If it turns out to be a Catalan then fantastic, we really can only wait and see, but it's all on the back of one person putting his money where his mouth is.

We need more of them in the game.

Tbf, it didn't really matter where they played their games. Such was their spend on their playing squad, they should have won every game.
Again, I think that they are to play in blocks of two home and then two away games next season and you would expect them to start with 2 away games, which would allow them to be in a position only have to take 2 games on the road before the climate allows them to play in Toronto ?

Really ?
Catalans were given direct entry to Super League & no threat of relegation for 6 years gratis *thank you very much* ! Why do so many Pro Expansionists willingly choose to ignore this fact ? Maybe it doesn't suit their agenda ?

They started with direct entry to Super League, with a 3 YEAR EXEMPTION from Relegation ....... followed by a 3 YEAR FRANCHISE, a franchise that was brought in just as it looked like Catalans might be relegated *surprise,.surprise* ! Don't believe me ? Check the record books !
No other team in the history of RL other than the Catalan Dragons has been given a 6 year free ride in Super League ..... FACT !!! At least in Toronto's case they have had to fight for promotion on the field ( even if no other team could financially compete ) at least they have earned a place in Super League !

IF the game was serious about expansion, there should be some kind of exemption from relegation for any newly promoted club.

However, IF we are serious about expansion, there should be a return to some kind of licensing, to prevent newly promoted sides crashing and burning if/when they are relegated.

Of course, we could just let "nature" take its course and if you finish bottom of SL, you are relegated, whether you are Wigan, Leeds, Toronto or whoever.
I throw the names of Wigan and Leeds into the mix as many fans believed that had either of these sides finished bottom, that the league would have been expanded or, format changed in order to save them.
Irrelevant now as both managed to turn their season around and were well clear of the wooden spoon but for a long time, Leeds, especially, looked to be in peril.

Having said all that, even with much tougher competition for Toronto in SL, with their spending power, not too many people are expecting them to face the drop next season, although it will be good to see them playing against clubs with a similar cap spend.

Fact? Erm I beg to differ.

The quote said a "6 year free ride", which after they were OFFICIALLY immune from relegation when they joined, they were then protected by licencing. Please name the team that were "elected' to the SL comp and then were officially protected for the following 6 years.
London were apparently "imune', but the first (and 2nd) time they finished last they went down. The only side I can think you might be referring to is Huddersfield......but I await your answer with baited breath!

Thanks for keeping an eye on this for me. I often can't be bothered to look back for these sort of posts.

It's interesting that so many folk on here pretend to care more about the game, than their actual club. The fact that an overseas club with a moneybags owner is depriving an English club (or Toulouse) a place in Super league, really does iss me off. Nothing will change that. Hope racist Argyle gets bored, and they go 'down the pan'.

Grr those bloody foreigners eh, stealing our jobs

Promotion and relegation is an out dated concept especially in RL it holds the game back in this country, is it no surprise that the NRL is essentially the only true elite RL competition in the world.

Not at all, it's now a worldwide league. It would be brilliant if eventually SL only has 4 english clubs in it, and St. Helens get stuck in the championship after they bring back licensing, you won't be so cocky then darling. xx

We're digressing here but....

Yes it would be great if RL was a global sport and each country had a professional elite league.

The winners in each country could then take part in an international club competition like the Champions League.

However, at the moment, we are a million miles away from this.

The question then: is it worth destroying our own country's league to accomodate teams from another country on a hope (and it is only a hope as there is no evidence to prove it) that it will generate interest in these other countries to create their own leagues?

Or (more likely, unfortunately) will it simply disenfranchise the original country because it has lost so many teams attempting this, the new overseas clubs don't become sustainable, and the home country cannot recover its lost teams?

There is always a risk - it's just how big the risk is, that needs to be assessed.

Personally, I think the latter is more likely but we won't know unless we try but by then is it too late? The SL and RFL need to put in review points every couple of years whether it is working rather than blindly follow some dogmatic expand agenda. This doesn't mean its a negative, it's just common sense.

How is it destroying the league in Europe? Toronto were not planted into SL, they earned the right by coming up the divisions.

Lets just look at what Toronto before they have even played a game have brought to SL. Worldwide news, signed a superstar and have put some eyeballs onto Super League.

Harsh but if Featherstone won they wouldn’t be bringing anything different to what we already have.

What a silly comment, maybe Fev should relocate to Zaire, then they would bring SOMETHING DIFFERENT (if promoted of course) to Sooper League.
Gateshead, Paris, London, Crusaders were all DIFFERENT, that really boosted the game didn't it.....NOT.

It not about location. Its about intent.

Toronto are marking moves. They sign a new superstar, they want to play Australia next year in football stadium. They will more players.

This is a club not just based in Toronto and ready to tread water. They want to actually try and make the club a huge brand in Canada.

Now that's doing something different.

So any overseas club with a wealthy backer will be 'welcomed with open arms' and sod the rest, I like the logic behind that.

Bolloc@@ they will be gone in 2 years , no structure , no Canadian players , no Canadian League . Might as well bring in a Tongan team playing out of New Zealand .

Superstar , he is an over the hill mercenary

It's not sod the rest is it as Toronto went up through the divisions.

Let's not deny you wish your club had him.

A superstar is someone who transcends the sport and actually creates headlines.

You name me one other player playing in SL who does that?

Pretty sure the same thing was said 3 years ago.

Have non-overseas clubs not been welcomed?

Genuinely don't get this weird hate towards Toronto?

It’s just coincidence that a lot of the antipathy towards Toronto comes from fans of clubs thoroughly dominated by Toronto on or off the pitch.

It's bizarre. One would think they are trying to destroy rugby league.

I think a lot of it is down to many predictions being wrong. When Toronto were first launched you had people claiming it was a gimmick and wouldn't happen or after a year or two they would be gone.

Last year when they lost to London there was predictions of the Toronto experiment failing etc etc

The fact they are still here and are talk of the town seems to irk people.

One word - Haters