I hope Blackpool get the same level of support.

so do I, I have total respect to even the amateur clubs that strive to survive as well

That brings up another point. By promoting the likes of Catalan, Crusaders and Quins, if clubs like Castleford and ourselves get demoted, where will that leave amateur rugby in the area? Without a Super League club, young kids are even less likely to take up the game around here. In the long run it could be a disaster for local clubs.

yes it will reduced the incoming talent,
the deduction in the age for the reserve or as it is now under 20s is a way of bringing the lower leagues standard up a level but its going to have no effect while we keep all imports taking their places,

at the end of the day money is the big factor and to put your body on the line like they do it's just not enough to justify playing, a vicious circle

But I don't get why we need a French team in our league? We need to reduce the imports to improve our own game, but we let in a French club (and even a Welsh) which then just cancels it out by relegating two English teams. The RL seem unsure as to do what's best for the game in our country or the rest of Europe so just do a bit of both!

if you consider the distance that the Aussies travel, Sky sports seem to think that they can simulate a similar a scenario by bring in a french team, this did which work for a few seasons, last season proved to be a problem and doesn't give the feeling of a french side same as the crusaders a welsh side, super league isn't big enough it should be extend to more teams so more income can be gained

My opinion is that the only way to expand is through a snowball effect. Let's build the game in South Yorkshire, then the Midlands, do the same going North, and to be honest, in Cumbria it's set up already and just needs re-igniting. You can't just pick random teams who are miles from anywhere and call it development. Crusaders realised that by moving within 30 miles of the heartland.

cumbria donny and sheffield, gateshead

if they are left to develope with merging are the ideal places to expand, the RFL seem to think that if they extend the distance that it will be bridged by other clubs, it expanding but not at a pace that will happen within a few years

The game has been around for over 100 years and is only popular on the 'M62 corridor', yet those running the game think they can expand it to the South of France within a 3 year franchise! I'm sorry but the passion and enthusiasm doesn't come in three years, it comes over a lifetime. If Sky ever pull out, Catalan will be gone within weeks, but the clubs up here will still be around. For the life in me I don't get why these clubs are not been supported in the same way. In any other industry, loyal customers are the ones you look after!

Catalans are at home being following better than us its their away support that lets them down, they bring no atmosphere

Their home support should be amazing, they have one team in the entire country, we have three in Wakefield

Even Sky must understand We (the fans) are the key component in all of this. Without us attending there is no clubs and no game to show. Sky like the RFL have to understand the fans make this game exist, not them.

If RL was going to become a national sport it would have done it decades ago, does that mean to say we bin it? Meddle with it to force it to evolve into something which it isn't?

No of course not! We love RL for what it is; a predominantly northern game, built upon a strong northern culture.
IMHO more people would be drawn to the game if we sell it "raw" and how it should be. A game that embraces the cultures it was born from; not run our northern heartland into the ground!

I honestly believe that if a strong basis of support from the clubs exists (to which to rumours elude) and if the facts act in unison (a mass petition or peaceful demonstration at MM??) Redhall will have to comply. Stop this mess right now, support ALL clubs, give all clubs a fair shot at P&R and move away from the "boxed off" brand of RL that is killing out heartland.

It's a European league so the French and Welsh are entitled to be in it.

Also, although it will be a while before we see the fruits, having a stronger French and Welsh team will indirectly increase the strength of the English team by having credible Northern hemisphere opposition in which to test themselves against.

I thought the idea of the Catalans team was to ensure that the support for the game in that part of the country could be reinforced and strengthened as opposed to building from scratch.
They don't seem to be doing too bad a job of it either. However the RFL are barmy if they believe that simply having one team playing in SL will do the trick. They will need three or maybe even four good teams before they can be released back into the wilds of their own domestic game to thrive. How can SL do this with a 14 team league when there are still calls being made to reduce the number of games in some quarters?!?!

Dont agree.

I dont believe a couple of games a year against credible Northern Hemisphere team will strenghten the English team.
The French national team hasnt moved forward at all since Catalans came into super league,indeed getting a 60 point drubbing from an average England team in June.
They cherry pick the Elite league for players and then add ten non French players to the squad.I really dont see how they are actually going to raise the standard of the French national team.
If you want credible opposition to test the English players against,there would be more value in having an origin type series.However,i still dont think an origin type series would improve our international prospects.
The English game is twenty years behind the Aussies and Kiwis and we wont close that gap until we invest more into the kids and get rid of average overseas players,who are hampering the development of our own youth.

