I wouldn't argue with much of that other than if someone has a terminal illness, telling him to stop smoking and excersize a bit more isn't really going to do much. Syaing 'yeah this is bad, but that was baderer!' isn't really a basis for sustainable improvement.

The problem as you rightly state is cash in the game, or lack of. Strangling the middle tier (Championship) wont help that one bit.

The collective turnover of Championship Clubs (at an approximate guess) is in the region of £7m per annum perhaps? Give or take 20%?

Kill that middle third and that money is pretty much lost because its income generally from your more traditional (nee parochial) sources. If my Club went under of ended upon a par with Miners or Easts then I'm not suddenly going to spend that cash watching Salford or Saints just as if Leeds went wonky you wouldn't be spending your cash at Odsal or your flatcaps arn't going to go the Wheldon Road.

The game doesn't have enough players as it is and loses to many adult players who don't make the SL grade; how does removing a huge chunk of its development pathway (foodchain) help that? Slimming down to what is available is simply reaching for the lowest denominator - if we're doing that lets have £100k per club and operate a £400k salary cap - and wait for the game to die a painful death.

The Championhip Clubs are just as vital to the game and its pathway as the Community Clubs and the Super League clubs. The game simply isn't strong enough to cull them.

To all the ones saying the RFL brought in a zero sponsorship cash deal, get your facts right. There were two deals on the table.

THE SL CHAIRMEN VOTED FOR THE STOBART DEAL.

Also we are not Australia and people in this country like to watch competitive sport with something to aim for. Even RU have promotion and relegation.

A bit of wishful thinking I think..

SL clubs are full-time and build their sides on a figure approaching £2 million. Championship clubs are part-time, training after work and built under a cap of around £600k. As long as this remains the case they might as well be playing in different dimensions. The possibility of a shock 'giant-killing' remains in a one off cup game, though in practice it is very rare even then, but in a league situation, hell will freeze over before one of the SL clubs fails to make the top four in that league.

not all the super league chairman voted for the stobart deal actually.. it was 9 to 5 in favour

[urlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/9050409/Hull-FC-and-Hull-Kingston-Rovers-both-voted-against-the-Stobart-Super-League-sponsorship-deal.html[/url

Thank god I support a team that got it right the deal was

Hats of to Ian Lenegan, it is about time someone said enough is enough. The way the RFL has been going it was only a matter of time until this happened.

All that has happened in the last 12 months is the RFL have undone all the good choices they have made in the previous 10 years. Despite it not being popular the licencing system has been successful. It has made the league stronger, protected teams in and out super league from over spending to gain/avoid relegation. Most importantly it has increased the number of good young players in the league. The stadia has also improved directly because of licencing, despite what Blake Solly says.

Everything has not been perfect but that does not mean you change everything. If the licencing costs too much stream line it. What is the point in Wigan, Leeds, Warrington, Hull applying for a licence every 4 years, they are always going to make the grade. Tony Smith hit the nail on the head when he said you should have a licence system but when team breaks the rules i.e. go bust, they should be kicked out.

Hull KR close to 15 overseas players? Don't talk bolox man.

Close to 15 overseas players in one HKR side that took the field?
Care to name it?

I mean I know you have a clear hatred of everything HKR but good god man stop talking utter BS.

This is the attitude that is inherently wrong with licencing. Why the heck should anyone think that Wigan, Leeds, Warrington and Hull have a God given right to be in the top division for ever? A quick scan down the history books (in all sports) show that a constant presence at the top table isn't viable. Neither is it healthy for the continued existence (in the long term) of any sport.

I cant be bothered trawling through ever HKR line up, but their squad contained Ford, Webster, Aizue, Fisher, Tangata-toa, Gene, Gannon, O’niell, Vella, Dyer, Bauer, Lennon, Tandy, Lovegrove and at least 12 of them played together in the Hull Derby 2007.

Erm, a quick scan of the history books would tell you Leeds and Wire have been in the top division for ever……