Quote: markrammond "However, I believe he is genuinely in negotiations for a fourth scenario which would give our club one last chance,
I believe he is going to insist that the club’s participation in Super League is reliant upon the club being again allowed to sign additional quota players as the club remains geographically isolated from the M62 corridor player market. This special allowance already exists for Catalans. It should never have been removed for London whose isolation remains from the main marketplace and whose decline perfectly correlates with the reduction in quota players. It is at least a decade since a top UK player has joined London. Thus the club is compelled to field a relatively inexperienced London trained squad but also many untried and untested players rather than the same guys who circulate throughout Yorkshire and Lancashire on loans, dual registrations and other transfers.
An agreement could be brokered which means that the club must have the same number of home grown players as the rest but has no requirement to have further federation trained players who in the main neither want to join nor stay beyond the initial contract.
There is little point in the club pursuing those with the same ancestral lifestyle they and their parents have had for generations but who will never move beyond the limitations of their background. Of course, the club would accept decent quality players of course. But realistically this would allow the club to identify talent who are at least of a full time standard and who would be attracted to a good few years in London.
Whilst this would not guarantee avoidance of relegation it would be something we do not have now.
The final issue would be in removing the Sword of Damocles from above the club on the ground – we would need written confirmation that it would be acceptable to Super League now and in the future and no barrier to progress/remaining in Super League.
If the RFL cannot provide support on both, self-relegation seems the most prudent although unwanted option.
I am sure that like any majority the Northerners will band together to ensure the rules remain to benefit the status quo, so we will see if the RFL have any spine. Sadly I do not believe this is the case and my view is that the Hull KR game is the ‘Last March of the Ents’.'"
I can see three problems here:
(1) I suspect that even the more progressive thinking Northern club chairmen have had a basinful of us and our interminable crises and mismanagement and wouldn't weep any crocodile tears if we went under.
(2) Is the support base still there for yet another re-boot at yet another ground? It would appear that a fair wodge of even the long term support is now drifting away.
(3) As far as the quota exemption's concerned, I can see the Border Agency asking why, after 33 years of existence, do we need one?