I agree as a competition we need to rid ourselves of the average overseas players in our game. That’s why I’m disappointed with the Smith, Tony and Parker signings Wakefield have made this off season. IMO I don’t feel they will add much more (if anything) than their English counterparts.

I also agree by adding 10 imports to the Catalans side is also doing nothing for the French game, and neither is having just one team in SL. But as I said this is a long term objective and it’s unlikely we will see the fruits of the current process for a while, at the very least 10 years.

Rugby League has ignored the international scene for a while and is now suffering from it. That’s why Union and Cricket have a larger profile in addition to the fact they are establishment sports. A stronger international competition breeds interest amongst causal observers, and from that kids who hardly ever get exposed to the game suddenly take an interest, in theory increasing the player pool. The larger the pool of players the sport can pick from the chances of unearthing a real talent increases.

Like you say the creation of an ‘origin’ series in England did not work. The reason for it’s inception was to recreate the intensity the top Australian players experience in the SOO. It fell on it’s backside due to the very opposite of what it was designed to do. The games were a damp squib and were a non-event.

If a mini series involving Wales, France and England were to replace it and the result was not a forgone conclusion before hand, I feel it would go someway to creating the desired intensity the top European players need to give themselves a chance of competing against the Australians and Kiwi’s.

The animosity between the nations, particular the English-French and the Welsh-English, has the potential to generate the intensity of hating to lose you see when Queensland and NSW meet. With Yorkshire vs Lancashire, although far from friends, just didn’t replicate that.

Only a Wigan v Saints game can match an Origin or Oz v NZ .

Possibly a KR V FC game as well?

I guess their winding up order was tossed out btw? Not seen any mention but they certainly still operating regardless.

You really have no idea about rugby league and its history have you?

And to be fair and while RL in England was openly persecuted by the RFU it was never made illegal by a Nazi supporting government! I blame the Germans!

Ooh look, its the Patroniser.

Forgot was only today so this is a bit premature!

Quote ="J20"Forgot was only today so this is a bit premature!'" Quote Not Before 11.00am 7342 /2010 Art In Plaster 7345 /2010 1st Class Mixer Hire 7346 /2010 Milton Environmental Limited =#FF00007347 /2010 Celtic Crusaders Limited 7348 /2010 Leisure Time Consultants Limited 7349 /2010 L & P Chess Limited 7350 /2010 Ellis And Partners Limited 7354 /2010 Regent Properties ( Staffordshire) Limited 7355 /2010 Total Concept(Notts) Limited 7356 /2010 Nationwide Diamond Drilling Limited 7360 /2010 GLA (C&W) Limited 7361 /2010 Mcnamara Building Services Limited 7362 /2010 Wolf Construction Limited 7364 /2010 Scientio Limited 7365 /2010 Ibertek Limited 7370 /2010 Ocean Claim Management Limited 7371 /2010 Brand Management Solutions Ltd 7374 /2010 Melson Limited 7379 /2010 Otenford Limited 7380 /2010 Nati KN Limited 7381 /2010 Argyle Langham Rentals Limited 7382 /2010 Integrated Communication Solutions IT Limited 7384 /2010 Standen & Sons Limited 7385 /2010 Cambridge Rugby Football Club Limited 7386 /2010 Maitland Court Investments LLP 7388 /2010 Starting Off (Northampton) Limited 7391 /2010 Daxcrown Limited 7392 /2010 Freightnet (Handling) Limited 7393 /2010 Testwood Salmon Fisheries Limited 7396 /2010 Advance Intergrated Systems Plc 7397 /2010 RWL (Leeds) Limited 7399 /2010 Kwik Car Hire Limited 7400 /2010 Coverlook Limited 7401 /2010 Adrian Henry Accounting Consultants Limited 7402 /2010 Junction CDC Limited 7403 /2010 Shawton Engineering Limited 7404 /2010 U.K. Always Win Global Limited 7405 /2010 Argyle Managed Estates Limited 7406 /2010 Security Associates Ltd 7413 /2010 Natcar Cad Services Limited 7414 /2010 Precision Print Limited 7415 /2010 Fenced Inn Limited 7416 /2010 Pricedown Limited 7417 /2010 Arc Training Solutions Ltd 7418 /2010 Crystal Portraits Limited 7419 /2010 Mend-A-Bike Limited 7420 /2010 P J Couriers Limited 7421 /2010 GCG Fabrication Limited 7422 /2010 Capricorn Investments Limited 7423 /2010 Cropwell Interior Contracts Limited 7425 /2010 Wrightchoice Developments Limited 7440 /2010 Metro Demolition Limited 7441 /2010 Polepeople International Limited 7442 /2010 Frontier Ltd 7443 /2010 Roy Morgan International Limited 7445 /2010 M.C.E. Home Improvements Limited 7447 /2010 Logistical Building Services (Electrical) Limited 7448 /2010 Meldex International Plc 7449 /2010 Rockbourne Holdings Limited 7450 /2010 Lincolnshire Antique Fine Art Limited 7453 /2010 DI Installations Limited 7454 /2010 Multiple Care Agency Ltd 7455 /2010 Contrac International (GB) Limited '" Seems like it's the old company anyhow. www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/ ... inding.htm

