We're still shafted. Just a different kind of shafted.

This is absolutely correct. At the time I was saying it would be great for the Championship to have Wigan playing in it. It would be a disaster if we go down, but the Leeds Bradford derby would be back, and we owe them one after last week.


London play Wakefield and Castleford in their last 5 games. The pair would suffer financially without Leeds, as they get their biggest gate of the season playing us, they will be trying to keep us up for that reason.

London also play us and Hull kr in those last 5 games, if things are still this close they will be some tense games.

In fact looking at their remaining games London play both us and Hull kr twice, that’s 8 points that has to be shared between the bottom clubs. They are absolutely crucial games, starting with the magic fixture next week.

Leeds voted for P and R, now all of a sudden Leeds fans are wanting franchises back. Funny that.
Leeds won’t go down, neither should they with the marquee players on their books- but some bad luck with injuries as some squads have had and who knows.
This talk of it being bad for the sport is also a load of rubbish. Personally I don’t think it would be bad for the game if Leeds go down, I think it would be very good as money can be spread down to the lower leagues instead of concentrated on superleague. The sport needs money further down.

You’re assuming the Leeds fan base, corporate interest etc wouldn’t change if they were relegated. It would be a hammer blow for SL if Leeds went. Traditionally we’ve been the best supported club in SL and probably the biggest behind the scenes too. The trend is very challenging for Rugby League in general in today’s market place, junior playing numbers are well down etc.

If Leeds do go down they will 100% deserve to, but let’s not be naive about it. It would give those many myopic supporters of other clubs a good chuckle, as the whole game takes a backward step. Noses and faces.

I agree the rules shouldnt be changed just to keep Leeds in the comp, we'r absolute garbage and we'v made our own bed. But...

Lets not pretend Leeds going down would be good for the game. Everything Elstones doing is aimed towards the next TV deal, if he takes a product to sky without Leeds Rhinos as part of it, his hand is severely weakened. A poor TV deal means there wont be enough money for superleague clubs, never mind spreading the money round the lower leagues. Bums on seats is only part of clubs income, the TV deal is massively important, Salfords and Huddersfields crowds would barley pay the laundry bill. While its perfectly understandable for other fans to be loving the prospect of Leeds going down, all the money men, chairmen etc will be hoping they stay up.

What rules are people nattering on about? What a stupid suggestion to compare what Wigan did and what is been alluded to here. Wigan cheated a written rule when breaking the cap, for their own advantage.

The way the competition is set up going forward isn’t a rule, it’s changed a fair few times over recent years, it is an agreed format between the clubs. Just like they did last year, they can change again to suit. It will always be in the clubs and the games interests. Not some unfounded morality of some. As long as the majority agree to something it happens.

I would imagine the interest from Toronto will more than make up the tv deal interest. In fact- with both Bradford and Leeds in the championship perhaps the deal could be made for that too! Could strengthen a tv deal not weaken it. In fact Could be better for the game as a whole if Leeds go down.
As for the rest- leeds’ money .......goes to Leeds. Leeds Sponsorship money......goes to Leeds. The rest of the SL don’t get it.

The only difference Leeds makes to my club is a big crowd..... just once a year..... but a thousand rhinos fans buying a ticket for £22 once a year (and some of that goes back to Leeds anyway) isn’t going to make a huge amount of difference to my club. Won’t even pay the wage of a youngster.
Close a stand when London and Toronto are in town and save a bit in stewarding costs - the difference ain’t going to break our bank!

Id be very suprised if you could keep a straight face when you were writing this, if you arnt on a wind up and believe this nonsense, your clearly letting fan/club rivalrys get in the way of your common sense.

Like i said, as fans we love to see other big clubs struggling, id be the same if Wigan were in a relegation battle, my heart would love to see them relegated, my head would relise that Wigan are a big, famous club and that the game in this country, which is already on its knees, needs its big clubs in its premier competition, because theyr the clubs who attract the tv deals and sponsors. Sky dont pay a fortune for the premier league because of Bournmouth and Burnley, they pay it for Manchester united, City and Liverpool, just like they dont pay for superleague because of Salford and Huddersfield, they pay for Leeds, Wigan, Saints. Toronto do draw interest, but that needs to be on top of the current teams that draw interest, replacing one for another is standing pat, bringing in additional interest is moving forward.

Iv already said, im not saying Leeds should be rescued from relegation, if it comes to that, because of the reasons above, but to say Superleague wouldnt suffer if Leeds were relegated is extremely short sighted

Did the game really suffer when Bradford were relegated? Can’t say as I noticed it did. Cant see leeds being relegated will be any different.
Leeds drop down Toronto come up- perhaps someone else wins the GF, in a couple of years New York are there, no one misses Leeds.
I do have a straight face because all that happens are the same players play and interest will be in a different team.

Yeah superleague does miss Bradford, Bradford were in an absolute state financially at the time though and no ammount of help was going to change that at the time.

Leeds are among the big names in this country, everybody loves them or Loves to hate them, it dosnt matter if theyr doing good, bad or indifferent, everybodys interested in them, that sells.

Take Huddersfield, you could take them out of the league right now, it would take most people a few week to relise they were gone. Them and a couple of teams like them are the epitome of whats wrong with the game, no one looks for there results, barley anyone watches them, if theyr doin well...no one notices, if theyr doing badly...no one notices, its why theres not more money in the game, why throw money at sumthing that dosnt move anybodys needle. Teams like this should be thankful to the big teams for the equal share of the pot they get, they certainly dont deserve it.

Agree that Toronto will be good for superleague though and any further expansion teams will bring an interest.

Toronto WILL Implode like Celtic Crusaders did and PSG.
You cant run a SL Club on free tickets and a sugar daddy long term i'll give them 5yrs max.

Very good post indeed. Well said. The short sighted nature from a number of people is why this game has regressed in recent years. When will people finally look at the bigger picture and look to make the game better for all which will include their own club. Stupidity it's best