Ok enough with the Quins bashing, they were never really likely to stay top, but anything around midtable is a great result for them, after a few years with McDermott, its a miracle they can play at all. Cas will not finish top either, but again if they are in the top 8, thats a real acheivement. Good work by both teams, i hope it continues

I'll have a go then Jonny. Here we have a team (Crusaders) in the elite league of our once great sport, gets quite alot of TV coverage (all be it on SKY), and they haven't even got a main shirt sponsor and neither have they many players sponsored either.

To keep this thread sort of on topic, Quins place in SL is nothing to do with success or failure

Why, who made them a protected species - oh yeah I remember now.

They're above you in the league. Get over it.

if you live in the real world, you know we need them in superleague, and why.

And if they didn't deserve that place in SL they would of been relegated shortly after.
But they didn't.
We went on to appearing in the CC Final in 99' while finishing 2nd in the league also that year.

Forget all this protected species rubbish. Mark them on the other criteria against wakey et al. Aaaand there we go, they're still in

Second in '97, shat in 99

Yes year after year London managed to avoid relegation, the same as Wakefield. The only time London could have been described to have been protected is the transition to Harlequins and the first licensing round in 2008. But Wakefield were also similarly protected in that first licensing round.


If you think it's just about the stadium you're deluded.
Wakefield haven't provided a viable club after 100 years.


I'm waiting to see this promised flood of Wakefield Trinity trained talent that is so often referred to.
There's Gareth Ellis and...

So glad this thread seems to be back on topic!

I for one would be very sad to lose Wakey from SL. They have more than earned their place over the years, sometimes playing under immensely tragic circumstances and always capable of mixing it with the big boys. Like us they have never been relegated and never finished bottom (as far as I'm aware). From what I've seen they ain't finishing bottom this year either.

Yet they might well find themselves out of SL next year and if that happens then it is a damn shame. But... (and some may need to sit down to hear this) it will not be the fault of Quins RL, or even the Crusaders! If fans feel angry at whatever decision the RFL make direct it at the RFL not us, please. The RFL have a plan for growing the game and being able to increase TV revenue in the process. This plan involves having teams from outside the heartlands of the game whose role is a dual one of playing in SL and expanding the RL fan base across the country. This has had mixed success but Wakefield cannot fulfil this role so it has to be the expansion sides. We are not therefore the reason for Wakey losing their place. True, if we folded now Wakey would probably have a place in SL next year, but that would also be true if any of the other 12 sides folded as well! Please stop making us a scape goat. We have a different role to play than Wakey, we are a different category of team as we are in an expansion area. So yes we will be judged by different rules come licence application time and if we ever fail in an application it will almost certainly be to be replaced by another expansion team, not Wakey. The RFL have their system and if there are issues with it let them know, don't take it out on fans of other clubs.

Now to return to the topic... what the f**k has happened to our defence???

Danny Brough, Ben Westwood to name 2, and 2 of the best players in SL at the moment I would say as well!

I agree that we do, but it is in the complete wrong position. They get no fans and to be honest they will struggle to grow. They are based in what is possibly the biggest Rugby Onion stronghold in the world.

I live on the south coast now, just an hour out of London, but it would take me 3 hours to get there by train which is not good enough. Where I live there is a good Union presence but no where near the strength that there is just North of London. I think for a London RL team to work it has to be in South London, as another point is that where I live the nearest big Football team is Brighton who play league one and in the other direction its Gillingham who nobody is interested in watching, and as such I think around the South East corner there is a hunger to fulfill with professional sport.

Aaron Murphy, Dale Ferguson, Jay Pitts ... to name another 3 off the top of my head.

oh, I have no axe to grind with Harlequins at all by the way.