Really?

Why?

The thing is, we all [iknow[/i that there aren't enough players of sufficient quality to go around, and we did a while back. One of the key reasons to expand SL to 14 teams in the first place was to try and increase the selection pool for the national side, so it's no surprise that we haven't instantly found another 30+ players of SL standard just kicking their heels in the NLs. The only additional thing that has now happened is that the supply of players from the NRL is drying up because SL is not the comparative payday it once was, and clubs/chairmen are getting scared.

So instead of bitching and moaning about the problem now that they can't rely upon Australians and Kiwis to make up for their own failures, clubs need to actually focus on the fundamental problem and work at actually attracting kids to the game and turning them into SL quality players. Yes, it's a lot easier to say than do, but that's at the heart of the problem IMO, too many are wanting the quickest and easiest solution rather than being willing to work at the best one.

In the long run, developing young players should be the cheapest/most efficient way to run a club, as well as hopefully making both SL and the national side more competitive. The clubs and we fans just need to realise this and be prepared to ride out some dips in quality in the short term along the way, and stick with it for a while if we want the end results.

There are some interesting ideas in this thread.

If the league and cup competitions remain as they are, I would personally prefer dropping down to 12 teams for many of the reasons already stated. As someone has already said, to keep the season the same length, introduce the bye (although the play offs would have to drop to six teams) so Sky get more or less the same amount of games per season to televise.

If there was to be a shakeup at Redhall, I 'd like to see a return to the team winning the most games in a regular season crowned champions. And the reintroduction of the Premiership trophy; it'd still be an end of season finale, there'd be the second knock out competition that some posters would like to see (three season trophies up for grabs) and those teams not in the championship run off would still have something to play for at the end of the season.

I don't mind the whole GF scenario but I think the system is flawed when it's possible for a team to just scrape into the play offs and possibly win the competition. The biggest accolade should be for the most conistent, therefore season long performance.

If it does change to 12 teams, I wouldn't be surprised to see three current teams go and introduce a second french team. It wouldn't necessarily be right, but it's the sort of thing the governing body would come up with.

If it's two team out then Broncos and Widnes at the moment.

However, it will never be Broncos so Widnes and Salford (rumours suggest that they're on the brink anyway).

As for the earlier comment about Rover's going instead of Tigers because have got a new ground; no they haven't, i'm led to believe that they're seriously struggling to get the finances for it. Wakey are far more advanced in their stadium development than the Tigers, even with all of the delays they've had.

If they survive, Bradford will still be in SL, it would be a bigger embarresment to SL to kick them out instead of just papering over the cracks.

Not worth arguing about but Widnes really? One secure club with a full youth set up building something for the future? Crowds ATM not great but also have potential.

Interesting one that.

Given the recent history i think London would have to go but i fear the RFL will continue to bankroll hat one just for the kudos of saying we got a foot hold in the capital, also i think the RFL should do a full assesment of the current SL bunch and add who ever comes up bottom of the pile when it comes to their financial status presently.

Also think the league should come down to 12 teams and the missed games taken up by serious international dates and the top 4 sides make up a small end of season comp versus top 4 in Oz which would then give us the SOO style contests we clearly and desperately need prior to the internationals and scrap the doomed to die exiles game as most of the GB team would usually come from the top 4 sides then they get to be involved in high intensity games versus the top 4 sides in Oz, the GB public and Oz public would get behind this, the clubs get the cash, sky get the biff on tv so viewing figures shoot up and they get their quota of games, AND it also gives all the teams in SL another incentive to get into the top 4 and not scrape into the 8

So you fear something that doesn't happen continuing to happen?

The RFL gave them a license in SL however what travelling finances do they offer to the rest of SL,
if the rest of SL fans from each club decided to travel to them in the same numbers their massive army of travelling support and the cash cow do to the rest of SL , they would be bankrupt in 6 months as they survive on one thing
travelling supporters!!!
as their own gates are shocking to say the least without our fans and anyone who has been to their home games will know all too well
The RFL continue to allow name changes, ground changes , underwhelming performance and have i believe supported them in the past
bank rolling IMO to even grant them a license, would SL be a worse place without them or even notice they had gone.....

FWIW I think if the heartlands of RL are suffering then look after your own and not anymore do we continue to look outwards, its time they looked inwards at the backbone of British RL grass roots clubs .......
Spend time and money investing in community development at the West hulls, Heworths, Thatto heath, crossfields, st pats and such clubs in the UK and start all over again, help clubs like Batley, York and so on with investment but no more Londons or crusaders for now till austerity is a thing of the past and finances look brighter , support the flat cappers who go to doncaster and whitehaven etc week in week out and bring their teams forward instead of taking the SL backwards by spreading the jam too thin

I like jam.

you are clearly whom they thought of when they banned brothers from marrying their sisters

They survive because their owner pours money into them. You're kidding yourself if you think enough travelling fans pitch up to fund their club.


The RFL have never given them money. The RFL has no authority to stop a club changing it's name or ground. The decision to re-admit them after they went bust was made by the club chairmen. And SKY would notice they had gone.

The only money spent on London is the money they are due from the SKY package, so whether they are in SL or not is irrelevant to how much gets invested in the grass roots.

BTW - do you know how much that is? Or have you just assumed that it's not much?