Donnyman making stuff up?? Never!

Who said you need geographical spread for Superleague to work?? Reference please??

How do you know the sport will contract if it's only played across the M62 it seems to have been mainly played there for 124 years?? Reference please??

Who said that RL had contracted back to it's heartlands, when was it ever more than just a northern game? Reference Please??

Your hippocracy knows no bounds, you can spout the garbage above, I can tell you what Superleague bosses are saying.

1. You can have half the League French but if they all field English/Aussie players they won't improve the french International side one bit will they?.

2. Your as privvy as I am to what SL bosses say about the SKY deal and the inclusion of France and Toronto in Superleague - tell me honestly do you buy and read League Express and League Weekly?

3. Reflecting that Superleague bosses have constantly said the French need to bring to the table (said to Toulouse by Lenegan reported in the RL press) home grown players and TV deals (also said to Toronto who promised to do that - Perez article in the RL press) does not make me "strongly against" anything.

Again do you buy the RL press every Monday and read up what is said by those who run the game?? I do read it all up. Maybe it's you that makes it up?

I don't think Pearson said he was [i"happy with three overseas teams"[/i

By all means reflect the facts as reported, by all means pass an opinion that may be in line with the facts, but please don't bother wasting your and my time trying to wriggle out of the actual point. If you think Pearson is happy with Hull.v.Catalans, Hull.v.Toronto and Hull.v.New York and would not mind Hull.K.R. making way for the latter, and Hull being even further away from a return to Hull.v.Bradford fixtures...........even though 80% of his clubs fanbase prefer HKR and Bradford to overseas opposition, and he would prefer the bigger crowds Rovers and Bulls bring, then you need to think again, concede this point and move the debate forward.

Do you really believe the game should forget Bradford, Widnes, Leigh Newcastle, London and York now??

Strange question. Now we should not forget about ANY club, including the ones that you mention, although, last time I looked, there was a pathway from the Championship into SL.
If ANY of those clubs wins their GF, then , they are up - end of - although you are being mighty generous to Bradford, Newcastle and probably Widnes as I dont see these clubs challenging for promotion just yet and you seem to have omitted Fev from your list.

What do you do once Ottawa, Avignon and Vancouver make applications to join??

I think that all of the above are some way off making the league structure and some dont exist

as the player pool shrinks - especially in France

My knowledge of participation numbers in France isn't good, although I'm sure that just as in the UK and in many other sports, they will be struggling to maintain and increase participation numbers. However, in France it probably more a case of turning a greater percentage of their current youth into pro or semi pro players.
You have already stated that Catalan, in your opinion aren't doing enough and I agree.
However, with a decent pathway from the amateur game, plus a decent level of coaching, I'm sure that more players could make the grade.

I've already said that the "European" league should increase to accommodate the overseas sides that can meet the relevant criteria, although there are limits in everything and again, I 've also suggested previously that the overseas clubs MUST be committed to developing their own players. Not doing so will ultimately end in failure.
FWIW, I think that Toulouse are doing ok in this regard, probably better than your average Championship or SL club and they should be encouraged to continue doing so.
France does have a game to build on, which, just as you keep arguing that losing English clubs may be detrimental to the sport over here, surely, the same applies if we jettison Catalan and tell Toulouse to do one and drop them from The Championship ?

Sounds as if the Catalans games might be shown after all.

Elstone said he believes a ‘healthy amount’ of fixtures from overseas will be shown. He said

Elstone's use of the pronoun "we" suggests success is in the air. In contrast, it's very notable that in the same article he announces that the RFL is dealing with TWP's dispensation issues on behalf of SL

Thanks very much for your polite and considered viewpoints Wrencat.

For the avoidance of doubt I would say that once 2021 is over any entry to Superleague and indeed any continuation of any "guest" club in Superleague will be dependant on the Superleague clubs saying they are OK with this. Saying OK to Catalans Toulouse and Toronto as guests takes three places in SL away from actual member clubs like Newcastle, Leigh Bradford, Widnes and Featherstone Rovers.

Once again Catalans were allowed in so they could develop French pro players for the international side and they aren't doing this they are going backwards, they even closed their academy. Toulouse have no player development system nor do Toronto.

On what basis do you think full members of the game here who underpin an English TV deal and develop players through their Foundation/academy/reserves set ups can EVER be pushed aside for guest clubs from abroad that don't do anything for the player pool or the TV deal??

My question was not "strange", but your idea that non TV contract or Player producing guest clubs should ever be preferred to player producing, TV deal producing member clubs certainly is "strange" can you explain this please??