Ask the RFL, or Rod Findlay or are they still one and the same

We are just here to provide some practice for the new 2012 SL teams

Harlequins? You're right - you don't need fans to stay afloat - just big backers. Income i guess would be "sponsorship" from backers.

better manke sure they play Gareth Moore every game or he will spit his dummy out.

Gateshead, however fairly or unfairly they are allowed to operate, are my dark horses for the Championship title next season.
Any side that can include six players who have played regular NRL in the last two years must be in with a shout.
Expect a few more to come on board as well.
My only quibble, and its a big one, is how are they affording them? The crowds they get are appalling (even lower than the crowd figures they actually release i.m.o.), there's a distinct lack of sponsorship evident at the ground, and they don't make any money from refreshments, bars etc...
You can't tell me the Australian guys are over here playing for peanuts! I know for a fact that the least most of them are on is £30'000 each! And before any Gateshead fans shoot me down in flames, my facts came from a certain Australian who spent most of the 2009 season at Gateshead but couldn't get a regular first team place!

Corrected

Gateshead will challenge for the title next year in the Championship.

Hardly need a crystal ball for that prediction

Next two for SL are Gateshead and Toulouse. The Championship or whatever it's called next week will be the true home of RL. I predict many SL fans will become disallusioned and either walk away from the game or drift into the lower leagues. Who wants to watch Gateshead v Birmingham etc.

Nah as long as the Leed, Saints, Bradford and Wigan are ok and in there ,the rest will be pussycats and say yeah to whatever the RFL say.

i think its these teams that dictate policy to the RFL

i always find myself thinking about how long its going to take before the RFL decide that there are no other teams they can kick out and everyone has top notch stadiums to play in.

i always think that it will come to an end this franchise thing at some point cause they can't keep extending the amount of teams in Super League until its a year round sport.

it has to end cuase they can't extend it for ever more and they will run out of clubs to throw out eventually so that means then end of the franchise and then the Promotion and Relegation will come back how long before this happens is anyones guess but it will happen eventually.

it was a stupid idea to begin with, the likes of Celtic Crusaders and Catalans should have been made to work for a place in super league put right at the bottom of the Co-op leagues and made to earn there place not just get one because there french or welsh.

Rant Over