Stay on topic.

You casually consign two clubs to possible oblivion based on franchise to make way for you, yet you don't see anything wrong in that. Someone does it back and you're offended, love the hipocrisy I really do.

Wouldn't be quite so ludicrous if it weren't for tha fact that Salfords ground is every bit as good as yours. Whilst Wakefields structure and finances are some of the best around. So good in fact that we have been able to reinstate a reserve team.

Won't even mention where we ended last season compared to you. Call me old fashioned but isn't that the criteria that really count - if not then I'm out.

PS you do realise one of the clubs you mentioned doesn't exist. Also not convinced you'd win a franchise. In a world of international big city clubs do you seriously think there is a space for a small town like Leigh? You have a tidy little ground and that's it - that mate is not enough - you have been warned.

14 clubs is perfect for me it makes the top 8 more applicable, currently the split of 8 through and 4 not is a bit of a joke.

Is it another draw bridge moment or are we still keeping P&R?

Why would anyone want rid of relegation and promotion. Its sport its what happens. Fair enough 14 teams in sl but the 2 should get these places need to be top 2 of the championship not just given to Toronto and Toulouse.

We had this franchiseing crap before which as ruined the game in the uk. A straight one up one down works fine the middle 8s worked fine and was enjoyable for all in the championship to have a shot at the sl teams. On top of that brings revenue in to these teams who are trying to build. If Halifax had not made the middle 8 this year we would of been stuffed as we struggled financially and made cut backs. Halifax Are one of the few teams with a good jounir setup unlike most he sl clubs who would rather spend money on ausies etc rather than develop local talent yet complain we can not beat the ausies.

If we need to add two teams to sl then league leader should be promoted then 2nd to 5th in play offs for a final

Then after that 14th from sl relegated each year with 1st promoted followed by a playoff system for the next spot with 13th 2nd 3rd 4th 5th and 6th

again a final at a neutral venue

Not hard to make it more attractive at all and plenty to play for each season

There must be an open an honest P&R system between the leagues. At the very least it should be one up one down.

Open and honest, a concept not even on the radar of those at HQ.
The best we could do is to set minimum criteria and then let our SPORT decide the winners and losers on the field of play.
Once the "suits" get involved, it just looks grubby and verging on corrupt.

The fact that the RFL still hold the lease at Odsal, means that the starting point is already clouded.

And there does need to be some scope for either promotion /relegation or, adding to the numbers in the top flight, something that was ill thought out last time.
Although the current structure has plenty of flaws, at least P/R is decided on a game of RL and not in some smoke filled room (metaphor only).

Agree 100%.

I agree there needs to be a mechanism for on field performance to see a team promoted to SL, but think we need to protect clubs who are currently integral to the sport, given how fragile we are. I don't think it is in our best interests to allow Leeds/Warrington/Catalans (all of which have appeared in the qualifiers) to be relegated on the back of one bad season. We are too fragile to be blaze about the success of our few strong clubs.

My proposal would be to go to 14 and offer protection to clubs who are integral to the success/development of the sport (for me that's currently Catalans, Hull FC, Leeds, St Helens, Toronto, Toulouse, Warrington and Wigan) on the basis they maintain good crowds, run an academy, play in a good stadium etc. Then have a million pound game (or two legs) between the lowest placed non-protected club and the winner of the Championship. I know non-protected teams would moan, but I think that is a good system to protect our best assets whilst rewarding success on the field. We also get a Championship final that way, which may bring in a quid or two.

I don't like the idea of "protected" teams as that suddenly leaves yourself open to accusations of bias. The only protection if there has to be any should be for 1 year for the club just promoted.

The rest shouldn't get an excuse to coast. Development sides shouldn't just be in SL on the back of work done in other areas either. For example I wouldn't admit Toronto until they have a proper junior set up or they are just going to use the existing player pool. Same applies to any SL club without an academy.

Hence the conditions I proposed in terms of having an academy, good crowds etc. There is no bias, as all teams could be allowed to take advantage of protection if they can meet the set criteria. Every three years, review the criteria in order to hopefully push up standards. Agree regarding Toronto having an academy, they need to at least be incentivised to do that, if not forced. If a club is 'coasting' on the pitch but is getting good crowds, developing players, has a good ground etc. I'm OK with them staying in SL to be honest.

Your obsession with the Leigh Centurions is pathetic....is your ex boyfriend a Leigh fan by any chance ?

On the subject of a Toronto academy, where would you want this to be based ?
If it were in Toronto, everyone would moan that the costs of playing over there would be too much (and they probably would).
However, if it were based in England (which would probably be sensible) the very same people would moan that they weren't a Canadian club.
THey do need to find a way of developing their own talent, which would be key for any long term strategy.
However, this really does need thinking through.
The cries of expansion clubs "must start in league 1" have been made to look stupid, as any full time outfit regardless of their geographic location and with money in their pocket, will make a mockery of that league and it could be argued that their inclusion actually robbed Whitehaven or Barrow of a place in the Championship.

Toronto u20 team could play in the USARL. It's not a great standard I know, but it may help to raise the standards with a team being coached full time.

If away supporters don't like attending a ground because it's not all shiney and sells them some pukka pies and a nice pint of corporate then they can vote with their feet. But if said club's home fans and chairman are still doing enough to keep said club competitive at Super League level and bringing through their own youth then I think they damn well merit their place. Some of the nobbers on here will be the death of Rugby League - happily seeing traditional clubs thrown out at the expense of the clubs with rich little sugar daddies and corporate sponsors. Won't be long until Super League is like the premier league if they have their way. 5 or 6 minted clubs scraping it out at the top and the rest left behind. No doubt they'll advocate the salary cap being abolished as well so their rich little owners can scrape up all the talent. Some excitement that would make for. Expect to start paying football prices not long afterwards for your supposedly working class sport.

In addition to the above really don't understand the excitement around Toronto. They shouldn't play in an English league. Neither should Catalan. They offer nothing to the local community and will bring next to no away fans and I'm not sure why making the game more popular in Toronto/Canada will benefit the English game as a whole. Our international squad is now etting towards a level of competing with Australia and I don't see how Toronto will help us develop English talent. For me it is experimentation for experimentation's sake. If Toronto would like to create a league then they should pump money into building the sport on Canada but shoehorning them into the Super League at the potential loss of hard working clubs with passionate fans who will add to the coffers like Featherstone and Bradford e.t.c? It's a no from me.