i think at the minute we all need to accept that this franchise system has literally nothing to do with on feild success and could bank on Widnes still getting to Super league even if they hadnt won the Rail Cup last year.

on feild success doesnt matter anymore.

so i commend the Vikings on not putting so much into on feild success as they know they have no need for it.

everyone knows there getting the franchise. i think we should all move on from the subject.

the constant topics about the franchise system on the fax bored and other places is needless for what is a forgone conclusion.

rant over

Yes you are a Troll slagging off Widnes.It is about the big picture you idiot. Your team has spent on the first team only, but Widnes have done what the RFL have said you muppet.Where is Barrows youth set up and stadium?How much profit have you made?Your average gates?Say no more you troll.

I have a great deal of ambivalence towards this whole issue.

The title "widnes are cheats" etc implies wrong doing etc etc blah blah blah!

Now, Widnes not being one of my fav teams, got a shafting on Sunday and I kind of gained a little associative satisfaction out of that. But by 5pm SUnday my thoughts were back on thursday night!

Widnes have played the rules set down by Red Hall. We can protest, argue, spit, spat, pizz and moan about Widnes all we want - they didn't set the rules. Red Hall did - and Widnes have played the route well!! I don't understand the animosity towards the club.

Widnes will remain a team I always want to see beaten, and Barrow did that so well on Sunday. (My resentment goes back to too many tonkings at NP in the 70's)!
But I can't see how it's their fault the RFL set the way our game is going!

I have absolutely no confidence in Lewis or Woods whatsoever or faith in them to deliver growth, hope and faith in the future for our sport.

Great post their we all have sides we don't like and hope get smashed etc, but when they do well to cone out and label them cheats is plain ignorance tbh!

As you say Widnes just playing the game, I think a lot of clubs expected Widnes to kick up a fuss and put the RFL to rights being the big name in the league but we have decided to look after number one purely and simply and I think some may resent that!

Problem with sone Raiders fans is rather than think wow how good have are past few swains been IRS amazing! They have jumped straight at Widnes throats as if thinking we are the reasonthey are nit in SL from winning the league last year

i would not worry we will just look after ourselves i know were you are coming from not saying everyones clubs are moaning but we have got everything in place so hopefully we will be up there in 2012. no doubt i will get reaction from other clubs fans know about this.

You're about two years too late Gary....
It's the taking part that counts... just like Fax last year.

It is, but if you want your club to get out of this league, that isn’t enough anymore. You need to prove that you are equipped to be able to cope with Super League. That means financial backing, Sponsorship, Stadia and facilities, fan base, youth development and the whole gamut of infrastructure. The days of just ploughing everything into the first team, in order to gain promotion, and then struggling to hack it in SL before ignominious demotion, are over.

Licences are for 3 years and that would spell complete disaster for a club that doesn’t possess the much needed infrastructure and financial backing. Relegation was a safety net for such clubs, and allowed them to rebuild. Barrow would struggle if given a SL licence and would remain a ‘Grade C’ club for the foreseeable future. Widnes would be a ‘Grade B’ club within the first season and looking to be a ‘Grade A’ club by the end of the following set of licences, which would of course require some success.

If Widnes hadn’t ‘won stuff’ they wouldn’t be allowed to put a bid in for the guaranteed Championship place and, as such, almost certainly not get a licence.

This is the way it is. It is not of our making, so you are wasting your time bitching about it on here. You won’t find too many people who like the licence system on here, even though it favours our team. I would scrap it this season and make next season P&R and let the team which wins the Grand Final go up, and continue this every year from now on.

We have won the NRC and been to 2 finals.You came 4th in the league, one place above us and you think your team is so great.Sorry but Fax and Fev are better than Wheelbarrow, and you will win nothing..Anyway with people like you spouting on here, i will stick 2 fingers up to you when we get the franchise.

At the end of the day there it's fairly certain you'll get SL. Surely you'd like to see yourselves winning things though. Your kidding yourselves if you think that's good a team you had out on the pitch Sunday.

Is anyone suprised by this reaction? Widnes, Leigh and even Fax having ticked a box as well haven't got too carried away as we know it's all about Franchising!

Yet Barrow come in buy the title (fair play) and now suddenly from them it's a disgarce and should be P&R and Widnes are a joke and

When your SL big get's laughed at why don't you ask Dezzy we he signed Henderson rather than improved the ground? Why did he keep all big names even though tick gone and not get a youth set up running?

Your club is the one's who need to go back to school, as you've made the step up and want to be one of the cool kids but what you've missed is you've had your fly undone the whole time!

We have seen us win things. We won the NRC last season. I agree that our overall performances have fallen short of the standards we would like but, in trying to blooding lot’s of youngsters (too many imo), we are trying to develop the youth structure required for SL. The club is looking at the bigger picture. We are lucky to be in a position to do this. The rest of the league are still going down the old pro route. There is nothing wrong with this, but it only improves one area of a licence application. It is certainly the best way to top the league but, if you want SL, you need to do more than that.

I would love us to win next seasons Grand Final, but it will have little relevance to how we will cope in SL, should we get there. The £300k cap effectively makes this comparison utterly meaningless. What will make the difference in SL is the ability to run at the full cap or, at least, very near to it.


Maybe not but it was good enough to beat you onWed 18th August

We have also had a season badly hit with injuries (the like of which I have never seen before and wouldn’t wish on any team), and a coach going through an unimaginable personal tragedy.

Pepe you are only as good as your last performance mate