no, which was my point,

the SC doesnt benefit sponsors, the sponsorship of the game and the SC are largely independant of each other

That would explain why the likes of Hudds and HKR and Wakey and Cas did so dreadfully this year.and Wire and Bulls and Hull so well then? And why next year the table will probably look very different again to this year?

So you are saying we should not artificially try to ' even ' things up between clubs ?

rlYesrl.

they were awful, the entire league was awful this year, Leeds won the league by four points without getting out of third gear until the play offs, saints finished second despite being pretty poor

and yes, for the third year in a row, we have the same champions, we have the same two grand finalists,

two clubs which between them, in the past 6 years, have won the league by a record points total, scored a record amount of points, won 5 of the 6 grand finals and 6 of the 6 league leaders shields, and 4 of the 6 challenge cups,and they have taken 9 of the possible 12 grand final berths

the fact bradford were a bit pants this season doesnt make it a competitive year, Leeds and Saints were the top two all season, and no one really got close,

someone else won the challenge cup though, two new teams in the final, that must show its competitiveness yeah? and these were two small clubs werent they? not backed by a rich owner? only surviving because of the cap?

as a principle, if it can be avoided no we shouldnt,

we should allow clubs to be run by those that own them

but there are certain things we need clubs to do (i.e, invest in spreading the game, in youth development and in marketing the game) that left to their own devices they probably wouldnt do to the level we needed.

So we can put things in place to encourage (or force) clubs to do these things,

but 'evening' up the league artificially is wrong, because you cant 'even' up the league artificially without punishing what has been successful (by stopping them or hampering them in their pursuit of more success) and rewarding what hasnt

so a hypothesis not backed up by history

thats some great evidence there

So all clubs should have the same overseas quota's ?

alll clubs starting from the same basis yes!

expansion clubs, in fact any club which joins SL, regardless of where they are from, will be unable to put out a competitive team with the same overseas quota

there arent enough players to go around the 12 english teams we have now, a new club in its first season arent going to be able to put together a team of english players from outside SL good enough to be in SL, it is impossible

whether you are Leigh, Widnes, Newcastle or Plymouth

Apart from when it did happen. Care to actually suggest any reason why it wouldn't happen again? It seems a perfectly natural progression, clubs will keep spending more and more (on the same players, nothing will improve on the pitch) until all the best players are at the one club that pay the most (by which point standards have nose dived 'cos no other clubs can compete).

Who mentioned SL ?

crikey, if wigan won a trophy, it really wont be that bad,

in fact, their dominance was a little like Leeds dominance now, if leeds keep it going a few more years im sure you will have anther boogie man to try and scare people into believing some other arbitrary limit is needed

after all, it seems any success damages the game

because clubs are no longer run by second hand car salesmen, we are now a fully pro, international sport, with (for a large part) administrators to match

if we cant trust a club to be run responsibly, they shouldnt be in SL


i hate to point this out to you, again, but there is a very very simple answer to this issue

produce more than 25 quality players, in fact, if we could produce, say 200, then they would have to be spread around the league, which would then be competitive

it would also lead to wages levelling off, whats the point in spending £500k on Fielden if there is 15 others who are almost as good in the league

as we now know, the SC is merely a guide in the lower leagues

its not hypocrisy to have two different attitudes, to two different things,

and no, surprisingly Lee Smith hasnt come out and said "i would rather not come work for my new employers but i like money and they offered more, ill be gone as soon as the gravy train stops"

yet he has gone to play a game he hasnt really played before and they are offering him more money