I think for those specific games, it was more down to poor tactics from the coaching staff of the respective Championship teams.

The athleticism of Championship players is improving (I've seen Fax training, and it's intense) and although the full-time element is always going to have an influence, disregarding anything that's happening now, the gap between the two leagues is (IMO) definitely closing.

If it's a choice between becoming a feeder club and dying, I bet they'd change their minds pretty quickly, less cut their nose off to spite their face.

I don't think anyone is saying it's a huge gap. In fact there could be virtually no difference whatsoever and I'd say the same thing. Even if all the clubs in that group of 19 were financially viable, the sport, at this point, can't support that many top flight teams. So pick the best ones, and let them prosper, instead of constantly dragging down the majority for the sake of a few.

As for franchisi being a failure - it's supposed to be in place for 20 years, 50 years etc etc whoever told you that franchising would totally fix all the problems immediately was wrong, it takes time to wash out the bad eggs, punish them accordingly (even to the point of someone else stepping in if it's too bad) and let the years of stability start to work. Honestly with the amount I read about "franchising not working" you'd of thought it had been in place for 20 years.

So instead of funding 14 teams without being able to fully secure their finances, we should instead fund 20 so that 5 "might be able to bridge the gap"?

Though I agree, it's in place, so let's see how it goes, I honestly don't care about the structure any more, I just want someone to pick one and say this is what we're running with for the next 25 years

Both! For different reasons. As I say, that's what sport is about, and the dummy from Grix to score the try to keep us in the Championship, or the drop goal from Blacky to win the GF is another.

The dropped ball from Blacky on another day, which may have meant that Widnes wouldn't even have had the chance to get into SL is another matter.

These are all memories that stick in our minds!

EXACTLY, but this structure won't bring that. If my team got into the bottom 4 and ended up in the split, i wouldn't be "devastated" as i know they will be back up next year. We could go on to win the "second tier" and i honestly wouldn't really care as the setup is so lopsided to be in the relegated 4 teams favour. They won't be an open bus parade that's for sure. I genuinely would have to consider whether i would pay on the gate for several weeks, plus a semi and GF (if thats what you want to call it) as i simply cannot afford it. God knows how a family of four will cope.

That financial hit of playing in front of small crowds but still having to operate the full time wage will hurt the next season. So we then get relegated again for several games to be promoted again and so on...

If Fax finished top of the table, a team full of part timers take on full timers. Only one winner. Fax then go back down to come up again, to get hammered by the full timers etc.

If it was a simple 1 up 1 down and my team was relegated, i would be devastated (which every fan should feel in sport at sometime) i would certainly buy an ST for the championship season and if my team got back up i would be over joyed. Yes we may come down again, but the difference is we have a full season playing as full timers against full timers. So we have a chance of survival.

You totally underestimate the passion and commitment from the people running the Championship clubs. Have a look on the Fax website or youtube and you'll see what I mean. These people have lived and breathed the club all their lives, and if you cut through them they'd be like a stick of rock but in blue 'n' white!

I've followed Fax through thick and thin for 40 years, but I have nothing on the individuals that are the bedrock of the club!

For me, I would follow Fax whatever league they play in.

Everyone is assuming that it will be lop-sided, but don't forget, the top teams in the Championship in 2014 will be getting more funding for 2015, which will close the gap...

...plus the Bulls may well be starting 2015 in the Championship anyway...

That is a massive claim

And that's fair enough, working with teams in an elite league doesn't take away any of that identity. And I don't for a second suppose a fax fan or a Leigh fan, or a Wakefield fan or whatever, if on the day the "elite clubs" (for lack of a better name) are announced you to pull on a rhinos shirt because you didn't make the cut. But there have to be some realities, and if you fail to make the cut, you look at those at the club who failed to argue convincingly enough, and have to wait it out (as many in the championship have at the moment) - personally, after Salford went into administration, the application process for there spot in super league goes up for grabs, they drop down and regroup, wait for Bradford to go bust and reapply. You might see some teams in and out in the first 5 years, and championship teams can hold onto that dream, but as time goes in, the clubs 10 15 years down the line fewer clubs go bankrupt, fewer opportunities to apply, other options need to be taken.

I'm the exact same with saints (although I haven't clocked 40 years ,., of life let alone rugby

)

Then they will be ' blown away ' , whats the problem?

I meant business plans that actually work

True, and on reflection probably not correct. But still close....

Sorry, I've read that several times, and you've lost me!

Maybe it was the London players trying harder in that game?! They actually had something to play for, for a change!!

Sheffield were poor tht day compared to how they had been performing in the championship.

Also didn't London fly Out Jamie Soward the week before?!

I forget how London them got on in the next round vs SL opposition? Live on the bbc? Cricket score?

Some of you SL fans really do need to get a grip and support the sport as a whole rather than your obviously overgrown egos!

Why would we have to choose?

The overseas exempt signings by clubs at the expense of development and reserve sides throws that theory out immediately.

It's boring. Less fans go. Less money come in.

Trying to get back on track a little, the bottom of SL and the top of the Championship in 2014 is going to be far more exciting than previous years.

"Relegation" back on the agenda, and some meaningful funding as the prize for the respective comps means that this season will have more to play for than any for quite a while.

Anyone disagree?

Go easy on em lad,some of them have just had there comfort blankets took off them and they're feeling a little insecure now

Funnily enough in my original draft I wrote a section about RL fans being very price sensitive, and was going to use examples of the various discounts eg World cup, challenge cup etc thrown at fans to try to get them to attend matches that are perceived to be of a lower quality.

Such a culture that has been developed within RL, has lead to a situation in which its now expected that tickets will be given away or heavily discounted in lesser matches. I expect this will be the case for the second league of 8 matches. Why fork out £200+ for a season ticket when you know someone will be handing out freebies in schools and shopping centres, or offering a ticket to a match for a fiver on groupon.
Koukash alluded to this re Salfords season ticket sales or lack of in the Manchester Evening News, with the following comments "It should have been far greater and stronger. It’s no use expecting free tickets – those days have gone."

Consider how interesting it's going to be at Odsal next season. The Bulls regular season relevance has now been restored. How exciting is that? Best of luck in avoiding relegation BTW.

To all those moaning about clubs going bust, bad for development. Now is the time for clubs to be run as proper business'. Time for cloths to be cut accordingly. If they don't it it will only be the club bosses to blame no one else.

Same folk who spend lots of time on here having a go at others for having nothing positive to say about the game have suddenly got nothing positive to say about the game themselves.

It makes one wonder whether they must have hated the game of RL all along

Not if you've just spent 23 weeks having your arrises handed to you

Is that the fans of the 14 teams SL, the 12 team one or the eventual 8 team one

I actually think this is true in a much wider culture than just rugby league now, just look at the complaints and sulking when apple made the new iPhone "only" £100 cheaper. The only things we seem happy to pay full price for are things that seem limited.

This is of course, nothing more than mass psychology by the advertising industry, to make us go crazy when things appear a bargain (see the many Black Friday videos on a popular video sharing site)

For whatever reason, rugby league fans just don't think of things selling out, so tickets don't feel limited, so paying full price seems a rip off and it cycles. If Wigan and saints were season ticket only, do you think you'd see a (slight) increase season ticket sales?

Rugby league clubs need to be cleverer, instead of just trying to drop the price to compete with perception of value (something that it just won't win against) there needs to be more in the season ticket. If a season ticket contained access to meet the players and fans forums and exclusive content, teams would in the long run do better than just trying these silly season tickets for a 5er or whatever it is.

All in my opinion