The game will open the Magic Weekend, and I guess it does mean that there might be a few folk there to watch it. The same fixture (first game) at the Summer Bash would have seen hardly anyone watching and absolutely zero atmosphere. As it is, it's going to be "polite applause" rather than any partisan following.

I'm not dissing the support that the two teams may have, it's just their respective fans are only going to travel for the fixture in very small numbers.

What's worse, is that Toulouse aren't competing in the 2018 Challenge Cup. Either they're a part of our competition or they're not? They shouldn't be able to pick and choose.

I don't get how they've been allowed to do that. Like you say, they're either in everything or nothing. I could understand not wanting a home draw (like Toronto last season). But to just not enter it when there's no reason for it.

Erm when we were last in the final it was only 8.

We beat them in 2006, and lost the 2003 Ashes games by 6, 3 and 4 points respectively (the latter with 12 men for 80 mins). People going on like the recent Final was the only time we've been close to them and I think Tony Smith was right afterwards in that the shoreline did flatter England, but people caught up in the tension and desire to see England win can't see that.

Top class, give over. The effort was good and it was tense but the few times we had decent field position we messed up often early in the tackle count, that isn't top class.

It's nonsensical to champion a narrow defeat over a victory just because you pick and choose games "meaning" to suit your argument. You did so to write Leeds off before the playoffs when I said Leeds would win and look how that worked out.

Featherstone could, you are WRONG....expansion lover

You were right toi have faith in Leeds. Being an old time Leeds fan I always expect us to lose.

As for 'meaning' its not subjective when it comes to answering the simple question of 'does the result affect both teams'. In the case of 2006 we won that game and got hammered out of sight by NZ and Australia in consecutive games afterwards - you know, when Australia actually had to beat us. We haven't been properly competitive with Australia except for the period 1990-1995ish.

Be intresting how many actually watch this game at the stadium (the figure will be tickets sold for the day, not how many were actually watching the game).

Going back a bit.

How are we supposed to promote the sport, or get new sponsorship into the game. When no one knows what format the leagues going to be for 2019. If us as RL fans aren't sure what's happening, what format it's going to take, with the new season just over 6 weeks away. How can we get new long term sponsorship.? How can lower SL clubs progress if they're not sure if they'll be there or not? Weather it's p&r, carry on with the 8'same or licencing. We should now know.

How are we supposed to promote the sport, or get new sponsorship into the game. When no one knows what format the leagues going to be for 2019. If us as RL fans aren't sure what's happening, what format it's going to take, with the new season just over 6 weeks away. How can we get new long term sponsorship.? How can lower SL clubs progress if they're not sure if they'll be there or not? Weather it's p&r, carry on with the 8'same or licencing. We should now know.'"

I'd be interested to see your working out on that one. How would Featherstone develop the revenue, the commercial income, the ticket revenue and the talent required to become a sustainable, competitive and above all, growing, Super League club?

I also agree on this. We're six weeks away from the start of the season and, as of yet (unless the future is known privately), nobody knows what the model is in the immediate term, never mind the medium and long term.

My worry is that the RFL is simply trying, once again, to appease all parties - who are all pulling in different directions based on the needs of their clubs, the size of their markets and the state of their on and off-field situations. It's right that they want to protect their interests, but this is where leadership from the RFL.

Ultimately, what is needed is for the RFL to say "this is the model we are persisting with, this is the minimum standard you have to meet today, and these are the minimum standards you need to reach in a year, three years, five years, and ten years." You can address a failure to meet those standards in a number of ways - you can have an absolute criteria (meet the standard or you're out if somebody else does), or make aspects of central funding performance-related, for example.

It will upset some people, but the current system isn't making anyone happy.

The thing about America is that the market is already saturated with there sports. If you think NRL, College football, Baseball, MLS, Womens Football, ice hockey,basketball probably the college versions of these sports. Are all on the mainstream media outlets.

For us, an alien sport to get decent exposure over there on the back of one professional club is optimistic.
Yes there is a market there. But for us to get a foothold over there will take time. How much time and wether we give them that time is the question.

There is another factor to be taken into account when we're talking about expansion in North America: rugby union. I see there are plans for a 9 team Major League Rugby competition (note the just "Rugby"icon_wink.gif in 2018. Mike Ford has signed to take charge of Dallas Griffins.
Once again, we will have to fight for space and recognition. I just hope the American rugby league promoters have more about them than Red Hall or the ventures are doomed.

Good article this is, expansion lover.

PROMOTING expansion or supporting the existing grassroots?

[iIt seems that this is the one question that constantly sends the game up a cul-de-sac and never really gets resolved to anyone’s satisfaction.

The argument raged again this week when it was announced that Toronto would forfeit their home game against Toulouse and play it as a curtain raiser at Magic.

You would have thought this game should be seen a positive – the punters get to see an extra game involving the team that seems on a headlong mission to Super League.

It will also, in a quirky way, bring in more publicity than sadly one more domestic fixture would not do.

However, that is not how it has played out across towns across the heartlands.

And just like when London Broncos and Paris St Germain leap-frogged Keighley to get into the inaugural Super League, or when Catalans’ elevation to the top flight and subsequent protection from relegation, there is a cry of preferential treatment.

The Magic selection is an interesting one - not least because Bradford Bulls had already been allowed to peep through the cracks of St James Park that weekend with their Championship 1 fixture at Newcastle.

If they wanted to sell more tickets and maybe boost rugby league in the north east (and I assume that was one of the early points of Magic) then putting that clash on would have killed two birds with one stone.

If handled well the Toronto experiment has the potential to bring something different to our game that is crying out for innovation.

