Even though Widnes will finish bottom, I still think the RFL should reintroduce P&R. If Widnes went down we'd have to play well to get back up again. That would be exciting. Equally, we'd have to play much better than we are now in order to stay up. That would make the bottom end of the table more competitive and interesting.

Every season fresh blood would be injected into Super League and every year the deadwood would be removed. Every year a club would get the chance to get back in Super League via nothing more than what happens on the field. That would be a healthier situation for the sport, imho.

Obviously there would have to be some sort of minimum criteria for entry into Super League. But that was in place last time.

Trophy ? yes , Not sure of the prize money , a bit like SL , only we dont get our picture on a Lorry

I can't agree with his comparison of football and rugby. The nature of football means that newly promoted teams can survive despite having weaker squads than the rest, as the physical difference is minimal; just look at the FA cup for example. On the other hand, the differences between clubs in different leagues in rugby league are far more profound, and in our case, with a few exceptions, P and R has just led to a yo-yo system. Without franchising, Widnes would be going straight back down, which is useless for their junior development and their development as a whole.

However, I do agree that those who fall foul of the rules I.E those who go bust should have their licences reviewed.

No, Hull KR didn’t yo-yo back down. What they did do was spend a shed load of money they didn’t have on some average to poor overseas players, some of whom barely lasted a season at SL level and then spent the next 5 years claiming dispensation after dispensation to fit more average overseas players in to their squad whilst making excuses for a poor youth setup. Hull KR are a fantastic argument for why clubs which aren’t ready shouldn’t be promoted. They entirely and admittedly unsustainable.

Yes, I can just see the fans of a Championship Grand Final winning team going berserk because their club has just won £100k rather than promotion

no they shouldn't be forgotten and they arn't, do you still have a league to play in? do you still recieve money? can you gain a liecence?

really well it doesn't look like they are missing them as they have never been stronger over there.

no they aren't and they should lose there liecence if they still aren't when decision time comes around. but are they still better than the teams moaning about no promotion? yes they are.

instead of throwing all the eggs into superleague could the RFL not strengthen the 2nd tier and market an elite RL-competition with 2 leagues? maybe the top tier having 10 teams and the next tier being made of as many clubs they can find that have the fanbase/business set-up to support a pro team (surely they could dig up another 10?)

transparent promotion and relegation between the 2 leagues with the bottom club from the 2nd tier having their place open to re-application with competition with any semi-pro clubs from the leagues below

can't be much fun for widnes fans watching their team getting beaten every week even if they can look forward to not being relegated and now that catalans wouldn't be in danger of getting relegated (which is the reason they scrapped relegation in the first place isn't it?) what have the RFL got to lose, the club going down would be going down into a pro-league with decent-ish gates and teams who have something to play for

and perhaps having london broncos actually winning some games and possibly pushing for promotion might even help them market the game in the capital?!

Because team sport engenders a certain amount of romanticism. Fans will always dream of seeing their team playing at the highest possible level and competing for the highest honours. But, of course, you know this. You just prefer not to acknowledge it, because it doesn't fit in with your reasoning.

No i acknowledge it, im more than happy to accept it.

I just dont think it is sensible or would be anything less than idiotic to structure our entire game to allow it, especially when doing so is so obviously to the detriment of the game as whole.

I personally think that it's what puts bums on seats and generates interest and excitement, and thus media hype. This is something which is lacking in the game now.

Don't under estimate the power and influence that romanticism can have on sport. I'm not saying that the licence system doesn't have any merit but, at the moment, I really cannot see what it is achieving.

Thats an easily measurable thing though isnt it. Are crowds as a whole vastly down in the last 4 years?

Crowds in SL are up and it would take a hell of a fall in the championships crowds to cancel out the SL growth and then some.

So Licencing is succeeding on both fronts , improving SL , and killing the rest

Then again at £ 7.70 to watch a SL match , they should be increasing , as long as we forget about the Challenge cup its all ' hunky Dory '