From Paddy Power: to be promoted

Wakefield 4/7
Bradford 6/4
Leigh 17/2
Fax 66/1
Sheff 125/1

As truly unbelievable as it sounds we're still in this.

I get the impression that the championship clubs are thinking that promotion is the poisoned chalice at moment> Mostly I suspect as a lack of trust with the present middle 8 situation.
Unless a club has a vast pot of cash the "Boom and Bust" is inevitable to a championship club if promoted whilst the middle 8 is in the mix. I suspect that the RFL will give it another season before scrapping it? I seriously think that this is a problem, and because many supporters have twigged this debacle, the game will begin to suffer from lack of support from the rank and file.

Can see where this comment is aimed from. The 'million pound' game, that million pound will have to be spent by the club on salary in the main for the next season...if they dont they simply wont compete. Its not like football where the parachute payment, attendances and revenue far outweigh the cost of running the club (in most cases).

Rugby has very tight budgets, this million pound would help position a team but for all intents and purposes they will come back into the middle 8s and run the risk altogether and have to go back part time etc. Really has the chance of ruining teams more than anything.

Leigh's attendances if they fail to get promoted will take a hit.

Is there an issue some teams who wouldn't meet franchise rules could be promoted? i.e. Sheffield and Halifax? personally no issue with either club, does it remove the protection that system gave those clubs.

Absolutely. Two wins from our final two games and we are guaranteed a shot at promotion.

Most teams have done most of their recruiting though, and no Championship can sign up a SL squad on spec. Even if promoted, therefore, where are they going to possibly get all these extra outstanding SL players? Why have they already been rejected by every other club? That is the main problem, you are expected to start recruiting your better players when all your 2016 competitors have finished.

The standard answer to that conundrum has always been to raid the club being relegated. Sadly, that often has a regular [and, only too obvious] drawback..

Hull KR signed Kelly, Blair, Campese, Allgood, Boudebza in the off season and I'm pretty sure the season had started when they signed Lunt.

They may have announced the signings then but I expect negotiations began earlier. Players agents usually start touting them around well before the season ends.

No way would they leave it until the off season.

Yeah, clubs are pretty savvy these days and I'd guess that, just as we did, lots of players were signed pretty early and then announced, one at a time over a period, to keep season ticket pot boiling in the lead up to the season.

I think things look more fluid than ever before. Kelly, Sandow, Campese, Chisholm all contracted half backs who got released from the NRL. Lunt, Puletua, Sio, Tupou moved mid-season. If you suddenly drop on 800k with cap space to boot there's also a significant upside in the fact that few clubs either here or in Oz have that kind of leeway should someone become available.

problem is that whilst if promoted we'd have extra money to recruit we wouldn't have quota spots available for overseas signings, unless players already contracted for next year agree to early releases which would probably mean paying them off eating into the available funds.

Nobody is saying odd releases or occasional availability never happen though. Just that you're either left the dregs, or need to strike lucky. You're essentially relying on "should someone become available". You've missed all the regular buses, and no doubt something will come along, but it's unlikely to be the one you wanted to catch.

Commonly called The Sieka Syndrome

Our home game against Halifax has been moved to Saturday 26th September, 3pm kick off, and will be on Sky.