Actually you got me wrong. The point of expansion is to bring a bigger audience and profile to RL and consequently more money into the game to the benefit of the whole sport. In other words to make RL's profile and income more like those of soccer. The game would already have more TV money than it does if the RFL had set SL up in the way they were supposed to in the first place rather than delivering the M62 league with a couple of add-ons they did deliver.

In any case it's a moot point. It's already been shown that an SL with most of its' clubs in the north isn't worth as much as a more widespread one would be. The game has to choose between continuing to be a regional sport with some outposts (with less media coverage and revenue than other sports, and always losing to Australia) and the expansion necessary to change that picture.

Oh yeah the RFL say so...are these the 1's who have shares in certain clubs........as the song goes....the RL is full of **** ,oh the RL is full of ****, full of ****, **** and more **** , oh the RL is full of ****.

Oh if you from wigan or somewhere you may not know this song

Well... unlucky...

Toulouse and Widnes to replace Salford and one of either Cas/Wakey. Id look to bring a side from Edinburgh into championship 1 in either 2010 or 2011.

Correct. But there crowds are improving, IIRC?



I don't get your point? You seem to be skating around the points I make by asking questions. If Widnes do not meet the criteria for performance to be initially considered for a license and Halifax do, then it is not such a small part of the criteria, is it?
If Widnes finish 5th in 2009 and 2010 and do not reach the NRC Final (which could happen), but Halifax win everything, then what happens?


Yes, they are pushing you on ground development. And no, they are not near you on crowd levels. But they are exceeding you on the pitch this year so far and did last year.

Your finances are clearly better since O'Connor took over, that I have no doubt. And I cannot comment on player development as I do not know much about either clubs respective set-ups.

And again, I will reiterate... Widnes are clearly the front runner, but Halifax are pushing them. Whether they will get on top of them is another question. You seem very insecure about this!

TFC which team do you support Leeds? or whoever...but if RFL pinpointed your club out would you still say ....well unlcky?
can you understand my point?

Soccer can afford to do it that way, it's already grown to the point where it can replace Middlesbrough, Newcastle and West Brom with Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Sheffield United without losing a step. Despite that, English soccer almost saw a breakawy of its' top clubs some years back before the Premiership was reduced to 20 teams. As a predominantly regional sport, RL is a lot more dependent on having certain teams in the top tier to justify its' TV contract.

I disagree. I think all sports teams should seek improved competition rather than blindly seeking to be at the top. You do play to win, yes. But being the top in a small competition is not much to brag about compared to being competitive in a much much larger competition.

Would you rather be in the top league of UK basketball or the second tier in football? Which one has better competition?

Wakefield...

We know whats needed to be done, so do Cas, if we fail then we only have ourselves to blame.

Admit it, you just made all that up didn't you?

If it wasn't for the RFL, your club would be in a lot worse off a position.

I agree.. if we fail to meet SL ground standards, we dont deserve to be there. I know myself what its like to goto the toliet at Cas games "a nightmare".
But what once theres 20 + teams with new gronds...what then?

Well said that man.

Oh and how do you work that 1 out??
If it wasnt for RFL we wouldnt have been relagated in the first place...Wigan and catalan come to mind..

So go on, work it out plz

You first got relegated in 2004. How was it the RFL's fault that you finished BOTTOM of the SL that year?

Go on, work it out please

Why should there only be criteria on grounds and nothing else?

You are clearly open to there being certain criteria in off-field matters, so why not others?

yeah then we came back up..then what..go on

Because your perfomances on field is all that should matter barring your ground is fit for people to attend to.

So it wasn't the RFL's fault you got relegated in the first place then was it?

As for the second time you got relegated, was it the RFL's fault that Wigan cheated the salary cap? And was it a guarantee that had they not, you wouldn't have finished in a relegation position? And did Castleford (and the other SL clubs for that matter) not know before the season began (or even more in advance than that!) that Catalans were immune from relegation?

It wasn't the RFL's fault. Stop trying to point blame for your club's failings.

Two conferences

And also it being big enough to attract decent crowds.
And also that your club can produce an adequate number of players.
And have decent financial streams in place to be solvent.

Im not tring to blame any1 as such...All i ask for is a fair competition and same rules for EVERBODY

I support Wakefield and want them to succeed, no matter what division or competition I want success for my club, If I was a basketball fan then I's want them to be the best, same with football ect.

Everyone wants their team to succeed, so comparing basketball and football is not really fair.

As a small town we do get good crowds...props the best supported team on a population v's average crowds ratio.
If we do get a new ground we would average 10,000 ( is that good anoth)
Cas as showing good at producing good English players.
And weve never had finanical difficuties

Yes you are. You blamed the RFL for Castleford getting relegated the first time. You said it here:



You are not asking for a fair competition at all. You just want Cas to be in the top league. You have proven that you will moan and blame someone even if P&R is here, so I don't even know why you think P&R would be 'fairer' in this instance.

Your only motive is to ensure your own club are competing at the top. Something you have accused other people's motives for franchising being.

Which harks back to, If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Only the clubs will be to blame if we are left out next time round. If Wakey are left out I will not be mad at the RFL (unless we are well on with the ground) but at the board.