Bottleless s.

It looks to me that Rugby League has decided to base itself now on Rugby Union in many respects. And our new way ahead is nothing more than a replica of what the have been doing.

= A twelve team top division with one up and one down.
= Roughly the same number of fixtures, in Union they have the European Cups, in SL will have the nonsense of Loop fixtures (but its all about gate revenue)
= The relegated side gets a parachute payment, with conditions on how it is spent. (Widnes will apparantly get £500000, in Union its £1.75m, this proportionally is about the same in relation to the salary caps)
= All other teams at second level receive same funding, relegated team also gets this on top of its parachute (Big drive in Union to reduce the £550000 now paid - which is a big gap to the amount paid to top teams))
= Salary caps in both leagues.(£7m and £1.9m)
= Star player exemption from cap
= Second level "semi-professional", although because funding in Union higher only a few players do much else.
= Limits on overseas player numbers (under pressure to review due to Brexit)
= Limits on first team squad sizes.

Obviously funding in Union is much higher due to income from internationals, TV and sponsorship. The crowds in union for Premiership games are higher than SL as are prices (average seat is over £35), It also appears that Club game on BT Sports gets considerably higher viewing than any Super League game. However most Union clubs are loosing money and are trying to find a way of increasing income.

Big difference is no DR and all sides at top three levels in Union must run reserves, Under 21's and juniors. The Premiership union teams field "weakened" teams in the domestic cup (all teams even lower level enter) and see it as a second class contest. Oh yes and the rules are not the same!

The end result of all this is that now whilst there is a second level league, most clubs in it get less than a 1000 at home games and most seasons the club relegated from the previous year gets promoted, unless it goes bust like London Welsh did.. (This used to happen via play-off system but this was scrapped - as it was "unpredictable" - and now its the top of the league that goes up.)

This is what I think we have to look forward to, Widnes may not go straight back up, particularly with an element of uncertainty for the playoffs, but if not it will be a club that has recruited and paid for players of the right quality. Sadly for me it finally ends the dream of SL for Fax as we are currently constructed and the only possibility of promotion would be investment from someone of well into seven figures - and we have seen even this is no guarantee of promotion.

Can't get my head round this parachute payment nonsense.Should only apply if Widnes had to honour existing contracts,but they are wiped on relegation(rightly) so there advantage is unfair and unwarrented.

Setting the issue of money aside, as we have no reliable information, are we generally happy with one up, one down or do we prefer Twelves and Eights?

The new system is better for Halifax with no benefactor and only able to sustain a part time model.

If another funding system comes in for 2019, more equality/salary cap, will Fax still be rewarded for finishing in the top four this season. Surely we won't lose out on that?

Codswallop or not, had there been no Bash, you'd've been sixth.

...and if the horse hadn't stopped for a p**s it would (probably) have won the race!

...and if we hadn't beaten Leigh, London and Toulouse we (probably) wouldn't have made the top four!

If we'd beaten Dewsbury at home instead of drawing we'd have finished second,the one result last season you could have regret for but it's all codswallop and blah blah blah now.....

Continually ignoring inconvenient truths is why Rugby League doesn't progress.

If we had a team of internationals we'd be promoted to SL

If I had some hair i wouldn't be bald!

It's what passes for quality humour in Halifax, I suppose.

You can laugh because you were on the right side of the Bash this year. Maybe another year, you won't be so lucky.

Doh!

Did Griff buy some sour Grapes after their game at Batley hes not normally so grouchy about us ?

Like 2017 when we were on the wrong side of the Bash that year and lost to Toulouse but still finished in the top 4.

Bentleyman, Griff is probably spitting feathers in his nest as the 'mighty 'gulls' have had another mediocre year. He even went as far as to question a Fax fan about why he wanted to buy a season ticket on another thread. They were called sore losers when I was a lad.

Why would you want to buy a season ticket now which you can't use for five months ?

What's the hurry ? You people in Halifax must have too much money.

Not the case the post was from a troll..

Kinda proves my point, then.

Hmmmm ...... in 2016 we beat Fev 37-0 in the Bash but missed out on the top 4. So prove that the result in the Bash doesn;t mean if you win you qualify. It's like arguing about getting teams at the right time of the season, like Barrow for instance who were tough at the start but rubbish at the end. So "cherry picking" games (including the Bash) as being influential in the outcome is a tad ................... daft.

<sigh> It's not intended as a slur.

It's about getting a structure that's good for the game as opposed to one particular club.

There are dozens of posts criticising Lenaghan for his self interest, then someone comes up with "yeah, I think this new structure will suit Fax."

W
I’m with you on this one, if it suits one club does that therefore make it bad for the game?

No - provided that it's not the criterion by which you make the judgement.