The FA

The Scorpions have opted out of the NRC for financial reasons and to avoid too many long away journeys in a week. Nothing more sinister than that.

When ALL your away matches are a 4 hour drag at the end of a full working week, you really don't want to be travelling on a wednesday night too. Also remember this is by coach and, if you want to be competitive, you're looking at a hotel for the squad and coaches EVERY 2 weeks too.

So, to reiterate, the Scorpions are opting out PURELY with the intention of working RESPONSIBLY WITHIN their budget.

So please don't damn them with rumours about some kinda toxic alliance with the Toxic Crusaders RL.

All valid points, but can the Cumbrian clubs and the London Skolars opt out as well? They have much of the same problems.

I honestly don't know a.n.Other. i don't know how the RFL is set up. Are these competitions invitational or compulsory for member clubs?

I'd have to imagine that if a club had a valid reason to opt out, the RFL would be understanding. I know that the Scorpions business case was set out based upon realistic, modest attendances and merchandise sales.

I thinkl if RL is to continue to have the success it has had in S Wales, despite the "scorched earth" of the Wandering ANZAC Crusaders, it is correct to proceed cautiously in this way. We tried the capricious millionaire sugar daddy route and fell on our rears (and history seems to be repeating itself at the wandering club's current tethering ).

Since when are the matches midweek ?

They aren't Starbug but the fact still remains it would cost more than it benefits the club so they are better off not taking part.

You mean financially ? , if that is the case it is the same for every single club that has directors putting money in , the NRC games are and always have been the least attractive in attendance

It isn't because the majority of clubs do not have to travel as far for every away game.

So you are telling me that the SWS will get a bigger home crowd when they play Gateshead and Doncaster than if they play Leigh,Fax or Widnes ?

Or that it will cost more money to play away at a NRC game than a league game ?

If it is the case that the Skorpions can only afford to travel to 9 away games this season , then you have to ask the question , are they a viable addition to the sport ? , or is having clubs more than 100 miles apart a good idea ?

Nobody is saying that are they. The away NRC are costs further to the league games which must be played.

They have made their decision for their own reasons so I'm not sure what we're debating here. Scorpions are not taking part in the NRC as they did not last year and that's about it really. Oh and it's Scorpions not Skorpions.

You call for a welsh team playing with primarily welsh players but now seem to be developing some chip on your shoulder regarding Scorpions who are just that.

The purpose of the group games in the NRC is quite simply to give us enough games to operate as clubs , ideally if we had enough teams it would be a straight knock out competition as it used to be

Last season they had mitigating circumstances as they had ony just been formed

I dont care who plays for the club , does it make a difference ? , although this does beg the question

Do the players who play for the SWS also play RU ?

As far as I know the Scorpions players play for Scorpions alone and do not play union. You moaned about the Aussie's playing for Crusaders and the dispensations given to them by the RFL and now you have a team playing under the same rules you still have a grumble.

They saw an opportunity to opt out this year, approached the RFL and it was agreed they would not take part. That is all there is to it.

I think a team of primarily South Welsh lads that did not play rugby league previously taking part in a full Championship 1 season as well as the Challenge Cup is worthwhile myself.

I think this thread has proven beyond all doubt that Starbug is an anti-expansionist and cannot be considered a fan of the game.

Well thats good to hear I suppose , otherwise you would have to wonder if it wasn't being taken seriously

I moaned about a couple of things , 1 was how plain it was you weren't operating to the same salary cap , as you dont get SOO players on NL 2 wages , 2 was claiming that certain players were ' welsh ' as if you had produced them yourself , which you hadn't even if they could claim welsh ancestry


If that is all there is to it , why suggest a financial reason that applies to every club ?

I would guess that every club except Widnes are losing money on a season , so in theory every game every club plays is a loss maker , and it isn't going to change in a hurry, so why do we bother ?

From a playing point of view , is possibly 19 games a season enough to bring on your players and your club ?