Having read that piece in The Yorkshire Post this morning I do feel that at last we have some cause for optimism. I'm really impressed with Myler although when he was appointed I was pretty aghast I have to say.

The fact is whether he is the new owners future son in law or not, its obvious that the new head of the club was influential in Richie's arrival which was, I guess, a massive gamble and that he has been putting money into the club or at least committing it to our projected future budgets since Myler's arrival.

The very fact that family or not Thirkill as a business man needs to be surrounded in his business empire by top managers of people, he obviously recognised the qualities and potential that they need to embrace and his choice of Myler has to be commended. Myler brings all that and our new owner had faith in what he could do. Insisting I'm told that Richies appointment was instrumental in his investing in the team, since then so well has Myler gone that Thirkell has now decided to buy the club.

As a new boy and no doubt in the eyes of some players and agents as 'an upstart' he is very good at selling the dream. I spoke to Asiata in a cafe in Beverley a few weeks back and its obvious that to prize him away from Leigh and Beaumont, Myler had to sell 'dream' and Asiata leading it and to me it was obvious that he had done just that. (Incidentally I also spoke to KR's new enforcer in Marks Cafe in Beverley the other day and he was very complimentary about our new coach too). For Asiata to be one of his first signings was mega really at least it was for a guy who had'nt ever been in an administrative role at a club before. I know too that Adam, after having reservations has been extremely impressed with Richie from day one. I feel that we have a real gem here and a massive discovery and as well as us all talking about the importance of getting Balmforth and Co signed up we also need to make sure that we hang onto Richie although all the vibes coming from him smack of a guy who is loving the position and the pressure.

I'm impressed with our new owner in waiting and with his prodigy, I'd like to hear a bit more form the other half of the ownership team but no doubt that will come, but fair do's this old timer who thinks he's seen it all and becoming cynical in the wake of it is really heartened by what I'm hearing and reading. Of course on the other side of things it also clarifies what a mess the club was in off the field and perhaps this change has come just in time to save us.

(Bloody hell another diatribe ...Sorry I must get out more)

Regardless of the system I think the Championship needs to get rid of its playoffs, crowds for the final aren't huge anyway and we risk a team winning the league with ease and then losing the final. Having a final also reduces the time they can confirm recruitment for next season.

Under the above idea in theory a 6th placed GradeB Championship team with indifferent results could fluke a Grand Final win and replace an SL team who are a much higher standard on the field. And result would be the promoted team getting hammered next season while relegated team cruise to winning the Championship which is pointless for all.

A benefit of Myler being in the role is he has only just retired so his contact list is fresh. I think a key ingredient in a Director Of Rugby responsible for signings is having a good contact book and that gets harder to maintain over time. Some signings in the game seem to come quickly from rumours a player is unhappy more a club want rid to free up salary cap space. I bet a lot of informal business is done with calls, messages and rumours.

Like most on here I was fairly stunned when Myler's appointment was announced earlier this year, a real bolt out of the blue to say the least. I also get the impression it raised a few eyebrows across the wider game as a whole.

But I think most of us would agree he has carried himself well since arriving at the club and he increasingly looks like he has a clear idea of where the club needs to go and, more importantly, he has a clear idea of how we go about redressing the numerous problems that have bedevilled us over the recent past.

I have said before that I do feel his hands were unquestionably tied when it came to player recruitment for next year. Trying to 'sell' Hull Fc to prospective incoming players must have been incredibly difficult during 2024, and I feel we have a squad which has been specifically designed for a purpose, namely to stop the boat from listing badly in choppy waters. I feel the aim is to show that we have stopped sliding backwards and we are once more a club moving in a positive direction which, hopefully, will make recruiting higher quality players a more viable possibility as Richie will be able to sell the club with a good deal more evidence of where we are heading than he was almost certainly able to do this year.

It goes without saying that there is still an awful lot of hard work to be done, both on and off the field, before we start to challenge for honours again, but maybe, after all our initial reservations, Myler's appointment may prove to be an inspired moment that altered the course of where we were going (nowhere essentially!). Sometimes with successful clubs it's not always the obvious signings which ultimately make the biggest difference but the ones whose true worth only becomes apparent further down the line, and maybe that will prove to be the case with Richie.

