I think that proves the point though. Cas have been successful in recent years, just had up seasons and down seasons. The continuity that franchise brings helps a team like that. (including us in that as well).
Although I see why P&R works well, it works better in a football environment where there are far more teams and a much more successful second tear.

Someone on the thread said there weren't that many yo-yo teams, which may be true, but there are teams that have gone up tried, failed and never come back.

I'd also say that the "heartlands" and the "traditional clubs" are not the same thing. The heartlands are where the core of the support will come from and the traditional area for Rugby league, but that doesn't include any/every club that is in that area.
Oldham is a good example. Great history, massive area, but no appetite for rugby any more by the looks of it.
Equally Halifax, Rochdale even Huddersfield are finding it hard. Although I completely disagree with mergers, but as the areas change, one club will rise as the others struggle. In our area, I hope we can sustain more teams but if not we need to make sure we are the one that rises.
That is why we do need to look outside the heartlands to build new areas.
If we could actually make London or Wales a rugby league area (or smaller areas of both clearly, it would be much better than say Featherstone being successful just because of the limitation of the area.

A combination of a return to P&R, a reduction in the number of teams in SL and the addition of another expansion project would create the perfect storm; the resultant weather forecast would be cloudy, with a chance of mergers.

Cake making and egg breaking spring to mind.

The one thin that the RFL must do, it to be clear about the plans and transparent in how they wish to acheive their nirvana.

I'd be delighted with PR if it's a no strings attached version,it should be automatic PR,no SL intervention where people can claim bias,straight up and down for me,much more exciting that way.

Agree with jinjer, i know AG is a fan of licensing, but sport is for the supporters not the business owners, they are just "a necessary evil" so to speak, along with governing bodies.
In it simplest form sport is played by sportsmen for the entertainment firstly of themselves then of those spectating.

All this, just because Bradford went tits up!

Add into the mix talk of giving London Broncos some sort of ring-fencing as regards to relegation as Ian Lanaghan has suggested and the circus is complete.

Well yes and no Kinley. Sport is exactly like that.....but if you want to be paid to play your sport, you need to run it like a (good) business otherwise you end up playing on the school pitch again.

I'm not sure there will be a London to ring-fence, I'm sure I read Hughes has already stated he's only going to underwrite them for another one or two years, and I'm not sure if anyone else will be prepared to cover the amount of losses the club makes (perhaps the RFL might, although I don't know how iconic the Stoop is when it comes to an RL stadium).

Yep and it is probable that if the league is cut to 12 teams, that they will be safe

I could see Toulouse replacing London as a possible scenario.

I'll be interested to see where all these extra SL quality French players are coming from to play for Toulose.

1. From the teams that get booted out of the new, even more super, Super League.

2. Aging Antipods.

The French speaking part of Australia

and now an Aussie team is considering applying for inclusion in SL www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... pplication

and now an Aussie team is considering applying for inclusion in SL www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... pplication

Quote ="PHe"and now an Aussie team is considering applying for inclusion in SL www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... pplication'" Its that daft, i can see the RFL going with this, should be good for the NRL club, jetting over every other week, what next a team from Outer Mongolia, the mind boggles

Quote ="PHe"and now an Aussie team is considering applying for inclusion in SL www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... pplication'" Its that daft, i can see the RFL going with this, should be good for the NRL club, jetting over every other week, what next a team from Outer Mongolia, the mind boggles

I can't wait to drop it to the wife,'going to the Wakey game this Sunday love,going Tuesday be home the fortnight later'. Boom!

your reading into it wrong, they are looking for a city in Britain to call it home

bit like a cuckoo

A bit like you, Cuckoo

Now you put it that way, its not a bad idea,lets hope they get in, get you cap and coat