The problem, in my opinion, is the stigma around the championship. As a few have mentioned relegation should be a blow for being worse than your rivals but not a death sentence. Giving the championship more exposure will help with this.

If a team can be relegated knowing they have to make changes and clear out deadwood BUT can still make revenue, get on TV, produce a good winning atmosphere etc and make a charge for promotion back to SL it's not the end of the world. The problem is the current championship doesn't provide this. Hopefully sky will start showing more championship matches to allow championship sides to promote too. With that more get the chance to grow, improve, go full time and push on.

At the moment we have the same arguments each year, X team need to get back to SL before they do a Bradford but that means forcing out Y team who need to get back the year after at the expense of Z and so on....

Thats a good point, and the stigma probably comes about because the championship itself is split into two very distinct groups, those who are arguably too good for that level, want to be in SL, and have the knowhow/support/money etc to get there and survive, and those who aren't good enough/realise they wouldn't be able to run as a financially stable SL club and are content to run in the championship.

This is personally why I would be in favour of an expanded SL, but realise that would take a massive overhaul, not least on how we divvy out fixtures.

So thats a no then.

I've not seen an awful lot from any poster here as to why Leigh are better for the growth of the sport than Catalans - in fact, the general sentiment seems to agree that Catlans offer more in that regard. There's a lot of discussion about the on-field merits of the two teams and I have agreed with that from the outset - if the Dragons lose on Saturday they will go down on merit and if they win, they'll stay up on merit. I don't think that anything I've posted on this issue amounts to me knowing "#### all" as you suggest - I've certainly offered far more insightful opinion on this issue than you have - and I'm happy to give Leigh and Widnes credit where it is due.

I've been respectful to you, explained my views and refrained from offensive insults - it's a shame that the same can't be said of you in this exchange so perhaps we should leave it there, eh?

That's because i never said that did i. I said why Cats should go down, not Leigh stay up. You say they should stay up on merit, What merit? Widnes did the job yesterday (well done Widnes) Leigh [sizeMUST[/size do the same on Saturday. BTW - I don't even know why i'm wasting my time with you. Bye.

The thing is, Catalan going down is probably one of the worse outcomes for Championship clubs.
They'll have trips to Toronto, Toulouse, Catalan and London to pay for as well as lacking the income they've had for the last 3 years with big away followings from Bradford and HKR.

If it happens, then I'd be surprised if there's only one bottom end Championship club that has financial trouble during 2018

So,Is expansion a good or a bad thing?

You wouldn't think similar if you didn't support a safe sacred cow club?

Exactly Freddie....Oh hang on, I'm not cheer leading again am i?

What's so wrong with letting sporting ability decide who stays and who goes?

A contrived competition does absolutely zip for the sports credibility. We're supposed to be a professional sport and ability and winning should trump geographical location.

It's hardly Leigh's fault one of the competitions major sponsors is tinned mushy peas.

Well said mate.

The thing is SL lost Bradford whilst they were still in SL....or at least the Bradford people like to remember or the Bradford people hope they could be.

Someone said earlier we need a strong Catalans. Key word there is strong. We could do with a strong Bradford like we had in the late 90's/early 00's, we don't need the one we had for their final few SL seasons creating headlines because of repeated bad off field issues.

I have no sympathy for any club that appoints a coach as devoid as ideas, or so lacking in passion or as inept as McNamara.
It was a disaster waiting to happen from day one. What WERE they thinking ?

I don't think anyone on this thread has said letting sporting ability decide is wrong.

Bramleyrhino has presented some great arguments for why he'd prefer a Catalans win, but he has conceded that it's not for him to decide nor will the positives of keeping them in the Super League stop them being relegated. He has said it comes down to their on field performance

Personally, I'd rather Catalans stay up too. But come Saturday I think it will be Leigh ending the game with Super League status.

Why?

People keep saying that we need Catalans in SL. No we don't. They offer nothing. No one in France cares about rugby league so for me, Leigh stay up

Regards

King James