along with 2 NRL players ! Gateshead Thunder have signed Cronulla Sharks winger Misi Taulapapa, who played for Samoa in the 2008 World Cup. The former New Zealand Warrior will be joined at the Co-operative Championship club next season by his Cronulla team-mate Bryan Norrie and 20-year-old Leeds half-back Gareth Moore. Thunder coach Steve McCormack said: "All three have excellent pedigrees. This is excellent news for the club and for rugby league in the north-east. "It shows that top quality players want to come to the club and the area." taken from www.sportinglife.com

along with 2 NRL players ! Gateshead Thunder have signed Cronulla Sharks winger Misi Taulapapa, who played for Samoa in the 2008 World Cup. The former New Zealand Warrior will be joined at the Co-operative Championship club next season by his Cronulla team-mate Bryan Norrie and 20-year-old Leeds half-back Gareth Moore. Thunder coach Steve McCormack said: "All three have excellent pedigrees. This is excellent news for the club and for rugby league in the north-east. "It shows that top quality players want to come to the club and the area." taken from www.sportinglife.com

It shows that you don't need fans to pay players!! What a joke the salary cap is based on income!! What income do they have?????

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.