No chance of Widnes not being allowed in IMO. I can see the league being increased to 15 to allow Widnes to come in and prevent a revolt if Wakey/Cas were to be kicked out whilst harlequins or whatever they will be called being given financial support.

To me if Sky are so intent on having a London presence (as we keep being told), the simple think is tell them they need to stump up the extra cash per season so that the league of 15 get the same per club as currently is the case for the 14 teams.

And rightly so, 1 will go and Quins will survive with a little help.

WE still need to be fully concentrated on delivering Newmarket. There is nothing stopping the RFL from kicking us and Quins out.

I cant see 15 teams in s/l cos that s up the idiotic february magic weekend

what a mess they have created

Absolutely. A non SL club is never going to be able to match up to the same criteria as the SL clubs until they are in the same league, so its right that you assess them on separate criteria with a view to what they expect to do in their first 3 year franchise.

FWIW, I don't see the inclusion of Widnes as a gamble, well run club in a RL hotbed area, decent facilities and will easily get more average crowd then Harlequins, Crusaders and Salford.

The point here is as a number have already said, the RFL have backed themselves into a corner with Harlequins plight, because there is no way a fair and transparent processcould come out with a decision that Harlequins should remain in over either Wakey and Cas (if you apply all criteria and not just stadium and expansion related ones). Will be interesting to see how they get out of this one

The issue won't arise regarding going up to 15 until 2012 season, so in theory they could scrap the magc weekend altogether or come up with a way around the issue by then. I suspect the magic weekend concept will be reviewed again after the 2011 event based on the attendances anyway

Widnes deserve the Franchise IMO.

Imo the can't get out of it and they will chuck someone out, they can't do anything else, backed themselves into a corner and that will cost someone a Franchise, it will get very messy but it will happen.

Well heres the solution, promote widnes to a 15 team superleague. have the magic weekend with the champions (thatll be Cas obviously

) rested that week in build up to the wcc game.

Or just chuck it all in and go back to p&r

Its interesting that this topic is being discussed on the Wakey site given it would appear you are one of the clubs in dangers

I spoke to David Hughes after the Quins v Hull game-During the previous week he had held a meeting with Woods from the RFL about the RFL assisting Quins - not providing finacial baccking/support. At the moment Hughes is the 35% owner of the club with Lennegan at Wigan holding the remaining shares(majority)- One of the things he was asking the RFL to assist him with was the sourcing of a backer to buy into the club-ie take over IL shares
I asked him if we were buying any players- His response and this is not fabricated, was not at the moment but there is a belief some players will fall out of the Wakey and cas trees as they are in dire straights financially-followed by, as are Salford(I know they have just spent heavilly) and the Crusaders-he mentioned that all those clubs had been in talks with the RFL!!

Having said all of that he said he will not continue to put in the levels of money he currently is

And just how would he come by that information, if clubs have spoken to the RFL then surely that informations behind closed doors or did they just happen to mention it to Mr Hughes.

Any ideas?

Its being discussed all over the joint if you care to look. The hard facts are . the rfl will do anything for expansion clubs and the rest can go to hell.
The tennis loving freak that is in charge must be removed and Rugby League people put in place before he kills the game completely.
Are they helping Whitehaven ?????? Are they

Its a disgrace and the quins should be made to survive on their own like the rest (crus excepted but thats another disgrace )

Dire straights financially? No idea, but not a season goes by without a rival supporter claiming such a thing.

I don't think its a secret that Trinity sail close to the wind financially, mainly due to not having a rich benefactor and a having small fan base.

Quins had the former, unfortunately he is now unwilling or unable to support the club in the manner he had been doing therefore reality is biting.