Fully agree with the original post and it's definately something that needs sorting sooner rather than later , we are the fans who pay our hard earned dosh not only to watch our beloved team but to keep the championship leagues going ( I know sponsors play a big part but take away us fans and what would the RFL be left with ) .

Closed shop mentality if it happens , will be doing what the RFL has been doing for the last few years ( copying the aussie influences again ) It's not brought us any closer in having a stronger national team to challenge them or be on a level par with them yet . Is and could the idea work and benefit our national team ? ( I don't think so but thats only my opinion ) .

I say open up Promotion and Relegation again , 2 teams up and 2 teams down the fairest way in most sports . The RFL need to cement the bloody goalposts in , instead of keep moving them when it suits . Also how long are the championships trialling the bonus point system for ??? I'm sure we were told that this was a view to using it in Sooper dooper league ? Yet another load of bollards !

Rant over

What infuriates me is there are differant rules for each and every division , what other sport anywhere has that going on it`s just a joke.

Because you're comparing pro and semi pro ranks.
Most sports don't go semi pro by their second division and that's what causes the hassle. I think RU will follow our model within 5 years tbh

Of course we know, Halifax had a golden opportunity and blew it with an ill thought out bid. You say i'm wrong but we'll see when the feedback was published

Well hopefully Dick and Nigel will have cleared off along with the system that has our game dying on its by then. If they do follow our model then we can take over as the number one game of Rugby, getting ten times the cash they do as they do now

Quite right they did , what the hell were they thinking of , telling the truth instead of bull sh.tting like the rest of the applicants

Quote: chris_smith "Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust PRESS RELEASE – 1st August 2011 In light of recent events regarding Halifax RLFC’s failed bid to win a Super League franchise for the 2012-2014 seasons, members of the Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust committee have been inundated with calls and emails of support from all walks of the rugby league community. It is this support that has spurred us into action. Many have expressed their concern at the events both in the build up to last Tuesday’s announcement and many more surrounding the statements and “post decision” interviews that were issued and given by the RFL hierarchy in the aftermath of Halifax RLFC’s failed Super League bid. We feel the fundamental problem of our game goes much deeper than that, put simply . . . . No Promotion or Relegation. Therefore the board of The Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust have decided to take a stance. We intend to challenge the integrity, as well as the decisions being made by The Rugby Football League, who without consulting the paying public of our great sport continue to make ambiguous decisions that we feel are not in the best interests of our game. Also this decision is not based on, nor is it a direct attack on any of our fellow rugby league clubs, they can only undertake and look to meet the “franchise criteria” asked of them. Indeed we wish all fellow rugby league clubs the very best of luck during the remainder of this and forthcoming seasons. However we do feel that our sport is being strangled by the very people entrusted in supposedly driving our sport forward. We feel the RFL through adopting the franchise model in 2009 is killing the game we love and is choosing to ignore the heartlands in favour of expansion at any cost. The current plight of Crusaders coupled with the return to the French League of Toulouse shows that expansion is failing and we already know promotion and relegation is no longer advocated. . . . . Why? How can our game be a sport without the real possibility of promotion and relegation? – To quote Kevin Sinfield highlighted during an interview with BBC Sport in May 2005, just after the new franchising system was launched "The great thing about sport is competition - relegation is intrinsic to that." - We agree. What incentive does an ambitious club outside of Super League have if the parameters / criteria of the franchising system keep changing, with new goal posts added or indeed removed at will to suit the RFL hierarchy at that time? The gulf in finances and investment between the top 2 tiers is getting wider and wider and worryingly for any aspiring Super League teams the elite league appears to be a closed shop or at best a masonesque type members club. We have questions a plenty and want answers, not just for Halifax RLFC but for the wider rugby league family on where our game is being taken. Therefore as an independent voice in support of Halifax RLFC we intend to let our concerns be seen and most certainly heard and we fully intend to challenge the legitimacy of a franchising system that fails to keep to its own “minimum standard criteria” blueprint; more importantly ask why a governing body chooses to strip our game of the true fighting spirit from which it was born out of on 29th August 1895 i.e. Promotion & Relegation. We are therefore looking to kick-start our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign by staging a protest on Thursday 11th August at the Halifax RLFC v Widnes Vikings game and we invite all rugby league fans to help us to take the fight to The RFL. Our intention for this event is via the use of banners, flags, t-shirts etc (as the game is live on Sky TV) to voice our concerns. This is merely the start of our battle and it really doesn’t matter if you are a Halifax RLFC supporters trust member; or even a Halifax RLFC supporter or not, join our protest, come along to the game and show the RFL we are to be taken seriously. What we want and need is a collective, coordinated effort; as we will be much stronger shouting and making a noise together rather than pulling in different directions. We intend to get answers to the many questions we and the rugby league community have. This initial protest will be the mere start, we have lots of ideas but we would welcome input and support from anybody interested in supporting us on this journey. We will have more news on our plans shortly and we hope you will support us. If you would like to ask any questions or you can pledge support to our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign please contact:- Chris Smith on As a result of this press release a meeting was held at the Shay last night , and the Fax fans are going to make a silent protest at the televised match against Widnes on thursday , they intend for all fans attending the match including hopefully the Widnes fans , to turn their backs on the pitch at the start of the game for one minute It is also the intention to contact other championship clubs fans to gather opinion on ideas to show the displeasure many are feeling with the RFL and the lack of respect the RFL seem to display to the lower leagues and the clubs and fans in it

