Fine if they are playing to the same rules , but they were not

We all need to be winning most weeks to attract new fans , we all need new fans

But guess what , for every winner there is a loser , at the moment it is Celtic and if as a result of that they get help from the RFL [ and the other SL clubs ] then fine

But if they were in our league playing with no salary cap and a bigger quota would the RFL be there helping whoever was at the bottom of NL1 [ Championship ] ?

Leave them where they are , the RFL and the SL clubs wanted them , let them deal with them and sort out their [RFL and the expansionist Owners like Hetherington ] problem

The game will die a much quicker death if they stick with teams in the heartlands instead of trying to expand and gain more media coverage etc. Give Celtic a few years before you judge them for instance Catalans who only averaged around 5,000 in there first season are a great success and are now averaging 9,000 which is much higher than many 'heartland' clubs. Although I want are game to expand I hope you and a Cumbrian team are admitted into Super League first and then try to expand. I believe you are certain to be admitted into Super League at the next round of licences and I hope you are but for the game to survive and grow in the future we need to expand also.

I know everyone goes about SKY loads, but surely SKY have the Welsh covered with there Rugby Union? (Saying that Magners league was Setanta wasn't it) be interesting to see how many newbies they got from area when franchise announced mind!

Be tempted to agree BUT!

Catz had strong league base anyway, already in franch league for decades, oh and they funded themselves (Cru should of been let in same way IMO).

Plus how old is Rugby League? How long have we been 'expansionist'? I'd say it lasted fine beofre... Expansion is good, but we have an RFL funded Welsh and London side, how does that help? They don't take away fans anywhere or even @ home games so where is the bonus to the game at current?

The Catalans are based in an area with a rich history of Rugby League. Kids play it in the park, people talk about it on the bus. It was already Rugby League country. Celtic are in an area with little or no Rugby League culture. That's the main difference for you, if Catalans folded up tomorrow someone would reform the club in a week. If Celtic folded tomorrow that would be it for them. You can't compare the two, Celtic are closer to PSG than to the Catalans. An experiment in an area with no strong interest in Rugby League, I'm not saying they're going to go the same way, but they'll need a lot of RFL help to stop them from doing so.

You are both right about Catalans being in a rugby league area but I was just wanting people to give Celtic more time the number of kids playing the game in south of Wales has already increased massively.
Good luck on sunday, hope you win so you can apply for a franchise and get in Super League next time round. Maybe at Celtic's expense if it doesn't work out but let's wait and see.

Seriously, logging on to this forum every night and seeing that tin pot club's name at the top of the post listings, when we've got our most important game since the 2007 Grand Final coming up in less than 5 days is starting to make me feel nauseous.

Stuff the Crusaders stuff Super Pooper Leage and stuff the franchise farce, we've got a cup final to talk about.

And what a day its going to be.

Mr Cullen must have a headache picking the team

Well said that man!


I was thinking the exact same.



[sizeBlackpool should be at the front of everyones mind![/size

From bad.... to worse.... news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 142408.stm

From bad.... to worse.... news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 142408.stm