Its going to be a hard first season for them to make the switch to traveling to England every other week but on the same note the same for the English clubs. As long as they can start off well in the first season and can keep a good home record they should do well.

That's impossible as they haven't entered the NRC.

I think they'll really struggle, if they had their team of last year they wouldn't win a game all season, but I think about 8th is likely

They won't be anything like the same team as last season and 8th will at least justify their inclusion at this level. A GF in 2 years looks a stage too ambitious for my liking. However, a Challenge Cup Final and a third place in Super league acheived in 3 seasons by the Dragons looked highly unlikely when they kicked-off. Fingers crossed.

5th Place

Don't split hairs, I'll settle for 4th though.

I fully expect the RFL to announce that a Lord Derby Cup win will be enough to apply for a SL licence in 2011

Watch this space

depends on the final make up of their squad really, they have signed some of the better french players outside Les Catalans so should do ok,

players like Anselme and Griffi should go well,

6th

Would it though, as that's probably about the same as finishing top 2 or 3 in French Elite and not too good for French Elite

You make a decent point but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Let's just give them a chance without all the usual anti-expansionist row. Afterall on this occasion it is not to the detriment of an English outfit.

I agree, possibly a French club in NL1 is a bit premature. However a second French club in SL in 2012 is about right (?) if development over there continues at the current rate. Therefore somewhere between now and then it would be worth investigating the option of a French club in NL1. I think a French club in NL1 could do alot of good for the French game and also for the cache of NL1. TO can afford to investigate this option, other French clubs could not.
So while things are not right/perfect now, they won't be for the next three years, and then the chance to try a french club in NL1 will have passed.

Sorry … how is the RFL subsidising clubs' travel costs for an expanded competition with an international element not money "pent on the current NL clubs and the competition itself"