Single big money backers are the nemesis that eventually results in the downfall of clubs. All clubs need backing of some sort, but when it's down to one individual it's a recipe for disaster unless there's sustainability in other parts of the club, along with a plan B should said individual walk away.

It's potentially true that licensing could come back as part of a future TV deal (albeit Sky have demonstrated that they like the jeopardy of P&R), but given it will be the incumbent SL clubs at that time that effectively make the decisions, any licensing agreement will only include current SL teams. IF TWP, TO or anyone else wants to be at the table in 2021, then they need to get their act together on the field and win promotion over the next couple of years.

I think next season will be establishing ourselves as a championship club, then the season after mounting a serious pormotion challenge. Like other Bulls fans, i think we'll be mid-table, outside chance of getting in the play-offs.

Finally the penny seems to have dropped with the latest custiodian of the club, to build long-term. We're a young squad, with some good juniors coming through that can grow together.

Absolutely. Lets fill a team full of people who have never played the game before. That makes perfect sense.

Regards

King james

I completely agree. Rugby League has been particularly vulnerable to fickle white knight sods because we are a relatively small sport where even modestly wealthy people can have a dabble. But we collectively never seem to learn the lessons and time after time a club is left in a perilous position after falling for the promises.

Just off the top of my head, there's been the chap at Feath who promised the world, going back a few years the one at Wakey, Leyton Samuel in Bridgend, the man who walked away from Donny after getting them to a good point. They all want to play at being owners but will simply sod off when they get bored or their tiny pot of cash is mysteriously not enough to achieve their Superleague aspirations. Bad enough to have these characters come on the scene when you have a CHOICE in the matter. At Bradford, the last two tinpot owners, who had the collective wealth of my daughter's piggybank, were foisted on us by the RFL who then act perplexed when we go bust again as a consequence.

I feel for the fans who endure the rollercoaster caused by becoming the playthings of these moderately wealthy people, but it will only keep happening.

I've been to quite a few interviews of late where the finance directors have been sacked for leaving big gaps in the accounting and amounts of monies have gone missing. I've seen it again this week in regards to Patisserie Valerie and the world is full of them, it seems there are no systems of vetting or simple uses of references. These shysters are hitting all businesses so by the law of percentages Rugby clubs are going to be targets.

That's a rather bold and unquantifiable statement isn't it?

Us northern flatcappers that created RL in the first place are still doing fine over 100 years later. Its not perfect and needs continued financial support, but the product itself is fine.

Considering we're always accused of it being a regional game in the UK, it is actually just a regional sport in France and the success of Catalans in the past 10 years hasn't really changed that. It seems to me that France needs SL more than SL needs France.

Don't get me wrong. Catalans deserve their place, and if Toulouse earn promotion then they will equally deserve it, but to say SL needs them in order to fulfill its potential is a bit of a stretch.

But again, neither team have earned a spot in SL on merit. Everyone's favourite plastic Frenchman seems to be ignoring that fact. Unless there's a quantifiable and demonstrable benefit to them being given places rather than them having to earn a place like the rest of the league has to, then I see no reason to give clubs like Toronto and Toulouse an unfair leg up.

There was a great opportunity for Toronto to get some game time into some of their local players when they were thrashing league 1 opposition and some opportunities in The Championship but, instead, they chose not to use any of them.
There will be games next season where they could still do this but, it is very unlikely.
Of course, it would be tokenism and even IF they manage to set things up at junior/academy level, it will be at least 5 years and more likely 10, before they have any local talent that will make the grade.

This isnt a surprise though.
The boot camps that they held were great publicity but unless they can find players with some decent rugby knowledge (Union would be ok) we may be waiting a long time to see Canadians playing for TWP.

Not sure I agree. North America is full of sports players and athletes who have not mad the grade too pla NFL etc.

I have no doubt that some of these could be fast tracked into playing RL.

Not necessarily into the more significant positions of 1 6 7 9 or 13. But they should be able to try a couple at winger maybe a big rough forward who can run the ball in

Agree 100%

Of course we will be waiting a long time? I have said this before but to expect Toronto to just find players in canada ready to play professional RL so soon is ridiculous.

Can someone tell me how many players Melbourne storm managed to get into the first team when they formed.

yes they could be some but we could end up with a lot like Dwain Chambers the headless chicken

Looking forward to International Super League.

I can just imagine the crying from the likes of Jon Wilkin, Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield about how much the travelling to France X2, North America & London really takes it out of professional athletes.

I guess there is potentially never a great time. You don't know if another well funded club will enter into League 1 i.e. New York. Bradford could also get some momentum as well.

Toronto not going up messed things up for a few people. Clubs in the Championship that wanted to see the back of them are probably the biggest hit. As well as Widnes who now have a credible rival to gain promotion.

Toronto (2 years into a 5 year plan) and still looking a little green are probably not too bad off as a result. Another year of smashing part time teams should help get a more stable fan base.

The major test for Toronto comes if/when they start losing games.
It's easy to gain momentum when you are beating everything that's put in front of you but, if you start to lose a few or,
not gain promotion, it becomes far more difficult to grow the fan base etc.

Getting back to the 5 year plan, I'm sure the investors will start to get hacked off if they miss out on promotion in the next couple of seasons and with the kind of spend they have on their squad, they should be winning the comp at a canter.

I dread to think how much TWP's 17 cost at the side of London's 17 in the final ?