So your answer is?

I seem to remember being told it was 40/50 K, most of which is swallowed up with players win bonus, financially its better to lose the GF

Still we'll ( well Fev,Fax,Eagles and Leigh ) be fine this year, we get to play a French team, maybe the RFL could have used the 60 odd grand that will cost a bit better, especially as Fev wont actually be playing the French Champions now

Yeah, the probably could have just given it to the french sides.

It seems none of your 'solutions' for the lower leagues involve anything other than doing exactly the same as what the lower league clubs have been doing for the past 100 years, just with SL giving them some money.

If anything is a waste of money it isnt trying something new which fails, it would be spending more on doing things which have already failed.

What is your solution?

Mate - the problem isn't just with Championship clubs is it? Do you recognise that there are some clubs in SL that are just not sustainable long term?

Quite frankly i am happy to watch my team at the top (or thereabouts) of an "inferior" league. OK, so i'm never going to see the likes of Saints and Warrington visit the Fax again in the league but i just wonder how long some backers are going to continue shovelling money into clubs that effectively end their season in June. Widnes fans are already discussing their likely 2013 squad on their forum.



Rugby League needs to have a reality check. It's a minority northern sport. Sad but true and it needs to cut it's cloth accordingly. There are about three or four clubs in SL which should be semi-pro and not full time.

I don't think that concerns him. He follows Leeds Rhinos. No worries whatsoever.

Where have I said, just give it to the clubs?

Anyroad - what are you doing back on these forums? You're supposed to be keeping your nose clean

What is the problem?

The lower leagues are functioning, they are fairly sustainable and are providing a competition for clubs and players not ready for SL. I think we could improve the pathways players take throughout the game,of which the lower leagues are a part but I don’t really know what people are expecting the lower leagues to be, because most people who complain about the lower leagues lot are usually way out with their ideas on what can actually be achieved with them.

Ask Peter Hood

Yes I do, I agree that there are some clubs which arent set up right now to be successful.
That can and should be changed. But the answer to that question isnt P+R.

I would disagree. We arent a minority northern sport. We are a massive northern sport. If we could replicate the strength we have in the north, throughout the country we would be looking at an SL which was as big as championship football. I believe that would feed into a virtuous cycle which would get us even bigger (If Wigan play a club as big as Leeds every week then Wigan would grow, which in turn would contribute to Leeds growth which in turn would contribute to Wigans growth etc). And i wouldnt disagree, we do have a couple of clubs who are probably more suited to Semi-pro than pro. But similarly we can look at it that we are 3 or 4 clubs away from having a truely national sport which has the attendances and as would follow the visibility it deserves.