Just wondered how you lot feel about the situation

I personally think more than one club will go and it could be both of us (cas and wakey) to let toulouse and widnes in. just a thought , how much longer will the big clubs accept home games without away supporters ? as it stands there are 3 games out of thirteen that have no or very few away support, Catalan, quins and Crusaders, if toulouse get in then thats another slice of income lost for the rest of superleague. were not talking pennies either, if we (cas) take 2000 to leeds (usually more ), at 20 quid a ticket thats £40000 lost to the game , just in the name of expansion.

Approx £40000 quid it will cost you if toulouse get in and cas/wakey get the boot, can any club afford to chuck that away ??

come the revolution

Castleford are currently Super Leagues biggest disgrace.

The yo-yo team are favourites to miss out in my opinion.

The significance of the number of away supporters is considerably reduced for as long as Sky fund the game. More significant is a lack of home supporters. For this reason, I think Crusaders may well go. Cas may also go, albeit for different reasons. Nor would I rule out Catalans Dragons.

I thought the children would respond first and should have posted when they were in bed ................ my fault

Any adults like to comment ????

Why do you think Castleford supporters behaviour has helped their case?

Castleford are Super Leagues biggest disgrace at present. Fact.

Leeds may be making the short trip 'darnt Lanes for one of the last times on Friday.

P.S. Your dummy spit is very child like behaviour. Well done.

Wakefield to go I think.

That's twice now a supporter from a club supposedly under threat has come on here stating that Toulouse could be granted a franchise for 2012 to 2015.

I asked before and I'll ask again (as I didn't get an answer the last time) are Toulouse exempted from the on field qualification criteria? Unless they make this season's Championship Grand Final, which appears unlikely, will they even be able to apply?

I would be sad to see both Wakey and Cas go but if its for the right reason then so be it. Should we bring another french team into the comp then that will help with expansion. i can imagine in years to come have a separate league based in Europe.

As for low attendances, maybe you need to throw Huddersfield into that list, they bring less than most. I think looking at the teams on the cusp I would say Cas, Wakey and salford are on looking the likely candidates. I just think though Salford might get a stay of execution as they are very close to the centre of manchester thus a 'city' team. Cas and Wakey been more provincial have less of a case, plus the relative closeness of both teams. I wouldnt like to choose between them but I suppose Cas have it on better facilities in general and maybe a tad closer to a new stadium (altho I still dont understand why cas dont redevelop the side of their ground with the seating and tidy up the terraces then they would surely have a super league standard ground) whilst wakefield have a better track record in the league recently and they haven't got the 'fan issues' that cas have had to suffer in recent times.

Another note will be the fact yorkshire has more teams so expect a loss from this side of the pennines to balance the books. im still not confident on Widnes to gain a step into super league. I still wonder if Halifax or barrow have more of an edge.

Cas will go for Widnes and maybe Crusaders will go for Leigh but they have only said one club IIRC, so think it will be Cas for Widnes. The only thing that will change this is if Wakefield's community stadium plans don't go ahead and Cas's plans for Glasshoughton do go ahead... but Wakefield will be safe if they get planning in September and Yorkcourt start enabling works before Christmas.

I think the actual quote said "at least one club" though I might be wrong.

Toulouse have been invited to submit an application by the RFL, so they may be exempt, I will try and find the link but it was an official document that stated this

The sky money is there whether you have 1 away supporter or 100000 so the revenue from the away support is extra cash for the club, can any club afford to throw that away ?

Totally agree.

but Wakefield are only applying for outline in sept, something that cas already have, according to the wakey board , full planning will be submitted after outline planning has been granted, and a few of them are worried about that due to the so called nimbys and the highways sticking their oar in. guess we will have to wait and see

Do you know,I've thought long and hard about this one.Firstly,I have an intense dislike of Cas,I'll openly admit that.This goes back to my school days so I wont bore you with the details.
They have always played on the small town,punching above their weight excuse which to be quite honest gets more pathetic every time I hear it BUT for the more nostalgic traditionalist amongst us going d'arnt lane is an experience which most sports sorely lack these days but it is exactly that,nostalgia!
I almost feel sorry for the average glassblower but to progress and move forward the only way they can survive is to merge with Wakefield and have one community stadium in the Wakefiel MDC district.

One current Championship club is guaranteed a place in the 14 team SL (2012-2015) providing they tick all the relevant boxes.

The interesting thing that came out of the red button forum on the BBC yesterday was that that would still be the case even if all the current SL clubs can also tick all the boxes at the time of their assessment. A Championship team (should there be a suitable candidate) will be informed in March 2011 (I think they said) and the remaining 13 franchises allocated some months after. The team deemed the 14th best of the current SL will be the one to go in that scenario regardless.

Don't see how that can happen if all the right boxes are ticked.
I thought the idea of the franchise system was to tick all the right boxes?????

Do away with the Welsh folly.

That is what was said yesterday by John Ledger on behalf of the RFL.

1) SL is fixed for the next round of franchises at 14.
2) A suitable Championship side (if there is one) will be promoted.
3) An existing SL club will have to make way in that scenario.
4) That club will be the 14th best of the current SL even if they all make the criteria.

Of course the RFL are highly likely to have a safety net of multiple clubs struggling to meet their stadia deadlines having been warned of consequences in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

I agree re-stadia criteria but i don't get how a club could effectively meet all criteria set out and still lose a place the work and money invested to meet the criteria would mean f#ok all and be worthless!

is it possibole for various SL teams to be dropped? therefore going back to say a 12 team league for example?

at least 1 team will be dropped but SL will stay at 14 teams. Personally I think they should expand to 16 teams and a 30 game season, and include Widnes & Halifax in the new season, drop Trinity and bring Barrow in.

I am going to defend the RFL on this one! The point is, it is looking unlikely that every current SL club is going to tick all the boxes, BUT I suspect the RFL are trying to say to a hand full of SL clubs that enough is enough and at least one of you is going to go... no more, but yes we will get this sorted honest!

They are, IMO, giving them one last chance, if they all DID get things sorted in the next six months then great and I suspect the RFL would then maybe change it's mind, but I think they are talking a calculated risk knowing that at least one or more will not be able to and holding several candidates from NL1 back is unfair to them having got things sorted and worked hard, outside of SL, to get their house in order and tick all the boxes.

About time someone smelled the coffee, well said

the merger idea is the refuge of the feeble minded and will happen 1 week after you merge with bradford.
I have stated before , I would sooner watch Cas in the Yorkshire league than lose the club to a stupid idea such as the M word, and a few Wakey supporters I have spoken to feel the same about trinity.

Would you sooner have a home game against Cas, with all the rivalry that comes with it, or another meaningless fixture against Toulouse with no away supporters to take the out of, and get a bit back now and again.
Having rival supporters at the game is the essence of sport and makes the experience more enjoyable, It appears to me that the RFL dont want that rivalry but would prefer empty stadia as last week with the gallant 1122 at the crusaders game.
They are killing this sport