Only time will tell whether this is when Hull Fc woke up again and started the fightback to where we should be, or whether it is merely the latest in long line of false dawns. But reading this board over the past couple of weeks it is clear that there is a renewed sense of optimism, energy and enthusiasm for the club, and the way Myler has conducted himself of late has undoubtedly contributed to that feeling. On arriving earlier this year he promised to reconnect the club to its fan base and I would say he is beginning to fulfil on that promise, let's hope he continues in this regard.

I'm still not expecting a gigantic leap upwards over the next twelve months, and still believe 2025 may be another hard watch, but I do believe we are once more moving the right direction and, like most of us on here, I am way more positive and optimistic about the club than I was even two months ago, so thank the lord for that!!

Keep the faith, as always
(And that's my long-winded diatribe done for today, as one of Wilf's long time disciples )

Think I mentioned in a post yesterday that I reckon the proposal will be rejected precisely on the grounds that you outline above. There would be a risk that a club like Doncaster, say, could replace someone like Salford or Huddersfield (or even Hull Fc!!!) which ultimately only weakens the competition as a whole if the promoted side are palpably incapable of competing at even a basic level.

I don't see this proposal getting through, but then it is rugby league we are talking about here so you can never be too sure in situations like these!!

I think the author of this proposal (Batley) would say that the SL would have to be in last position to be relegated.

Agree with this.
No one is going to make a substantial investment in any business and then place an incompetent person in a vital role, irrespective of any family connections.
In fact, there are any number of middle-aged blokes who tend to have a dim view of their prospective son-in-law so it doesn't naturally follow family connections lead to better job prospects!!
The evidence is that Thirkill believes that Myler is the right man for the job ahead. Let's hope this proves to be the inspired appointment I hinted at above.

So in theory, should there be only one Grade B side in SL and they finish top, go the full season undefeated and win the treble they would still be relegated? Yeah i can't see that proposal going far.

Why is RL in a position where a club the size of Batley can table something like this? Why don't the rfl have control over the structure of the competitions?

Because this is the RFL we are talking about

It should either be any team that finishes top in the Championship gets promotion (should they meet the criteria and grading) and the team that finishes bottom of SL gets relegated whether A or B grade, they simply allow 2 up next year and expand the league.

Riddled in self interest Indeed!!!

Absolute lunacy just step back a moment out of the parochial world of British RL and you have to ask don't the clubs and the RL realise that the whole of the sports world is laughing at us, the current IMG regulations are bad enough but at least making clubs like Cas., Leigh and Wakey get their houses sorted out, but when it comes down to the number of Pixels on a screen deciding a clubs fate and even perhaps the difference between relegation and promotion, it buggers belief. Some would say you would say that, but everyone agrees outside the game when you explain it that it's just stupid and just shows us up. A recommendation yes, but basing points on it is ridiculous.

Now we have not even started the first season under the new regime and we have a massive change being suggested, based totally on self interest, from a club with a great heritage who I have always followed and admired and who have some dedicated supporters but that should on the present parameters never get in Super League (a harsh statement I agree but one I feel is justified). I'm sure Rochdale, Cornwall and Goole will be all for the change.

Now, Whilst all this tom foolery is going on the clubs are called in for another emergency meeting (almost an annual occasion these days) to bail out Salford (Again) who are in danger of going under next month and are relying on an advertising board on the M60 to save them. Whilst all the while observers from other sports look at the gates at Salford and Huddersfield and scratch their heads as to why they are Grade A clubs. As I say we are a bloody laughing stock.

P.S. Dan at the Mail is back from holidays tomorrow just in time for the fixtures being announced.

Salford and Huddersfield are GradeB, Salford were in fact not far off being demoted, so while I still have my concerns over the IMG system, they have been marked down for crowds and income so the scores have worked in that respect.

The problem for the league is the dwindling TV deal, costs are going up and up due to inflation but SKY get more and more content for less. I've said it before and I say it again this league could go part time within the decade.

Toulouse must be feeling slightly aggrieved, 0.39 points off Salford and their financial issues only come to light post IMG gradings

Salford are a shambles. I feel sorry for the fans and players but how the hell do you suddenly realise you need £1/2 m quid? It's down to really poor management of the club.

Haven't the council just bought the ground? Maybe they're trying to leverage something from them?