I suspect that the RFL want to swap Bradford for Wakey and then find a way of rigging the system so that SL then effectively become a closed shop. Although this looks the most likely scenario at the moment, Wakey seem to get written off every year only to finish up blowing a monumental raspberry at the pundits!

Once Wakey' Council get their act together, won't Wakey have a nicely updated modern venue? Why would the RFL prefer Bradford, especially given that the average attendances at both clubs have been going in opposite directions for the last 3 seasons at least. I think everyone thought Halifax would be saved by the RFL once upon a time, but they've been hung out to dry, as were Oldham and Worky'. I'm never sure what it is that tickles the fancy of those who run this sport, it seems to change more often than the rules (and that's saying summat!).

The RFL own the lease on Odsal (not the freehold, as some people think).

Do you work for ladbrokes? If not you should do........I have to back 54 winners and you only 1?

Halifax and Leigh lost.
No matter how plucky they were or how close they got, they lost.....Leigh were by far the #1 team in that division last year and London were the #1 worst team in SL....one of these sides lost to Leeds, the other recorded a victory.

As for last years SL sides,
London were an utter basket case and we were the surest bet since....well, see your odds above....to go down....and WE BEAT LEEDS.
Bradford were a financial mess......and after they were docked the points, were assured of championship footy as London.

Both London and Bradford will be as strong, if not stronger than Leigh this year......Leigh lost once all year last year. The comp is a 3 horse race......it will be enjoyable none the less, but it is really a race for 4th in terms of the other teams.

I guess you arnt as confident as you made out about Leigh, Bradford, and London winning all their games against part time opposition. The way you explained it you would expect it to be a no brainer right? Tenner to charity then?

Give me 54/1?

its for charity, you have made your prediction!!!! or you saying that it might not turn out that way?

Michael, are you offering me 54/1?

Gotnofax Not sure if you actually said that the full time teams would win all their games against the part timers, but you have suggested that the full timers will win 18 out of 23.
But in answer no not gonna offer you any odds bloke who suggested a bet was merely asking if you will stand by your predictions at the end of the season, obviously you are not that confident.
Back on thread tho, I still reckon 1 champ team will finish 3rd in super 8 s with another in 5th. The issue will be the next season and building a squad to sustain.
interesting yesterday someone suggested we will see the same effect that the harlequins rah rah boys saw with an increase in support in the lower league.

Why would anyone offer you 54-1?

You fully expect Leigh, Bradford and London to win all 54 games. You should take evens.

If you now want 54-1 against, you're saying that the odds of it happening are tiny and you'll only gamble on that basis.

So which is it: do you "fully expect" 54 wins or do you think 54-1 against that happening is reasonable? There's a monstrous gap in between!

Not sure where to begin with in that one but you are aware Leeds played half a side against London because of the Cup Final that day? No Sinfield, Peacock, Maguire, Burrow, Moon, Delaney, Leuluai, Jones-Buchanan etc. Plus, Leeds were away that day whereas they were at home to Leigh. Leeds beat London 54-6 at home, for the record, which presumably by your logic clearly proves that London were vastly inferior to Leigh (who went down by only 13 points at Leeds).

From the limited amount of times I saw London and Leigh last season, I would have lumped on Leigh, home or away, if they had met.

Mate non of us on here are under the illusion that the win against Leeds was down to anything else, it was however still a win. I agree with you that we probably would have struggled against Leigh last year. But it's London broncos, the squad we have this year is a country mile better than last season so cannot compare. In all honesty I think the season will rest on opening few weeks. Because Leigh were so dominant last season momentum and confidence was all in their favour. This season coming their will be some more competition so Leigh will not go through the season with what was it 1 loss.
Challenge cup is another dynamic as well don't forget.
We could turn out to be as poop as last year, but the championship will provide some entertaining games.

In reality last season on our bad days Leigh would have turned us over, on our good days nope, the home game against catalan where we pulled back 20 odd points in 10 mind showed we could perform

For what it's worth, Bradford for one, have a large squad and it seems that they are likely to rotate the players with the aim of keeping the best 17 fit and raring to go at the 'business end', aka 'middle eights'. If we assume that the bottom four in SL will have been busting a gut to [iavoid[/i being the bottom four and putting out their best side, even if not fully fit, it does seem a reasonable tactic.

Whether that is the [ibest[/i policy though, we'll have to see, but it does suggest that the sides picked for some of the pre 8s games [though probably not the games against Leigh and London] aren't all going to be necessarily the best 17 available. This does suggest that the semi pro sides won't have to face the whole of the Bulls 'top' side and they could be, to some extent, more vulnerable. That said, being full time is a pretty big advantage.