It's quite obvious to everyone that Crusaders overspent last season, now they have gone into administration.

I believe Cas were denied a rightful play off place, as a result of Crusaders overspending (signing players such as Sammut that they had no right to) and whilst I know we obviously can't retrospectively take part in the play off's now they are over, we should be given any prize money associated with 8th place, also (and more importantly) receive the tick in the box we would have received after getting a play off place for a second successive season.

Once again, we are the victims of such an issue, the Crusaders club should be penalised in both the 2010 and 2011 seasons, as was the case with Melbourne Storm down under and of course in another sport, Leeds United.

Why not just engrave Castlefords name on the 2011 Super League Trophy and have done with it. Why bother wasting time and energy actually playing and winning games to qualify for the play-offs.
Just for the record, if we hadn't signed Sammut, Bradford would probably finished eighth.

Also wasn't it an average 8th place over the 3 years for the tick?

You dont know that as fact though do you.
Just surmising.

Correct, nobody can say for definite.

You dont know that as fact though do you.

Yes, which over the past two seasons we have done (7th in 2009, 9th in 2010)

Erm it was over 3 years I belive


2008 , 2009, 2010.

No. 2008 doesn't count. It's over THIS licence period.

But its is an average over 3 years.
And seeing as they wont know how everyone will finish in 2011.
Infact they used 2005,2006,2007 last time for that very same reason.
2008 figures were never used due to the announcment being in the middle of that season.

I agree last time it was over a three year period - going into administration also counted against a clubs appllication. I wonder if this will have disappeared from the criteria for a franchise next year.

As did being financially stable - i assume this means not being bank rolled by a director but i doubt it.

No its not and no they haven't. hth

Yeah, that was last time as a way of determining the first licence period. THIS licence period is judged over 2009/2010 seasons.

If its judged at all ............................... and not already preordained.

Just wondering if the crusaders administration will count as 2010 or be ignored cos the seasons over ......................................... answers on a superleague rule book (if such a thing exists)

I belive you are incorrect but ill happily be proved wrong.

Typo fixed.

More confusion - it's still not clear what is happening. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-11726963

More confusion - it's still not clear what is happening. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-11726963

Crusaders will remain and get a new franchise don't kid yourself anything else. Crusaders cash problems will not matter, if anything the rfl will bend over backwards to help them.

The expansion teams London, Catalans, Crusaders will not be allowed to fail in the next 4 years. Beyond that who knows but i can't see much change.

How this will affect the teams up for the chop goodness knows.

What is obvious is any team without the ground criteria will get the chop, so no new ground for us, wakey or salford will mean bye bye super league.

For what it's worth I no longer consider Catalans in the same bracket as Harlequins and Crusaders because they've built themselves a strong fan base and are a proven success story when it comes to expansion. One would also assume that they're financially solvent given the absence of any news reports claiming the contrary; something that can't be said about the other two.

It really does grate with me that we may be excluded from Super League from 2012 onwards at the expense of Crusaders and Harlequins who have, on multiple occasions in recent years, proven their inability to manage their finances; whilst we were one of only four Super League clubs to generate a profit in 2009. I also think Crusaders lack of local talent and Harlequins lack of fanbase put them even further behind our credentials assuming this is a level playing field.

Only time will tell, but I've said it quite a few times before that when the RFL are evaluating this batch of license applications, they'd do well to remember that there are other criteria besides having a fancy stadium or being an expansion club.

Well said Bonzo, a point that seems to be passing a lot of people by. Aren't there 12 points of assessment, with the ground and location being just 1 point each?

The solvency of the club also generates 1 point IIRC (I stand to be corrected on that), which seems to be a tick in our box which other clubs may not get.

I get the feeling that the assessment of the criteria may be 'flexible' from the RFLs point of view....

Possibly to the point of bending over backwards I hazard to guess....

Is that the team that have had years to develop with no threat of relegation (which cost us relegation one year) A team built on numerous aussies/stacey jones etc and with the ability to sign players that no other clubs can sign due to british visa requirements. A team that creates no wealth for other clubs with no away support revenue, so who foots the bill ? Oh yes it's the core clubs like us footing the bill.
Oh and the success of catalans, oh yes i remember bottom of the league.

Catalans Great away trip if you can afford it but a proven success story i don't think so. thats why i name them with the other two expansion clubs.

Produce there own players, Better home crowds than us and Self funding. Cant see what your prob is with them ?? or is it we havent got our ground sorted after years of RW bullshat and scared we might get the boot bitterness coming throu

They have acheived more than us in 10 years than we have in 100, and dont talk to me about cas youth production line as it has sweet fa to do with cas, They dont get involved. I have had more help from Leeds both Hulls and even Wakie than Cas

You totally missed my point about the expansion team and their success or as i pointed out, the lack of it after 10 years. Once again " BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE" After all the help from RFL and their time with no relegation.
And just to be clear i am not bitter about Catalans, just merely pointing out the lack ok of success.

As for their home grown talent they do have the whole of france to go at and after all the time they have had to develop these players, they don't have that many.

Oi Binks sort out your quote!!!!!

Sorry no idea how that happened ??