If the worst did happen and we were forced to run with a 13 team SL for this year then surely the most sensible thing to do with the Magic Weekend would be to play the last 16 of the Challenge Cup at that event (offering those who have already bought tickets the option of a refund if they no longer want to attend). That way there are still competitive games played over the two days. No team should be either denied the opportunity to gain league points or be gifted the points due to no longer having an opponent. Playing cup matches means that the points related problem would be removed and the event wouldn't be a set of pointless friendlies that would likely end up as under 19s games.

Though hopefully there will be no need for such a rearrangement as Salford will survive.

Hope your not saying the rfl should pay for them, for the next 2 seasons?

You couldn't switch it between comps like that as the BBC have primary CC rights and would be unlikely to be able to change coverage to that date whilst Sky, the game's primary sponsors, would undoubtedly be less than impressed.

I did. Whether you like it or not, I did.

This is not about a preference. I was talking about a potential scenario which could happen. Which has transferred to you for some reason as being an ideal scenario.

Survival is not a god given right for any club.....if they fold, they should be left to fold......there are others who would welcome the chance to step up to the top table.

Bradfords "stay of execution" last year overshaddowed the entire season...it was farcical. Salford should have until January 7th to declare themselves able to fulfill their 27 SL fixtures......if they can't, then cancelling Magic weekend and creating a bye weekend, or inviting Halifax in on a 2 year licence are 2 options that could be considered.......but if the RFL bail out another club, then the game will start to unravel with sugar daddies asking "why they should waste their hard earned cash" if badly run clubs get free hand-outs.

If Salford did fold then the solution for the Magic weekend would be to 'invite' a Championship club (probably Fev) to fill the gap - I would imagine that the Sky contract would preclude cancelling the event. SL would almost certainly have to run with 13 clubs as there simply isn't time for Halifax/Leigh to assemble a competitive team in time for the start of the season.

The only bit i disagree with you on is halifax or any champ club being invited to join sl at such short notice.

Who knows what the right thing to do with magic weekend would be,no doubt any decision taken would be the wrong one in some peoples eyes,personally i would just give widnes a bye and two points and be done with it.

Yes that is what I am saying, the sport is at a crossroad at this moment, if it takes the wrong turn it could be damaged beyond repair IMO

Can you expand on this idea?

The rfl dont have the money (what would it be £2.5million? over the two seasons to bankroll salford,they would never get it back,who knows it could even bankrupt them.
Now if the sl club chairmen want to fork that kind of money out,then fine get on with it.

Why would the club need to be bankrolled over the next two seasons? According to John Wilkinson, they have a 'robust' business plan that could even see them make a profit next year, since it's based on a much reduced expected income. The problem is that they expected attendances of around 8000 last season, and based their expenditure on this estimate. As we know, those attendances didn't materialise and they ran up a debt of £600,000. This needs to be cleared before the start of the season. That, as far as we know, is the major problem, so I'm not sure why you think the RFL would need to bankroll them.

This thread is a certain section of RL fans distilled in to their purest form

If in doubt, Guess or make something up, cry favouritism and above all blame the RFL

Its strange that you would believe anything john wilkinson tells you now

The club have produced a business plan and, as part of the due diligence process undertaken by the City of Salford and Peel Holdings, that business plan was verified by two accounting firms: KPMG and one other that I can't remember the name of.

To help me decide who to believe, can you tell me what your assertion that the club will need to be funded by the RFL is based on and how it has been verified?

Thanks in advance.