Looks like the new teams aren't going to be walkovers after all. Not quite the league of death northern walkover some people suggested.
Rochdale and Oldham struggling against the newbies.
Hemel and Oxford and the two Welsh teams in the top four.

How many go up to the Championship this year?

Not sure it's been decided? Sure i read somewhere it was two. Refreshing to see a league table like that. Long may it continue!!!

Two I think. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think it is the first ever professional league not to contain a Yorkshire club!

Oldham and Rochdale are zombie clubs. Living dead.

Oldham is a strange one, there's plenty of interest in RL in the Oldham area (1,100 fans at a Saddleworth amateur game last month) but for whatever reason (I'm told 'political reasons') the fans just won't support Oldham Roughyeds.

Chuffed with the Championship 1 this year, very exciting and close this season.

The league of death was more from a financial POV, in that heartland clubs fear their fans will not pay to see their teams play so many new expansion clubs, much like SL fans dont show much interest in the Challenge Cup matches against lower tier opposition

Oldham got 603 against Oxford today, just 60 less than they got for their local 'derby' against Rochdale the other week.

I remember them getting almost 10 times that many a decade ago against Leigh , as somebody put earlier, both clubs are almost dead

That quite clearly wasn't my point. My point is that if they die, it's not the fault of the expansion clubs.

Did I suggest otherwise?

It is the perception of the competition by those outside it, that could end up dropping into it, much like the SL clubs perception of the Championship that the SL clubs cannot drop into

That and there wouldn't be any away fans.

I found this very interesting-

Are these pro or semi pro clubs? Makes you wonder how they can operate on crowds like that.

They're semi pro clubs mate

I think the thing is with Union, it is played and watched by the establishment, and there will always be people to prop clubs up. We obviously don't have that, and too many clubs are run like Working Men's Clubs. Championship 1 seems to be showing though that if done properly, expansion can work well. It will be very interesting to see how things develop over the next few years.

I am looking forwards to Coventry joining the league, they are already run like a professional outfit. Their website puts most in Super League to shame.