Tigs I think if the RFL were to be trusted to make the right decisions there would be no need to consult the clubs.

Tigs is right. You either have a process or you don't.

The general disdain for Woods and the failure to increase sponsorship is no secret within the game. Why have they waited until now to stand up? These issues should have been raised at the outset and a formal letter asking for resignations presented.

Should vote without them. Surely you strop off and walk out, you lose your vote? They could always vote no?

I'm not certain, but I think it meant they were not quorate so couldn't vote after the walk-out. Hence a clever tactic.

Possibly it is the RFL's rules that they have to? Most of the key strategic decisions should have been, & probably were, discussed & approved by the clubs.

That'll be exactly it. With any major vote like that, a "quorum" has to be in attendance. That quorum is essentially a set number or percentage of total members. If 6 of them weren't there, it's likely that quorum was not present and therefore the vote has to be delayed to another day, they can't just do it without them.

75% of clubs have to vote for the vote to count

If 6 of 14 clubs didn't vote, then only 57% of clubs could vote. As the RFL had an "Overriding" vote, then this may have been the only action clubs could have taken to ensure the new structure did not get 'Passed'.

If the above was the scenario and reason for the 'walk out', then I imagine that the atmosphere was very hostile.

Maybe the fact they walked out and made the situation where a vote could not be taken, meant it was a vote, a vote of no confidence in the way the RFL are ruling (or ruining) the game!
I can`t think of another major televised sport which does not have a Sponsor.
Maybe those who walked out (probably all being successful business men in their own field) realised that the current people in charge are not up to it and decided to bring it to a head.

If that is the case and I think you're probably right, why didn't they forward a motion of no confidence at the meeting when the structure was first announced/discussed? It's the end of October and nobody has a clue what the SL will look like in February.

I’m really at a loss to see what the six SL clubs that walked out are hoping to achieve with this action. All they’ve done is further alienate themselves from the rest of the SL, not to mention the championship clubs. They might be under the impression that they can operate in a vacuum but they can’t. There has to be a consensus that the majority can agree on.

As a group they’ve not publically expressed clearly what their issues are and their potential solutions either so I looks from the outside like a big hissy fit.

While they might have perfectly understandable concerns I don’t think this action has done anything but damage their position and has made them look unprofessional. They may feel as if they’ve been backed into a corner but I believe the RFL’s proposal has been “on the table” for a long time so I’m a bit baffled as to why it’s come to a head so late.

All clubs seem to be more keen than ever to push their own interests whether that be the top 6 who want to have the chance to do their own deals for sponsorship of the competition or the championship clubs that aspire to SL status. Cool heads need to prevail so as to ensure the self interest doesn’t take over.

The problem with the 'self interested' theory is a number of these Chairmen are funding their clubs and therefore the game as a whole from their own pockets. If I was asked to stump up between 200k - £1m a year it would focus my interest. They are also of the view that as SL brings in the TV money and the TV money funds the RL, that indirectly through continually picking up losses in order to put a product on TV, it is they, not the RFL who pay the piper. Quite why they have waited this long to call the tune I don't know.

How many clubs are affiliated to the RL? Why do all these clubs have to bow down to the greed of the few. Let the SL clubs split and join with RU, in time it will make for a stronger, better, more honest game. Let Championship and Amateur clubs move the game along. I am sick of hearing of SL clubs Charitable Foundations (ha,ha) and also how they have produced so many players through their academies. The only players they get into their academies are produced by local amateur clubs who get sweet FA for 10 years of coaching and nurturing young players.

Just a question how as a club would we been able to vote seeing the RFL have not rubber stamped the change of ownership. This would suggest that any vote would have been flawed in the outset.

I'm I mistaken, but wasn't the vote on how the restructure was to happen due to take place after the World Cup as previously reported? Was this the RFL trying to push this through early - if that was the case, it seems unpalatable to me that they tried to railroad this through.
For the record, I'm very much against the 3x8 League format for 2015.