Widnes should have been accepted first time around (same situation as Wakefield this time who were accepted) but the reason they kept quiet was because it was blatently obvious that they hed been promised a place for 2012 as, once they had "ticked a box" on the field, they gave up trying and started preparing for SL.

As to Halifax in SL, they had 7 reasonable years (at least they weren't fighting relegation every year) with a best finish of 3rd. As to their subsequent relegation I'm not going through it all again as I'm sick of explaining it to people. Suffice it to say that, had it happened under today's rules, we would not have been relegated, would have cleared the historical debt we'd been carrying and had time to rebuild the squad as Bradford would have done if they had cut their team to the bone but instead they have flatly refused to release a single player and will still be in SL next year without a shadow of a doubt.

Exactly. I never mentioned the word 'fix.' But as you say, a London Broncos vs. Catalans Challenge Cup Final/Grand Final would be most disappointing for the RFL, to say the least.

Hmmm ..... What are you suggesting?

Toulouse were a poor and indisciplined side - not necessarily dirty. They were constantly trying to slow games down when on the back foot, and they were on the back foot a lot in the Championship.

A bit like Widnes this season. That's why they top the current Penalty league on 225 and the Dragons are down in 6th place with only 184 penalties. There is only 13 points between the Dragons and Wakey in 12th place.

Let's be honest. There is, and has been, no conspiracy against the French. This is just out and out whinging by a frustrated club. Some of the decisions I've seen given against Widnes this season have been nothing short of disgraceful. The goal kick that was disallowed against the Saints was stunning in its complete incompetence. But that is what it is - incompetence and the odd bad call.

Sh1t happens!

Toulouse were ill disciplined at times, especially in the final year when morale was at an all time low but they weren't a 'poor' side - about mid-table level but with the big disadvantage of having to fit in work committments with training and of course the gruelling travelling schedule which proved that any french side playing in SL or the Championship has to be made up of full time pros

let's be honest, there is a conspiracy against the french teams though it's an in-built northern bias which is inevitable with predominantly northern officials - it's not cheating just a leaning towards the UK sides but not helped by indiscipline from the french at times.

yes, it is whinging by a frustrated club and if you attended the Catalan home games this season you would feel the same way - don't tell people who have attended every Catalan home game this season otherwise unless you have been there to judge for yourself unless of course you have in which case I respectfully beg to differ.

No, there isn't.

if you say so pal...

how many Catalan games have you actually been to this season as a matter of interest ? on what do you base your opinion ?

Catalans have been penalised the same amount of times as Leeds and Warrington, and less than Bradford, Salford, London, Hull & Widnes. I'm not sure how that proves a bias by northern officials against non-northern clubs.

as a previous poster said, you can make stats prove anything you want

fact is that Catalans have had to play against the opposition plus the ref in all of the games i've seen this season at the GB

I can actually recall one incident when Mr Thaler missed an obvious forward pass by the Catalans to give them a crucial four points in the HKR game

two games, the Wires cup game and the Wigan game at Montpellier the Catalans were completely outplayed by the better team and deservedly lost but even then the reffing was appalling (for both sides)

There certainly wasn't at P O Road in 2008, in the CC when Ben Thaler disallowed what appeared to be a perfectly good try by Featherstone agains Catalans. It occurred within ten yards of where I was standing, he disallowed the try but gave no signal as to why he was disallowing it, he just signalled play on. I still don't know today what was wrong with it. Fev were nowhere near the team they are today, but Catalan were looking very shakey and that try might have been the straw that broke the camel's back - we shall never know.

is Thaler the worst ref in SL at present ?

Well, Catalans did themselves no favours with constant forward passes, niggly play and mouthing off at the referee today.

If they want to quit, fine with me.