Hi everyone, just gotta say I'm proud to be a rugby league fan. I am a fan of Crusaders but I must say, that I have followed league for 20 years or so. I just wish people would give us a chance to try and make a go of it. I look on here and see both positive and negative posts towards us. But please give us a chance to prove ourselves. Rugby league is growing in Wales at a good pace. In North Wales alone quite a number of teams have formed, which must only be a good thing for the game.
What are your thoughts ?

New clubs in non-RL areas that dont have exceptional financial backing, and use of an excellent facility on a good long term deal, are a high-risk gamble at best. The RFL seem ok with these gambles but my feeling is it just damages the image of RL rather than helping it. Im massively pro-expansion but only if the new club has the proper infrastructure and economic backing first. Crusaders don't, London didn't. Catalans do, Toulouse could have.

And im a Quins ST holder and have been for years. Personally Id love someone to throw some money at a Cumbrian franchise in Whitehaven/Workington area.

God I'd always wondered who that was.

Yes and no. There is no doubt at all that the standard of RL at Cats is now hugely better than when they were in the French leagues, but wasn't the main point of them, that they are really the only peg on which we can meaningfully hang the "European" SL tag? I think this is expansion of SL itself, by inviting an existing "forrin" RL-playing club to our party, as opposed to expansion of SL within the UK to cities which presently do not have any professional club.

I don't see any prospect of any such "expansion" in the foreseeable, following the smell of burning fingers as far afield as London, Wales, and before that Gateshulldersheff.

Cats aren't an expansion club - they are a heartlands club from a different country.

i hope one day that crusaders could work and RL can take off in wales.
the concept of the crusaders was a good one but it hasn't worked out as yet, as celtic crusaders they were looking like building some good foundations with a good core support in bridgend and a small amount of success on the pitch,albeit with illegal players. but the RFL SKY et al have pushed them too far too quickly IMO,they haven't been able to put any firm roots down and start building,hopefully they can do that in wrexham,and then hopefully take more games around wales.
despite been low in numbers the welsh fans i've met over the last 3 years have been superb company,friendly and knowledgable and are grateful for their own team to support. i hope for their sake their particular expansion programme works.