The game has shrunk since the financial crash, no doubt about it. That for me is the main cause of the state things are in. Lack of money. And it's only going to get worse as TV money dries up. The game doesn't (and never has had) a model other than "rich clubs are the most successful" so those with wealthy owners end up in SL. Maybe it should have a different model? What would that look like? We already have a salary cap but still only 4 winners of SL in 25 years.

I was dubious about Toronto because of the lack of any firm foundations there, I always thought it was doomed. In France though the game has grassroots and has been played there for nearly 100 years. I've nothing against a French team in SL just like I've nothing against NZ Warriors playing in the NRL.

I think we share concerns about the state of the game in this country and that's down to a lack of leadership and expertise in the RFL and clubs. Chucking out Catalans and Toulouse and replacing them with Leigh and Fev wouldn't change a thing for the positive IMO.

Fair enough. The elephant in the room for all Bulls fans is that there's a club with a history of 10-15k support in a huge city, with a history of producing some of the best players in the world, and whose decline mirrors that of SL to an uncanny degree. My fear is we've reduced SL to the level of Wakefield and are in the process of reducing British RL to the level of France.

Can't argue with any of that. Hence the comparison with where we were in the 70s. We need new leadership in the game to stop the rot. Unfortunately Ralph has Huddersfield Sheffield Giants on his CV and not much else.

I see it a little differently I think...

With the razzmatazz of SL came a wider TV audience and a bigger buzz. To the extent of the Bulls shirt on my back being recognised by a very well heeled family from Surrey whilst on holiday.

The game failed to capitalise and interest was lost. No matter how you dress it up RL is not aspirational in the eyes of the public. Union is, definitely, it's the tory party to our Labour, One's dour, lost and too busy in fighting whilst the other pretends to be for everyone and can cover up the fact it's second rate with media attention telling the public it's what they really want.

Having a couple of French teams might add some glamour, whether we like it or not, so may get more people interested, if it doesn't what have we lost? Nothing, but if it piques the interest of the public it may just help shift the dour, northern, dying game image all other sport are happy for us to carry. Does Sebastian in Surrey want to watch Catalans v Toulouse or Fev v Oldham?

Lets face it there is less and less money up here so...

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... dium=email

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... dium=email

Yeah I saw that. The lack of away fans seems to be the main gripe amongst some. Can't help but think that these clubs need to do more to maximise income generating opportunities outside the gate receipts. There are a few English SL clubs that bring a paltry amount of away fans but I don't see many asking for the likes of Salford and Hudders to be given the chop. I know many clubs are living hand to mouth but I fear short term thinking won't help.

I remember when we went from average gates of 4k to average gates of 13-14k. A lot of that was down to Peter Deakin attracting a new audience. It's not impossible. Sure, having a successful team helps but I remember when we won the league two seasons running in 79/80 and 80/81 the crowds never got to a five figure average - not close.

As for the moan about the cost of travelling to France for an away game the two French clubs do that every other week without complaint.

On the night we got 25k against Leeds you realised that the most accessible new support group was within the region which must hold north of a million people and who know what RL is. That is the main point of the Guardian piece by Mark Evans.

The other downside of 2 French teams apart from away fans is the major event looking like a flop to TV viewers (and execs). Wembley and the GF always looked amazing - now they don't. Additionally, it means one less British club getting £1.6m, one less British academy etc. It cannot be discounted that there is now £3.2m less going into British RL.

Hetherington talks about the new possibilities in respect of TV deals, PR etc as if Catalans had entered the league a year or two ago. If there's no French TV deal by the start of the season or if it's on a par with the Championship deal, what will happen then?

Wembley used to look amazing due to every amateur team taking a coach down, the GF can only sell out due to the neutral supporter, not both teams taking 30 thousand speccies each. Maybe Magic Weekend becoming the neutrals day out / p1$$ up has had an effect?

The away fan gripe is just daft - the same as certain clubs charging more for away supporters, they need to attract their own fans instead of relying on others. Ironically it will probably be Catalans who will lose away fans as those who travel for a summer jolly will maybe go to Toulouse for a change, and not both.

As for academies, the RFL think less is more ...

Get someone competent in at the RFL and the best (as earned on the pitch) 12 teams in Super League, whether Toulouse, Fev, Timbuktu or wherever.

...heads off to Fev forum to watch their more unhinged fans implode at being called a village team....

Feath need to take pride in what they are not lament at it or be defensive. They are a team in a town small enough to be called a village, but they can rightly point out how irrelevant it is. Their catchment area is way beyond that village, taking in many similar places and the sizeable town of Pontefract. It's not dissimilar to Hull KR drawing fans from the villages to the East of Hull all the way to the coast. Aggregated support from multiple places in the broader area.

On Pickersgill I'd say he was at his right level with us. I wish him well but it seems an odd move by Featherstone. They must see a scale of developmental potential that I don't.

I think it's offensive to call them that (and I have no great love for them).

As you say, the article assumes that a club can only attract fans from the town/city it's in, which given the number of loiner shirts I see round here we know isn't the case.

Just follow that through to it's natural conclusion and you'll see how utterly ridiculous it is. TV revenues are falling and the leagues outside SL have had their funding slashed. If the league goes to 10 teams, we're looking at 8 British clubs receiving TV money. It's a slow motion plane crash.

Well I didn't even realise there was a England match today, that's how poor the marketing of our sport is, dreadful.

Exactly the point I've made a few times. I'd have gone to this game had I known about it in advance.