I'm not the one missing the point. You are missing the supposed point about franchising. It is not solely or even largely about spreading the game. It's supposedly about having the strongest top flight. Consigning teams to the second tier forever to protect clubs like Cas and Wakey is absolutely nonsensical. This idea that the only way up is through dead mans shoes, or being some sort of expansion team means stagnation throughout the leagues.

So it isn't me who missed the point.

So Wakefield and Castleford boost the national profile of Super League?

If the situations were reversed would you really be suggesting that Widnes be kicked out in favour of either of these two clubs?

You're confusing licensing with the system we used to have where teams like Catalans and Gateshead were admitted. The reasoning behind that was to expand the sport geographically. Whilst licensing in the long term aims to do that, it also wants the strongest current heartland clubs in there. There is no reason for those heartland clubs to be given a permanent Super League place especially when they don't necessarily deserve one. We haven't boxed off Super League for all but expansion clubs, you've missed the whole point of licensing which is to improve the standard of all our clubs on and off the pitch. It's not just a tool for expansion.

Widnes would be potentially replacing a club (Wakefield) that they had comfortably better attendances than in Super League and in much better surroundings. Why therefore do we not deserve our chance yet they should be given a permanent place until an expansion club comes along? I like Wakey but as a club they have yet to deliver in key areas and if anything offer a worse prospect than they did in 2008.

Widnes have already contributed more to RL then Quins ever will IMO.



Go Chemics.

offer any more than the current bunch?? Lets start with away support shall we

No team in the Championship has more to offer than Castleford. Therefore Cas shouldn't need any protecting.

Rubbish. Why on earth should Castleford or any other club assume they are stronger than any club who have not had the chance to disprove it? I mean, really? An indefinite stay in the top flight for castleford? Why on earth do you think this should be the case?

Where did I say Castleford should have an indefinite stay in the top flight? All I said was that - on franchise criteria - no team in the Championship offers more than Castleford. The only thing that Cas can be put down is on stadia criteria, on and off the field in other areas, Cas are pretty much spot on with how the RFL want clubs to develop.

The only changes that should happen are where a club outside SL can offer more to the competition than a current club.

I disagree. Clubs in the second tier need a chance to prove themselves in the top flight. They wont ever be able to prove they can offer more than the SL stragglers in this division, it is too weak and will always be so under the licensing system. But the best candidates should be given a chance if there is a sign they are ready. Wakefield, Castleford, Salford, KR, Crusaders, Quins, none of these are undroppable. Keep teams out indefinitely who have fulfilled every criteria to be promoted and you will kill the teams in this division for good. Through dead mans shoes is not a fair way to run super league licenses.

Castleford have won nothing in the super league era, their crowds are not poor compared to some but hardly unbeatable and given a long term period in the championship you would probably not raise your head above the level of the rest of the SL hopefuls in any way. Given an extended run in Sl there are a number of teams who would offer at least as much as Castleford.

Ergo, Widnes are ahead of Castleford.

They are ahead of Salford, Wakefield, Harlequins and Crusaders also. Simple fact and obviously going to be shouted down by the fans of those said clubs who are at risk. It's natural to be subjective in that regard. Hopefully, the RFL won't be so blind when it comes to this years' and future year franchise applications. Those clubs at risk have had three years to make themselves special. They haven't done it and so it's only right they're dangled over the trap door. One lesson i hope that's learned from next years process is that promises don't mean a hill of beans.

I think some of the problem is that the ones in the old relegation places regularly are seen as the untouchables.
8th then 9th is not stragglers yet we are favourites, our attendances are not the smallest and yet again we are favourites.
Widnes will be put in to even up the Yorks Lancs numbers, but put yourself in others shoes and ask if your club was following the franchise blueprint how you would feel to still be stood on the edge....
p.s. If the only way a club is promoted is because of a better ground then we really are at Red Halls whim.

Don't seem to remember many of your fellow cas fans voicing your concern the last time over this possibility.



Oh cry me a river. You're on the edge? Some clubs never got a chance to stand on the plateau and thanks to this system some never will. Put myself in your place? You got the franchise, you've not been hard done to. We're all trying to follow the franchise blueprint, it is much more difficult for some than others, you seem to be forgetting the favourable position you are in. As Wakefield are currently many people's favourites to go down, you have ample time to make yourself something more than a mid to lower super league team and you've had more chances than some teams will get so stop whining.



You keep telling yourself that's the one and only reason any team will be promoted. There is literally no reason to keep you in SL indefinitely at others expense. If your demoted, so be it.