But we still need a strategy to monetise their presence (and Catalans’ for that matter) rather than it being just another novelty outpost.

Not only that, those clubs need to grow the game and develop talent on their own patches not simply trawl the world — and the northern heartlands in particular — for off the peg talent.

Rugby league cannot afford to have too many teams — and I don’t mean just outpost organisations – creaming off talent without doing anything to top up the playing well.

If the game eventually withers in traditional heartlands — because their pro teams have been sidelined — then where are those players going to come from?

You can see why fans of say Halifax, Leigh, Featherstone and Batley can be irked by Toronto.

But the potential problem for the game is more long-term than simply a few noses being put out of joint.[/i

Firstly, I don't understand why you think "expansion lover" is some sort of insult. It really isn't.

Secondly. It's not a good article. It's a rant. For starters, it calls out expansion clubs for their contribution to the talent pool, yet there have never been more professional French players than there currently are.

If you're trying to convince me that Featherstone could sustain a competitive and growing SL club, you're failing miserably.

D-: Must try harder.

Try telling that to a Keighley Cougars supporter.....expansion lover/football fan

The Cougarmania craze swept through the town in the mid-90s and crowd attendances increased to over 5,000. The head coach steered the club to promotion into the top flight but due to another re-structure within the leagues the Cougars were denied promotion (despite, some would argue, being an influential force in the creation of the Super League).

Cant argue with the "wrongdoing" at the time regarding Keighley, they had earned their shot at the "big time".
However, at present, that is not the key issue.
The "game" has to decide where it wants to be in 5,10,20 years time and how to get there.

IF we close the doors to "expansion" and bin off Catalan, Toulouse and Toronto and tell them to go and do their own thing, would that be a positive for RL is either the UK, France or North America or, for the game as a whole ?

It's all about investment into the sport.

IF Toronto was to become a major force in SL and be the catalyst to the sport putting down proper roots in North America, having one less European club in SL would be a very small price to pay and if done properly, with some serious additional revenue coming into the game then, where is the problem.

Supporters of lower end SL and top Championship clubs will feel aggrieved that their club is being wronged but, a vibrant, prosperous sport has to be preferable to having 20 or so heartland clubs struggling to make ends meet and following a sport with less profile than womens netball.

We are so far behind Football, Rugby Union and cricket (and still losing ground) that something does have to be done or, we have to accept that we are a small time sport only enjoyed by middle aged blokes from former pit towns and eventually, we mat have to revert to amateur or semi pro status.
This might not be the end of the world for some but, personally, I always thought that RL was far, far, better than that.

I agree with this. I really don't see why Budgiezilla has to throw around "expansion / football lover" (where the latter came from is only his guess) as its some sort of put-down.

I'm a fan of the sport first and foremost. I have my personal views on the state of the sport and I have my personal views on what I think needs to be done to address those issues. I've worked in marketing for a long time, and I've also worked with professional sports clubs, so I come from at least some position of experience.

I know my views don't always meet universal agreement, which is sort of what makes internet forums what they are, but I'm happy to put my reasons out there. If I felt that this sport could prosper by focusing its efforts in the heartlands, then I'll be happy, but my view is that the realities of modern sport don't allow that. Modern professional sport relies too heavily on television and commercial revenue, and we simply don't provide the audience that businesses want to (or at least, want to pay to) reach - that harms commercial income coming directly into the sport, and it harms our value to TV broadcasters. Yes, Keighley got shafted, but that was more than two decades ago. The realities of professional sport have moved on at a pace far greater than we have.

What I want is to see the best players possible, in the best facilities possible, and where those players are earning a fair income from their efforts. At the moment, we don't offer that. It's why we aren't attracting and retaining top talent, it's why clubs still aren't able to invest in facilities and why we have a salary cap that is around £1m less in real terms than it was in 1999.

The best way to address that in my view, given that the heartlands clubs clearly can't market themselves appropriately, is to tap into new audiences and new markets. Whilst America does represent a leap of faith, it is currently one of few viable options that we have.

"I agree with this. I really don't see why Budgiezilla has to throw around "expansion / football lover" (where the latter came from is only his guess) as its some sort of put-down."

Sorry, I'll stop it now.....

Well done Keighley....attracting 5 gates of over 5k for games against Bradford (9 miles) and Halifax(12 miles).....outstanding work.......but in terms of expansionism, as much use as a chocolate tea-pot



What type of expansionism do we want......?
a/ Bigger TV deals and sponsors with very little substance and youth development and average crowds of 5k
b/ Youth development and more local interaction but with crowds in the 3/4k region?
c/ Billionaires throwing cash at the game but with no plan other than "if they watch it once they'll be hooked"?

Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away

Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away

Quote ="Tigerade"Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away'"

Quote ="Tigerade"Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away'"

By the time Toronto play their first match in Canada in 2018 on May 5th half of their supporters will have lost interest!

There is a reason for it though. It means that they will be playing potentially 2 to 4 less games than all the other Championship teams! Ergo, less injuries, blank weekends for recovery, less expense etc. giving them a definite advantage in their push for promotion.

I'd be surprised if any of the UK teams would be allowed to do this.

Quote ="Tigerade"Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away'" So Fax have no jet lag excuse for this game. Wonder what the excuse will be when Toronto put 50 past them.

Quote ="Tigerade"Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away'" So Fax have no jet lag excuse for this game. Wonder what the excuse will be when Toronto put 50 past them.

The difference in budgets that the two clubs operate under? And it would be a valid one.
Not that I think Fax will lose by 50 but it's not even remotely a fair competition so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make?