Hate to say it but Rugby League is entering terminal decline, we've got one of our biggest names (Bradford) on the brink of going out of business altogether, as the above has said many smaller clubs are living a nomadic existence, HullKR have one season to get back up or will face massive budget cuts. We've got what half a dozen clubs getting viable crowds and locked in to a relatively poor TV deal for many years to come.

After the successful 2013 World Cup I thought we'd finally turned a corner, but its been treading water at best since.

Aye, but Toronto and Toulouse are going to save the day didn't you know? Riding in on their white stallions.

Sadly I've got to agree with. I still love the game but I've never been as disillusioned with the sport as i am now. The days of being excited about the match coming up, and arranging the time for our trips away matches. The game over here has gone downhill quite alarmingly over the last few years or so. The RFL have no leader and no backbone, i honestly don't know how the clubs can let the CEO at the RFL lead the game to oblivion. As a saints fan i found last year painful, not because we didn't win anything but because Kieron C stuck with his torturous drip drip drip tactics, of 3 drives and a kick. It became such a dirge, that the only highlight was when me and a few mates, started having our own bets and putting a £fiver each in to a kitty, to see how long it would take before the fans got on the players backs. I was extremely disappointed with the four nations. I attended two games, and i think the promotion of the games in Coventry and the surrounding area was pith poor. Then my next game at the final i was disappointed to see so many empty seats. Whoever chose the venues and the ko times should've been shot. International RL is far more important than club RL. But as its Mr Wood in charge of the RFL, what hope does the game really have.
I've not bought a season ticket for saints for the first time since 2001. Until something is done to try and get someone as the CEO who knows what he/she is doing, that'd be a start. For me I would be to scrap "the nothing to play for not-so-super8's. Have a One up and one down.

Corporate governance at the RFL is dead. Fat boy has surrounded himself with his congratulatory cronies and banked himself a £300k pa salary. The only chance of overthrowing him and putting in place a group of leaders to push the sport forward is fan power. Only we can influence change.

Otherwise, sit back and watch the sport die in the next 10 years.

No one likes Fatty but no one liked Lewis either who went back to Tennis. What is the answer?

I liked Lewis. A smart capable guy who was unburdened by the small-town parochial histories and loyalties of too many of our game's "leaders", he led the game forward for most of his time here. There was a palpable sense of progress and growth. Since he left, it's been stagnant at best, and is now clearly going downhill in terms of player numbers, quality of SL, and spectator numbers.

Well put sir.
Lewis had some class about him which, I dont think the same can be said about Wood.

That's because the clubs are just as complicit. They're the ones who are voting against progress, they are the ones who aren't marketing themselves, they are the ones who aren't investing in the areas that need to be invested in.

Didn't Lewis orchestrate the beneficial Stobart deal?

And FWIW I'd have Lewis back now over Wood and that other fat fella.

I don't think he did.Although he left in the April/May of that year rlLinkrl the individual doing the horrendous disingenuous dissembling is none other than he who is rlPaid More Than The Prime Ministerrl

Fairly sure he didn't. Lewis's last year or so was in a semi-detached position as Wood took over.

If the game doesn't find another Lewis, and the clubs don't cede some power to him, then we're in deep trouble.

Well, actually, we're already in deep trouble!

Toulouse & Toronto are hardly small towns, I think the RFL is trying but its a tough marketplace. Far too much dumped at their door imo. They aren't perfect, but the game is hardly dying on its backside.

Before we get all gooey eyed over Tricky Dicky...
Let's not forget HE orchestrated the fiasco that was Celtic Crusaders ... Just saying like.