widnes certainly should be in SL

when it comes to what a SL club looks like, widnes are it.

When it comes to looking what ' Super league ' looks like , not many would be in it

The likelihood is that all the clubs having new stadia built will be at different stages of their projects at the beginning of 2012. It is unrealistic to think that they would all be ready by then, but some might.

To avoid any repeat of the events following the last round of licences, the RFL have appointed consultants (Savilles) who are actively assessing the progress of each club towards the new stadia. Their report, which will confirm which are the most viable and deliverable projects, will be used to judge the applications of the SL clubs involved.

With respect to all the clubs involved, it would be churlish to reject their efforts to construct projects ranging from £11m to £20-odd million for the sake of a couple of months or so - providing the consultants are satisfied that the progress is real and in line with what has been promised.

there are currently 6 clubs which fall into the "super" class.

widnes will make it 7.

just need salford and cas to sort out their grounds and not many clubs will have poor grounds, probably just odsal.

even hull kr are doing up their ground regularly.

franchising really is wonderful

any club kicked out of SL can still pursue their stadium plans for the next round of franchising.

looking at it now

salford - construction to start soon
cas - funding issues? final planning approval.
wakey - nothing.

wakey are behind the other two. indeed cas were a year ahead of where wakey are now

I would imagine if the clubs most at risk arranged a plan B which would cover an interim period should their own stadium project stall, which the RFL confirms as a satisfactory option, then the club would be given a little grace when it comes to stadium construction time scales.

You'd have to think it is a problem they'd want. Having too many 'strong' candidates is politically tricky, but good for the sport surely and would be a sign that licensing had worked - in this context at least.

For 2015 I'd like to see 16 teams if it is affordable. Onwards and upwards together, rather than devil take the hindmost.

That's right Dally. Wakefield's new stadium will make the club one of the favourites to win a 2015/2017 licence from the championship.Providing of course the RL are still applying the same policy by then,of assuring a SL place to a championship club that meets criteria.

Realistically there's 1 maybe 2.

Quote vikings 4 ever="vikings 4 ever"I don't know when this was written, but according to the RFL's licencing page www.therfl.co.uk/licensing/licensing_faqs How are clubs planning new or redeveloped stadia going to be assessed? New stadiums or redevelopments of existing stadiums will only be taken into account if the RFL is satisfied that the stadium will be open or the redevelopment finished by the start of the 2012 season Now if I remember correctly certain clubs were only awarded a licence on the back of getting a new stadium. As the licence application process swings into action again, the same clubs appear to be repeating the lines they said last time and clambering around at the last minute trying to convince everyone that their stadium is just around the corner. According to the RFL, however, even if one club was laying their last bricks and another was still a million miles away they will both fail if they were not ready to host competitive games for the 2012 season. Are Wakey, Cas and Salford all now doomed to fail in their licence applications? Personally I think that the RFL will pretty much ignore this rule and they will grant licences to 2 out of 3 clubs, even if their stadiums will not be ready for 2012. Can anyone see the RFL kicking out 2 or even all 3 due to stadia that doesn't meet their criteria?'" In 2012 the 4 nations is down under. This means the 2012 season will begin the 1st week in Feb so stadia will need to be finished Dec 2011 to allow a few friendlies etc before SL begins. Which clubs will have the stadiums built by Dec 2011? Saints and Salford? That teams have 'contingency plans' to play in other stadiums will count for little. If they do not have new facilities then the judging will be done on their actual facilities. If the ground is a dump then the club will not get the 'relevant points'. Pleading that they will be in a ground in a few more weeks / months in to 2012 season is unlikely to carry much weight. The SL clubs had years to prepare their first licence application and now have had 3 more years to get their act together.

Quote vikings 4 ever="vikings 4 ever"I don't know when this was written, but according to the RFL's licencing page www.therfl.co.uk/licensing/licensing_faqs How are clubs planning new or redeveloped stadia going to be assessed? New stadiums or redevelopments of existing stadiums will only be taken into account if the RFL is satisfied that the stadium will be open or the redevelopment finished by the start of the 2012 season Now if I remember correctly certain clubs were only awarded a licence on the back of getting a new stadium. As the licence application process swings into action again, the same clubs appear to be repeating the lines they said last time and clambering around at the last minute trying to convince everyone that their stadium is just around the corner. According to the RFL, however, even if one club was laying their last bricks and another was still a million miles away they will both fail if they were not ready to host competitive games for the 2012 season. Are Wakey, Cas and Salford all now doomed to fail in their licence applications? Personally I think that the RFL will pretty much ignore this rule and they will grant licences to 2 out of 3 clubs, even if their stadiums will not be ready for 2012. Can anyone see the RFL kicking out 2 or even all 3 due to stadia that doesn't meet their criteria?'" In 2012 the 4 nations is down under. This means the 2012 season will begin the 1st week in Feb so stadia will need to be finished Dec 2011 to allow a few friendlies etc before SL begins. Which clubs will have the stadiums built by Dec 2011? Saints and Salford? That teams have 'contingency plans' to play in other stadiums will count for little. If they do not have new facilities then the judging will be done on their actual facilities. If the ground is a dump then the club will not get the 'relevant points'. Pleading that they will be in a ground in a few more weeks / months in to 2012 season is unlikely to carry much weight. The SL clubs had years to prepare their first licence application and now have had 3 more years to get their act together.

good news for the Polish.

I will believe it when I see it with Cas ground. For years they have been going on about moving to glasshoughton they should have been in there years ago. Yet still nothing expect a knackered sign.

I think I have to agree with Starbug and it should be the all or nothing view point. If your stadium isn't complete by July 2011 then sorry but you will be judged on your current ground full stop. Before people moan all the 'at risk' clubs promised to be in new grounds by 2010 at the latest last time so why should a further extension be granted? Do you really think if all 3 Salford, Wakey & Cas got the nod that this time in what 2013 they'd all be happily playing in their fully functioning new grounds?

On timescale I take Saints as the most face value, why? Because they are not 'at risk' so don't need to exagerate things. St Helens have moved in at Widnes for 2011 and have also made no 100% gurantees that their stadium will be readt for the start of 2012. Right they have built the access roundabout and also done most of not all the ground work and a clear building site is their for all to see.

So how on earth do say Wakey thing that if they start building in Jan / Feb that they will be done within 12 months from scratch? It's just not possible or feesable. I hear Cas have done some road / ground works? Salford I don't know as get mixed messages. Elsewhere on one thread a fan said 'diggers are on it's well underway' then a few hours later started a thread saying 'where are we upto as just been passed and nothing going on'. We can't judge until done as we've heard this all before without any action and there is always a 'ooops well we never expected that to happen'.

As said though it's not all about the stadium so if none are done and we judge Salford / Cas / Wakey as they are now then unfortuantely the Reds fall behing on Youth, On field performance and also Crowds. But the Manchester card will be played once more and we will see Cas & Wakey fight it out yet again. On the pitch over recent years they are pretty similar overall, Cas youth policy - 1st team players is better and last year they made a profit whereas Wakey had to get outside help to pay off a tax bill (won't go unnoticed) both have sold players but Cas have invested in either good new ones like Mathers or put into a stadium fund. We are told Wakey don't have that worry (who?) so then were has the money gone?

At the end of the day rightly or wrongly this system is what we have and someone HAS TO GO for it to work, otherwise their will be no incentives to clubs higher up the ladder to improve if they believe they will not face the potential threat of dropping out.