I said people wanting Fev in over Toronto.

He was doing it for the love of the sport, as quoted many times. I said it was mis managed (by Argyle)

10,000 new fans in Toronto at games. Championship games as well. Mass upset in Toronto about the situation from Toronto residents. But yeah they haven’t widened the appeal.

I haven’t brushed anything under the carpet. They were mis managed, I even said they ran before they could walk.

Salford have been deducted 6pts for financial mis management. Hull KR have dropped out the league. Catalans refusing to relocate. Saints refusing to travel. Yet what is all this met with? Barely a slap on the wrists.

Yes. I’d have Wakefield thrown out on their heels. How many years have they been promising a new stadium? How many years have they been borderline laughable? Cas had a mini revival but have gone down the pan too. The same applies to them. Embarrassing stadiums and offer next to nothing to the sport. So yes if it came down to it I’d have rid of those perpetual under performers, over promisers and under deliverers and bring in those who offer promise and growth. Other than a nice stadium, a good coach and a few odd surprises (making 2 finals), I struggle to see what Salford offer. You won’t find me calling for Leeds, Catalans or Hull to go and to suggest so is a bit silly.

In short, get rid of these clubs who are happy being mediocre and never do anything to grow themselves or the sport. They’re the problem.

The other massive issue I have is how these clubs even had a vote. It’s a bit rich them voting down Toronto when they’re so bloody poor themselves. This sport will never grow outside the M62 unless we are ruthless and demand high standards of performance, facilities and financial growth from our clubs. Standards that the likes of us, Saints, Leeds*, Warrington and Hull* consistently deliver. The RFL bizarrely drove down standards to give clubs like Wakey, Cas, KR and Salford a chance. Where has that got us? Nowhere.

Rid the RFL of its inept leaders. Rid SL of Elstone and bring in people who actually have a bit about them and want to grow our sport.

I honestly wished I liked football or RU. If I did, RL would be nothing more than an after thought to me. And if I (and many others) feel that way, why should anyone who is nothing more than a passive fan care one jot?

Edit: just to add, I’m not having a go at you. You have an opinion and I do, it just so happens they’re on the opposite ends of the scale. I’m really frustrated at how backward thinking we are as a sport whilst pretending we’re forward thinkers and innovative.

As a fully professional sport I believe we are on borrowed time. That was before the pandemic.

Time some stopped living in a world of make belief and faced the reality about the strength of Rugby League in our country and indeed France since Rugby Union became fully professional in 1995.

The game needs to consolidate by forming bigger and stronger clubs in its own backyard of Europe before you can even consider new clubs in other continents!

to be fair I think club rugby in this country is close to popping with the debts run up

You've made a sensible post using your troll account mate

Exactly, and those who think that the game would ever kick off in Canada and the USA should ask themselves this question, what happens if it fails,

Another embarrassment for the RFL

You may class me as a troll, but at least, I live in a world of reality and not fantasy like some of here who cannot see the woods for the trees where the game today is concerned, especially with the rival code of Union getting all the limelight now.

Time they faced the fact that there is every possibility that the game with it's lack of finance and media coverage could end up back as a part time professional game like it was prior to Wigan becoming fully professional and the emergence of Super League.

If Sky pull the plug, like they have with Speedway and other minor sports, our game has got real problems and pipe dreams like having clubs in Canada and the USA are not going to solve it.

I had high hopes for Toronto, was looking forward to making the trip back in April (seeing my team play in Canada, take in Niagra Falls.... yes please), obviously it wasn't meant to be. I have had a feeling that our sport has been in a downward spiral for quite a few years now. Like you I felt SKY could pull the plug and the sport would be properly screwed, however SKY have seemed less and less interested in SL as each season passes.

I really thought that having Toronto in the competition (assumed they had sound financial backing) would have added something new to the SL, their crowds looked amazing on TV for Championship matches, a real buzz not seen since the early 2000's.
I thought SKY would latch onto this new interest which would reduce the risk of them 'pulling the plug'.

I've seen that SL clubs have voted for 12 clubs again next season. I bet SKY are rubbing their hands with excitement at the thought of Featherstone Rovers entering the competition.

Doomed.

I’ve slept on it and come up with the following;

If we are to expand in America it can’t be just an RFL thing, it has to be a joint enterprise between RFL, NRL and the IRFL (who ultimately should have the responsibility). Pump money in to the league (which has been up and running for nearly 20yrs), attract investors and innovators such as Perez. Sign players from Australia/England/France whilst also creating youth pathways for Americans. It’s a slow, methodical and lethargic process which ultimately could take 15-25years but that’s the only way we’ll get anywhere close to making ground in the USA.

I’ve been lamenting Toronto’s expulsion but I also said that it was not a long term option, that the ultimate aim has to be a pro American League. There’s already teams in Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Boston, Orlando, Washington, Los Angeles and Cleveland (or so I recall). Build on that, invest in it. That’s the only way we can sustain a professional league. The standard won’t be great and our top amateur teams would give them a hiding (I went over in 2011 and we hammered Jacksonville by 40 odd) but it would eventually come good.

Otherwise it’s pointless. SL can’t sustain long term a transatlantic side, never mind 2/3.

thought the league went bust last year in America?

If you were a supporter of Featherstone Rovers who were runners up to Toronto Wolfpack in the last played Championship Play Off Final of 2019 and the club were not promoted to the Super League, I don't you would be very happy about it.

As members of the Rugby Football League, they have as much right as any club including Wigan to be in the Super League.

they dont as the RFL and SL are seperate

if i were the Wolfpack owners I'd be fuming and on the phone to the lawyers asap. Any ideas if they have threatened legal action yet?