At the moment the champions are the team that wins the grand finale. A good coach will make decisions about his team based on this; he may take a gamble, put out a weaker team against one team to give players a rest or not risk players who are nearly fit in a game that if it was a cup game he might.
Featherstone have done well but until you get the main prise for winning the league you cannot say that Fev. have been the best club overall the team with the most silverware has been the best club.
That’s like saying the person that has past the start finish line in front of everybody else, more in a 15000m race is the winner, not the person that ran the race tactically correct, tucked in behind the front group, saved their energy for the last lap and sprinted past everybody in the last 100m to cross the finish line in first place is the winner.
Halifax might start to win the league when and if the rules change, and you are crowned champions for winning the league.

so you don't want to win the league & save yourself for the GF by playing one home tie & if you win your straight into the final? bollox

What I said was, that it is winning the grand finale that counts and you can afford to take calculated chances with games that may or may not pay off. Success is measured, in this league by winning the grand final not winning the league. If winning the league was the ultimate prize a coach may do things different. So by definition the best team is the one that has won most grand finals. Then the team that has made most grand final appearances.
Yes you would prefer to only have one game to reach the final. That is the bonus for winning the league or finishing second not the main prize .

Yes of course it will, we are 'pawns' on their murky chessboard, there is no way Fat Controller would relegate Bradford Bulls and let one of us in, but we have no choice we have to play their game as otherwsie they would be able to say 'well we had to let the Buls stay in SL as nobody else put their hat in the ring' plus he is a vindictiVe g*t he would hold it against you next time the Franchises come round.
Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

The fat lad(y) hasn't sung yet. www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/26 ... ford-bulls

The fat lad(y) hasn't sung yet. www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/26 ... ford-bulls

Telling the RFL to get lost will work against the current suitable clubs when a real upportunity presents itself - who knows when another club will fall over? I don't think the current clubs have a choice apart from submitting a bid.

This may just be the view from a numbnut on the VT but sadly it is also the thinking at RFL headquarters and unfortunately amongst SL Chairmen..

This is the problem. This is why Bradford have been allowed to do what they've done.

In the previous round of licensing Widnes were told that, having gone into administration and effectively expunged their financial history they could not then draw upon their more positive history (cup kings, decent attendances, etc ...) to obtain a license. This is EXACTLY what Bradford have done (or will be allowed to do).

That is the inequity and injustice that the game faces from those running it. One of those voiciforous Chairmen made his feelings clear at the time. Now he's sat at the top table his silence is deafening. The people that matter are so insular - so club orientated. So much so that we haven't a hope in hell of getting within a million light years of the Aussies or of the game flourishing over here.

A joint statement from Fev Fax and Leigh, read by the 3 chairman stood proudly outside the venue of the Play Off \Final (is it Widnes or Warrington? no one seems sure) Saying that they don't wish to be a part of this game and that all 3 clubs are looking forward to the playoffs we're currently participating in would be fantastic, but wont happen

If by some miracle of insanity , the ' independant ' licencing committe awarded the ' vacant ' SL place to one of the Championship clubs , it will potentially cost the RFL several hundred thousand pounds , I cannot see a situation where the new owner at Bradford is going to pay back the RFL the money they have spent keeping the Bulls going till the end of this season out of income generated in the Championships

It really is a pointless exercise , they will publically praise us if we apply as long as we all keep our gobs shut afterwards , but as you well know , ask 1 difficult question and your bid,BOD and club will be ridiculed

As long as the Championship Club Chairmen continue to accept this rubbish , then they dont deserve anything better

I think you are being hugely unfair, honest.





You are probably referring to things like this, from Halifax's recent SL application:



The reason no such criticisms of incumbent clubs have been made is that they haven't submitted speculative plans, ever, as Peter Hood, former chair of Bradford appeared to confirm recently when he said:

Ask yourself, if Halifax's licence application was so poor, why let us go through to the next round of bids up against the other super league clubs? The RFL made it sound pitiful eh? We should never have got as far as we did! (we made a profit over the year!)

Ask yourself, how come Bradford got a grade B licence and no statement was ever made about the speculative nature of their application?

The answer - none of the bids were ever considered in any detail. When our chairman hit back at the RFL the RFL lashed out like a spoilt kid in the playground.

