Why not indeed. So that's licensing, a £300k salary cap and now a seeded Challenge cup comp. Anything else? How else can we crap on these inferior clubs? Ooooooh, I know - let's give free tickets away for the round that SL clubs enter ........ Oh, hang on.

How about a new set of criteria for entering the Challenge Cup? (Toulouse exempt of course).

3,400 pre sold tickets for the Bulls v Wigan game tomorrow.

I didnt go to the the Rhinos game last night because I think the quality of the product on the field drops off in the early rounds unless its a derby. £20 is expensive to watch your team play at half the pace as a regular SL game.

It's pretty obvious that you have not read my full post. I've said somehow the cup needs a revamp as it's lost it's romance but I've stated I don't know how they can do it. I suggested "MAYBE" seeding.

If you think Warrington putting 112 on swinton or other super leagues sides putting 80 on lower league teams is good for the super league, championship or rugby league in general then I'd like to here how?

I've not said let's $hit on the championship sides as you suggest, in fact it's the total opposite.

But it back to earlier in the season where you are more likely to see heavier pitches and conditions acting as a leveller. Would a SL team fancy going to a championship ground in February?

Put it earlier in the season and people will complain that the cup has been demoted to being a early/pre-season novelty instead of a show piece event. The RFL can't win here, all anyone in RL ever does is complain and b***h that the cup has lost it's romance (unless, of course, their own team is in the final). It's actually getting pretty boring now.

Is it just a coincidence that the decline has been since the BBC forced the final to be in August? It's ridiculous that we can have 2 rounds in 3 weeks and then wait 9 weeks for the next. Then the semi and final are 3 weeks apart.

Scores like this aren't unheard of. I'm certain that Saints put a similar score on Carlisle many moons ago in the cup.

The CC has been devalued due to SL being the be all and end all paymasters. Unless you get to the final, where there are the obvious financial rewards, the cup nowadays is a hindrance.

Totally pointless in every way having a SL side playing a championship one in the Challenge cup.

Long gone are the days that a club other than one of the 'big names' could win it. That more or less changed when the game went professional. SL sides are getting stronger. The others are just plain rubbish.

It's not even as though the non SL clubs are going to get a good pay day out of playing one of the real clubs. It's not like a non league side drawing Man Utd in the FA Cup and making a few quid.

Give teams like Halifax, Leigh the chance to actually win something by making the CC a lower league comp or do away with the concept altogether in it's current form.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is a troll and should be banned from the forum.

You're the authority on being banned from this place Bazza. That and fat people apparently. What a resume you have. If you ever make it out of the place you're in give the Australian Consulate a ring - they may take you home.

Actually, maybe I did react too quickly. I get pretty defensive about The Championship but really, in it's current format this competition is not helping the lower league clubs. I'm off now to have a rethink and to take on board the ideas of more reasoned posters like yourself. Carry on sir.

i can see what the problem with the challenge cup is.its the fact that all sl clubs have a clear advantage over championship clubs as they are full time professionals,and the result is shocks are rare,which nulifies the romance of the cup.
personally though id rather win(or contest) a trophy at the national stadium, which as a venue must surely rank as a better experience for a fan or player then old trafford.

Funny how you guys want to fix it up and us in the Southern Hemisphere just want one

Why on earth do you insist on calling me Bazza?

No problem mate. I also want what's good for championship teams as I love rugby league.

These days the championship sides dont even benefit from good gate money as the crowds for these games are now terrible.

Something does need doing to restore the cup to what's it knce was but I'm lost for ideas as what can be done.