apologies for bringing up the franchise at this stage of the season but was reading somewhere that the winners of the northern rail cup would be eligble to apply for a super league licence in 2011.

i thought that anyone could apply for a licence wheather they have won any silverware or not.

could someone clear this matter up for me.

No doubt its subject to change, but you either have to have won the NRC or appeared in a Grand final to be able to apply.

more fax win or appear in, less chance of others being able to tick the boxes.

Correct but no doubt this will change by this time next year if say a certain French side aint in the running for cup still or not top 2 in league!

There's a new criteria to be launched next week by the RFL. It's called the Equatorial Infarction Rule. Basically, there's a one off bonus licence point for whoever in the league is nearest to the equator. It's a bit harsh on those clubs in the North but Doncaster are making noises that they'll pip Toulouse on that score

Would be more funny if it wasn't true! Hear Donny are trying to learn arabic in case the new criteria is based on ability to speak in a different tongue!

Thought the main criteria for next time was a Scottish accent

Geordie accent saying you wouldn't mind a gaff in that Scotland.

I have a sneaky feeling that the only way a team on the Championship will get a SL Licence is if they kick out one or 2 of current teams. Probably due to grounds not being completed

wakefield and salford out then

Celtic should be too, Castleford will be safe.

wakefield are circling the drain. So i reckon there will be one space up for grabs. Though it is a while away.

Lets just win the NRC and Grand Final this year first!!

was also talk of increasing size of SL at the next round of franchises.

Which will change when they tot up the income from falling attendances and SKY offer less next time round as Setanta probably wont be around to compete with them

If they had to reduce the SKY cash do you seriously think certain clubs would be able to operate in SL ?

I would hope they could do twice as well . All the foreign imports will leave SL like rats leaveing the Titanic . Leaveing only Northern Hemisphere players to rake in the pittence that Sky would pay. Once again, we will beat the Aussies, with men who want to play RL and not play for a fat pay cheque as they do now.

Cometh the hour cometh the men.

And most of those players will be replaced by players from
















Fax

Hopefully GB.

Caught me out with the FAX then.

The way I see it is that 1 place is guaranteed from a Championship club. To qualify for this guaranteed place you have to win the NRC or get to a GF, although there was talk of a top 3 place being good enough. Obviously though, the RFL have covered themselves by saying all qualifiying teams have to pass certain criteria so i suppose its possible that one team could win everything but still not get a SL place if other parts of the club aren't in order.

Also what hasn't been made clear is what happens if a club qualifies on most criteria, but doesn't get to a GF or win the NRC. For example, if say only Halifax and Barrow qualify for the guaranteed SL place and Halifax get the nod. What happens if the RFL wanted to also kick a couple of current SL teams out of SL, because they were awarded a 'C' licence and they hadn't fulfilled certain obligations such as new stadia. Would that then bring other Championship clubs into play or would the RFL have to decide between Barrow and whichever SL club that might be under threat?

The RFL will bring in the excuse "because of the current climate and the way the country has been finacially it wouldnt be fair to use the Stadia clause so, Wakey , Celtic and Salford will be ok.

Plus Catalans are far too good to go back to their own league and even if they did go back they wouldn't retain many players. Was making Goulding France coach part of these back hand tactics so he gets a bit of practice and will be made England coach before long? God I hope not.

Possibly, but what happens if the chairmen of Widnes and Leigh etc have it in writing that if certain clubs don't do x, y or z they will not be given a licence next time round? In practical terms its not realistic to expect clubs to come up with new stadia in the current climate, but we don't know how concrete the re-assurances are that were given to the unsuccessful candidates.

On the day the licences were announced, the RFL were full of defending their choices, saying certain clubs knew they wouldn't get in next time if certain things weren't done. In a legal sense I wonder just how far those comments and reassurances could be taken?

If you want to apply it will be based on the performance of the team.
Should your application come under scrutiny then your ground has to be up to SL crtieria to gain promotion.
When will your stand be finished?
What then will be your ground capacity?
You and Barrow are currently the best teams in the divison and Barrow's ground is nowhere near good enough. Your competition will come from either Widnes or Leigh depending on their league position.
At the moment I would put you as favourites.

In October - capacity 12 to 15 k

think it is december now.