Quote ="J20"Forgot was only today so this is a bit premature!'" Quote Not Before 11.00am 7342 /2010 Art In Plaster 7345 /2010 1st Class Mixer Hire 7346 /2010 Milton Environmental Limited =#FF00007347 /2010 Celtic Crusaders Limited 7348 /2010 Leisure Time Consultants Limited 7349 /2010 L & P Chess Limited 7350 /2010 Ellis And Partners Limited 7354 /2010 Regent Properties ( Staffordshire) Limited 7355 /2010 Total Concept(Notts) Limited 7356 /2010 Nationwide Diamond Drilling Limited 7360 /2010 GLA (C&W) Limited 7361 /2010 Mcnamara Building Services Limited 7362 /2010 Wolf Construction Limited 7364 /2010 Scientio Limited 7365 /2010 Ibertek Limited 7370 /2010 Ocean Claim Management Limited 7371 /2010 Brand Management Solutions Ltd 7374 /2010 Melson Limited 7379 /2010 Otenford Limited 7380 /2010 Nati KN Limited 7381 /2010 Argyle Langham Rentals Limited 7382 /2010 Integrated Communication Solutions IT Limited 7384 /2010 Standen & Sons Limited 7385 /2010 Cambridge Rugby Football Club Limited 7386 /2010 Maitland Court Investments LLP 7388 /2010 Starting Off (Northampton) Limited 7391 /2010 Daxcrown Limited 7392 /2010 Freightnet (Handling) Limited 7393 /2010 Testwood Salmon Fisheries Limited 7396 /2010 Advance Intergrated Systems Plc 7397 /2010 RWL (Leeds) Limited 7399 /2010 Kwik Car Hire Limited 7400 /2010 Coverlook Limited 7401 /2010 Adrian Henry Accounting Consultants Limited 7402 /2010 Junction CDC Limited 7403 /2010 Shawton Engineering Limited 7404 /2010 U.K. Always Win Global Limited 7405 /2010 Argyle Managed Estates Limited 7406 /2010 Security Associates Ltd 7413 /2010 Natcar Cad Services Limited 7414 /2010 Precision Print Limited 7415 /2010 Fenced Inn Limited 7416 /2010 Pricedown Limited 7417 /2010 Arc Training Solutions Ltd 7418 /2010 Crystal Portraits Limited 7419 /2010 Mend-A-Bike Limited 7420 /2010 P J Couriers Limited 7421 /2010 GCG Fabrication Limited 7422 /2010 Capricorn Investments Limited 7423 /2010 Cropwell Interior Contracts Limited 7425 /2010 Wrightchoice Developments Limited 7440 /2010 Metro Demolition Limited 7441 /2010 Polepeople International Limited 7442 /2010 Frontier Ltd 7443 /2010 Roy Morgan International Limited 7445 /2010 M.C.E. Home Improvements Limited 7447 /2010 Logistical Building Services (Electrical) Limited 7448 /2010 Meldex International Plc 7449 /2010 Rockbourne Holdings Limited 7450 /2010 Lincolnshire Antique Fine Art Limited 7453 /2010 DI Installations Limited 7454 /2010 Multiple Care Agency Ltd 7455 /2010 Contrac International (GB) Limited '" Seems like it's the old company anyhow. www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/ ... inding.htm

Winterstein signed another 2 year contract there, so has Lupton.