotherham I have to say the Union second level looks in much better shape than the League one. Also James Lowes looks to be doing a good job.

People have been predicting the demise of RL since it's inception. I guarantee that if the internet existed 50 years ago that it would be awash with posts from people complaining about the governing body, the referees, the play the ball, the standard of matches, the chairman, the BBC etc. The game will carry on no. I'm not burying my head in the sand or putting my fingers in my ears. I no the game has problems, but there're also many positives within the game. Do I agree with everything that the RFL and the S chairman decide? Of course not, but ATEOTD they're more qualified than I, or any other miserable old pleb with sand in their gash who "wants their game back".

I watch RL because I enjoy it, even the 5hite games are enjoyable for me. Of course I want every game to be close, competitive, and full of skill, but I know that's impossible, so I enjoy it anyway. If you don't then I'd suggest you go watch or you do something that you do enjoy, it's that simple.

It is quite possible, but I think we all know William isn't "concerned".....and hearing it every week also leads to questions why someone would spend their time doing so.......but some like to bury their heads to that question.

You can't expect The Printer to understand that simple logic. The second sentence is him to a tee.

Unless my reading is amiss you posted "Go follow another sport then"!! how can you deny that?

William loves this sport more than most and I would suggest he supports the sport at all levels far more than some one team supporters who can't see beyond what is happening at Headingley hence his posts of concern. The fact that you cannot see that suggests your ability to understand simple posts are questionable?

You have been to the last four games Leeds have played - in your view is that the standard the League should be offering? Its an embarrassment to elite level RL. You,it would appear, unlike William are only interested one club and not the game as a whole.