It wouldn't be Restraint of Trade, because all the parties have agreed to be bound by the decision of the independant panel. It would be judicial review on the basis that the panel had "fettered its discretion", in that the outcome was pre-determined. The new terms that were posted on here the other week seemed very loose, and seemed to allow the panel just to do what it wanted.

Exactly what i meant to say

Many people seem to be of the opinion that this is nothing new for the RFL. I suspect they stepped in financially to keep celtic a going concern and quite a few people think they paid the wages of Noble,sharp and Harris.

here here, a shame but surely we can not go down that line again, but they did it with Wales, moved to other side of country despite franchise rules stating clubs should not be moved more than 10 miles and they put in an RFL advisor in the shape of Steve Ferres, also I heard they are off to Milton Keynes, RL hot bed!

I believe it will be a case of [i"expansion at any cost". [/i
The RFL will do there utmost for both Harlequins & Crusaders because then we will be seen as a national game.
It will also help Sky sell there wares in the south and that will also keep the RFL happy.
We heartland clubs are expendable in todays world of TV & media rights.

professional RL started in 1934 in London, and still is struggling today, get rid now.

Here Here

For the sake of the governing body's integrity they need to seriously consider what they are doing and saying. In addition the non executive directors especially Maurice Watkins a Lawyer by trade and President of the British Association of Sport and Law needs to establish the legalities of their decisions as a legal challenge would surely be imminent by certain clubs if fairness and honesty isn’t applied to the franchise criteria. We are of an age of transparency and freedom of information and the RFL cannot afford any façade which would end in the embarrassing and costly saga of a court trial..

The franchise system seeks to improve the professionalism of the game – enhanced stadia, economically viable clubs, stronger crowds and playing standards on the pitch but all this would be tarnished if the owners are corrupt. The Franchise system is sound in principal but it needs to also work alongside promotion and relegation. Help our Championship sides get up to the required standard and any who are champions have earned their right to move up.

Expansion is being used as a word that is divine by the RFL as if it is the advancement that will make our game great. Again ok in principal but not utilised correctly. Work from the heartlands out towards Newcastle and down towards the midlands as an example. When neighbouring counties play the game it is easier to learn and play against School teams and amateur clubs etc to gain the love for the game. We want to get to London, we want the Welsh and Scots too but walk before we can run. Make decisions with the head and not the heart which is down to wisdom!

Sorry Quinns it would be great to have you but if you need to take time out of SL to become viable then that is how it’s got to be.

RFL be very careful at your next step, I would be worried for you if you do not get your next moves correct!!

This is quite expected news to be honest, there is only so much losses London RL can take, everyone bangs on about how we need Quins/A London Presence to survive... Do we? Would sponsor money / Sky money, just dwindle away because of a poorly supported club without a real identity. Why is the RFL so insistent on trying to hammer home the importance of London Rugby, I'm sure there are other areas of the country who the RFL could 'experiment' with. The London project has had decades, and it just hasn't worked, crowds are terrible the team is terrible, and the way the club is run is terrible. Whoever runs the marketing side of the club must either be paid peanuts or a monkey is knocking up ideas on how to promote matches. There may be more kids than ever playing the sport in the south, that doesn't mean people will be flocking to the stoop any time soon, especially whilst in the shadow of the Yawnion team, and the many high profile football clubs dotted around the area.

How much more time will the RFL try and flog this dead horse? Its time for something new. Fair enough try Milton Keynes or wherever, but it would be ridiculous to 'move' the club that far and still expect a franchise. This could prove to be an interesting move by London RL and the RFL, how badly are the heartlands going to get shafted by your next move kind sirs?

P.S. I expect the likes of Whitehaven will receive the same financial help that may or may not be offered to Quins should such help be needed

Good post, I agree in entirety.

Me too; very well put.

Never trust a Policeman

They wont be relegated or allowed to fail. The cynic in me sees this situation as something that saves our or Wakeys Superleague franchise, with the announcement beginning something like ' due to the current financial situation blah blah blah'. On the down side I can see Widnes being shafted again.

this idiotic franchise system needs scrapping and the whole of the RFL need frontal lobotomies, there must be a cure for this madness

A very humble and sensible comment

No chance of Widnes not being allowed in IMO. I can see the league being increased to 15 to allow Widnes to come in and prevent a revolt if Wakey/Cas were to be kicked out whilst harlequins or whatever they will be called being given financial support.

To me if Sky are so intent on having a London presence (as we keep being told), the simple think is tell them they need to stump up the extra cash per season so that the league of 15 get the same per club as currently is the case for the 14 teams.

And rightly so, 1 will go and Quins will survive with a little help.

WE still need to be fully concentrated on delivering Newmarket. There is nothing stopping the RFL from kicking us and Quins out.

I cant see 15 teams in s/l cos that s up the idiotic february magic weekend

what a mess they have created

Absolutely. A non SL club is never going to be able to match up to the same criteria as the SL clubs until they are in the same league, so its right that you assess them on separate criteria with a view to what they expect to do in their first 3 year franchise.

FWIW, I don't see the inclusion of Widnes as a gamble, well run club in a RL hotbed area, decent facilities and will easily get more average crowd then Harlequins, Crusaders and Salford.

The point here is as a number have already said, the RFL have backed themselves into a corner with Harlequins plight, because there is no way a fair and transparent processcould come out with a decision that Harlequins should remain in over either Wakey and Cas (if you apply all criteria and not just stadium and expansion related ones). Will be interesting to see how they get out of this one

The issue won't arise regarding going up to 15 until 2012 season, so in theory they could scrap the magc weekend altogether or come up with a way around the issue by then. I suspect the magic weekend concept will be reviewed again after the 2011 event based on the attendances anyway

Widnes deserve the Franchise IMO.

Imo the can't get out of it and they will chuck someone out, they can't do anything else, backed themselves into a corner and that will cost someone a Franchise, it will get very messy but it will happen.

Well heres the solution, promote widnes to a 15 team superleague. have the magic weekend with the champions (thatll be Cas obviously

) rested that week in build up to the wcc game.

Or just chuck it all in and go back to p&r

Its interesting that this topic is being discussed on the Wakey site given it would appear you are one of the clubs in dangers

I spoke to David Hughes after the Quins v Hull game-During the previous week he had held a meeting with Woods from the RFL about the RFL assisting Quins - not providing finacial baccking/support. At the moment Hughes is the 35% owner of the club with Lennegan at Wigan holding the remaining shares(majority)- One of the things he was asking the RFL to assist him with was the sourcing of a backer to buy into the club-ie take over IL shares
I asked him if we were buying any players- His response and this is not fabricated, was not at the moment but there is a belief some players will fall out of the Wakey and cas trees as they are in dire straights financially-followed by, as are Salford(I know they have just spent heavilly) and the Crusaders-he mentioned that all those clubs had been in talks with the RFL!!

Having said all of that he said he will not continue to put in the levels of money he currently is

And just how would he come by that information, if clubs have spoken to the RFL then surely that informations behind closed doors or did they just happen to mention it to Mr Hughes.

Any ideas?

Its being discussed all over the joint if you care to look. The hard facts are . the rfl will do anything for expansion clubs and the rest can go to hell.
The tennis loving freak that is in charge must be removed and Rugby League people put in place before he kills the game completely.
Are they helping Whitehaven ?????? Are they

Its a disgrace and the quins should be made to survive on their own like the rest (crus excepted but thats another disgrace )