When it became apparent to the RFL that the bulls were struggling financially we had all the shenanigans about buying Odsal and making it "the wembley of the north". All a smoke screen. The RFL knew people would ask about the quality of the licence inspection and the validity of the whole process and began to lie themselves out of a big hole. And people still fall for it

Hope that helps

Some people fall for it ............ most choose to ignore it because it's embarrassing.

One or two posters on the VT steadfastly refuse to EVER find fault with the RFL, from the Crusaders debacle to the Stobart sponsorship deal. These same people are the ones that seamingly NEVER comment on actual matches or performances of their club. That's because they don't attend matches.

Our lot are the same , they readily admit the RFL are bent as a 3 bob coin, but they cant help themselves , they blind themselves with ' but what if? ' , and well they said they like the LSV

There's always that nagging doubt that in a round of licensing one SL club might pull out - as Crusaders did. So, imagine the horror as London pull out and you haven't applied. This is why all three clubs will partake in Blake Solly's Championship Club Massacre.

Sorry Starbug a bit late with the reply.

I suppose all I am suggesting is that the Championship Chairman put forward an "independant" person picked by themselves to be a part of the process the RFL so desperately wishes to keep behind closed doors on their terms and with people they pick. Why do you think they want it done so quickly?

I had in mind a respected individual ie an ex judge, barrister, senior ex policeman,respected polititian (there are some still left) not affiliated to any of the clubs in question but whos job is to actually see that a fair and transparent process takes place. ......and not be afraid to speak up if it wasnt( I initially thought of Harry Grashon actually because he caused Wood to spit so many feathers last time with his questions on how the decisions were made!! )

The bottom line is that it is never going to be an exact science but at least if the "independant" felt that a fair process had taken place it would appease some. The alternative is Nigel and Co pick the Bulls because they just decide whats best for them fullstop. You have all done very well Championship people BUT WE DECIDE!

Its about the best we can ask for and I would submit is a very reasonable request that is hard in an "open and transpartent" process for even the RFL to refuse but no doubt they would probably try.

But this isnt a round of licensing, in a statement from the Leigh Chairman read out at a fans forum 3 weeks ago, he mentioned this ' process ' and in part of that he suggested that Fev would struggle because their stadium wasnt suitable , while not incorrect it was IMO a tactless thing to say, how happy would he be if the Fev Chairman suggested Leigh werent ready given we needed the RFL to pay our tax bill directly out of our central funds

Things like this drive a wedge between clubs and fans, clubs and fans that should be working together, not comparing our shortcomings in an effort to score points against each other, that should remain on the pitch only

What did he say about Halifax?

Leigh have even less chance than Fax or Fev, especially if they are pinning their hopes on a stadium that isn't theirs and the RFL have previously ignored the existence of!

Then again, they have been bailed out by the RFL.......

RFL golden boys us

They won't let you in as your local derby (Wiggin v Small town in Wiggin) will outshine the big Saints - Wiggin matches that they talk about all year.

It's a disgrace how ther RFL bend over backwards to help Leigh. Just because they're an "iconic club". They even give you the big SL matches - Big Guns Salford are playing their last home match at the LSV (which isn't really owned by Leigh but for the sake of this argument let's say that they do) in the "eighth spot thirilla in the Leigh Villa". What do we get? Huddersfield Giants and Castleford - two clubs who couldn't even turn up with the right kit.

Disgraceful.

Who?

If this farce goes ahead the RFL are going to use the supposed weakness and failings of Championship Clubs as the reason for the Bulls retaining their licence

The Bulls should be judged against their own actions and failings to decide if they remain a SL club

Then and only then , if they lose that licence should it be considered who will replace them

It is 2 seperate issues, but once again Mr Wood is not willing to make the deision he is highly paid to do

It is us, Fax,Fev and Leigh who are going to be blamed for the Bulls reaining their place

Once again we are being used

I can't wait Mr Bug!

Can't wait for Mr Wood to do his press conference. Point out Halifax's failings. We then point out the reason our club is where it is and has the failings is because of him! It will be like him reading his CV out on tv! Our current board are a million miles removed from him!

Nigel Wood incompetent - just ask a Fax fan!

Does he deserve his job - just ask an RL fan!

For what it's worth, I think the RFL will see sense, not do a "mini" licencing round, in order to avoid leaving themselves wide open, and just leave Bradford in SL. Back slaps all round

Not forgetting Mr Khan's reported 6 Million pound investement into Odsal

Does anybody seriously think the RFL are willing to risk losing that , to put one of us into SL ?

We are being ' set up '