Quote: chris_smith "Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust PRESS RELEASE – 1st August 2011 In light of recent events regarding Halifax RLFC’s failed bid to win a Super League franchise for the 2012-2014 seasons, members of the Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust committee have been inundated with calls and emails of support from all walks of the rugby league community. It is this support that has spurred us into action. Many have expressed their concern at the events both in the build up to last Tuesday’s announcement and many more surrounding the statements and “post decision” interviews that were issued and given by the RFL hierarchy in the aftermath of Halifax RLFC’s failed Super League bid. We feel the fundamental problem of our game goes much deeper than that, put simply . . . . No Promotion or Relegation. Therefore the board of The Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust have decided to take a stance. We intend to challenge the integrity, as well as the decisions being made by The Rugby Football League, who without consulting the paying public of our great sport continue to make ambiguous decisions that we feel are not in the best interests of our game. Also this decision is not based on, nor is it a direct attack on any of our fellow rugby league clubs, they can only undertake and look to meet the “franchise criteria” asked of them. Indeed we wish all fellow rugby league clubs the very best of luck during the remainder of this and forthcoming seasons. However we do feel that our sport is being strangled by the very people entrusted in supposedly driving our sport forward. We feel the RFL through adopting the franchise model in 2009 is killing the game we love and is choosing to ignore the heartlands in favour of expansion at any cost. The current plight of Crusaders coupled with the return to the French League of Toulouse shows that expansion is failing and we already know promotion and relegation is no longer advocated. . . . . Why? How can our game be a sport without the real possibility of promotion and relegation? – To quote Kevin Sinfield highlighted during an interview with BBC Sport in May 2005, just after the new franchising system was launched "The great thing about sport is competition - relegation is intrinsic to that." - We agree. What incentive does an ambitious club outside of Super League have if the parameters / criteria of the franchising system keep changing, with new goal posts added or indeed removed at will to suit the RFL hierarchy at that time? The gulf in finances and investment between the top 2 tiers is getting wider and wider and worryingly for any aspiring Super League teams the elite league appears to be a closed shop or at best a masonesque type members club. We have questions a plenty and want answers, not just for Halifax RLFC but for the wider rugby league family on where our game is being taken. Therefore as an independent voice in support of Halifax RLFC we intend to let our concerns be seen and most certainly heard and we fully intend to challenge the legitimacy of a franchising system that fails to keep to its own “minimum standard criteria” blueprint; more importantly ask why a governing body chooses to strip our game of the true fighting spirit from which it was born out of on 29th August 1895 i.e. Promotion & Relegation. We are therefore looking to kick-start our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign by staging a protest on Thursday 11th August at the Halifax RLFC v Widnes Vikings game and we invite all rugby league fans to help us to take the fight to The RFL. Our intention for this event is via the use of banners, flags, t-shirts etc (as the game is live on Sky TV) to voice our concerns. This is merely the start of our battle and it really doesn’t matter if you are a Halifax RLFC supporters trust member; or even a Halifax RLFC supporter or not, join our protest, come along to the game and show the RFL we are to be taken seriously. What we want and need is a collective, coordinated effort; as we will be much stronger shouting and making a noise together rather than pulling in different directions. We intend to get answers to the many questions we and the rugby league community have. This initial protest will be the mere start, we have lots of ideas but we would welcome input and support from anybody interested in supporting us on this journey. We will have more news on our plans shortly and we hope you will support us. If you would like to ask any questions or you can pledge support to our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign please contact:- Chris Smith on As a result of this press release a meeting was held at the Shay last night , and the Fax fans are going to make a silent protest at the televised match against Widnes on thursday , they intend for all fans attending the match including hopefully the Widnes fans , to turn their backs on the pitch at the start of the game for one minute It is also the intention to contact other championship clubs fans to gather opinion on ideas to show the displeasure many are feeling with the RFL and the lack of respect the RFL seem to display to the lower leagues and the clubs and fans in it

A more dramatic protest would be for no one to enter the ground until 15 mins after the game as started and lets see sky ignore that?

That was considered , but was decided as unlikely to be a realistic option , they dont neccessarily see this as a one off thing , more the start of something longer term and hopefully something collective , as in other Championship clubs and high profile events

If you dont like it leave the RFL. If you're THAT bothered then you dont have to be under their umbrella

This is not the clubs initiating this , it is the fans , if you're THAT bothered by it , dont watch Championship RL on TV

They wasn't truthful to themselves regarding a little boost to their attendances to get the tick in a box.

And who told them to do that? Yes the RFL

yes it was all done with the knowledge of the RFL

How do you know that Lynda ? I was at that match ie Fax V Batley and the attendance was clearly manipulated.

Re franchising I am coming round to thinking the only way we will get to where I want us to be is to push our crowds up to around the 4k mark.(legitametly of course).

Now next season with the loss of Toulouse the only viable option for the Championship clubs is one league or for us to keep the current format but increase the number of times teams play each other. Nine home league games a season is clearly not an option in my view.