Leigh are a small club with big ambitions. They will never be able to break into the big time and mix it with the big boys because it just doesn't happen (Leicester City managing it for one season). You will at best become just a direct replacement for Salford, bumming around the lower end of SL with no more ambition than to avoid the middle 8's (well done Cas, Wakey and Widnes this season).

The fact is that the stranglehold that the traditional big clubs have got will not change. There will come a time next season when you yearn for the good old days of hammering rubbish teams in the championship, when you're sick of always being stuffed by the big boys.

Sorry Chunky but I think that is a simplistic view. Who are the traditional big clubs? Are you sure they are all stay dominant? The fate of Bradford would seem to argue against that, not to mention our own season of fighting to avoid the £1M game. This taken with the make up of the top 8 suggests that no one is assured success and any team can fail. Though granted some may be more likely than others to succeed. Leigh have had an outstanding season and deserve their chance in super league. Whether they or any team is successful next season, will in large part depend on what resources they can bring to bare and how well they can recruit.

Well said TOMCAT, some sense at last.

I think potentially we could meet six times.



2 in league - 1 @ magic - 1 in CC - 1 in super 8s - 1 in semi play offs or grand final.

Isn't that all sport in most country's ? Madrid and Barcelona, Bayern, Utd city Chelsea nal, Wigan saints wire Leeds ?? The smaller clubs enjoy the days in the sun more as they may be our last. Traditionally we start with huge disadvantages, finance - which is not an issue with us for the first time ever, Success - the best players want to win trophys so head to the biggest clubs, so we must counter that with other positives.
We won't flop in 2017, we will compete well, how well we will find out but I do fancy us for T8 when all the recruitment is done with Wakefield Widnes and Cas making way for Leeds Huddersfield and Ourselves

Spot on.

You also only need to look at the likes of Warrington to show clubs can become successful as well as fail.

I just hope that Leigh/Beaumont don't do a Koukash and look for short term glory, because it isn't going to happen. Consistent investment in the right areas of the club (ie not just the first team) is the way to become a big, successful club.

Maurice if you think that you will finish ahead of Cas next season you are deluded , i notice you have just signed another over the hill forward from Catalan

Glenn Stewart was excellent early in the season. Not sure what has gone on at Catalan but IMO he is still a class act and a great signing for Leigh. Not really what we need age wise but I think he would have improved Leeds. Can get his centre and winger moving well with good ball as well as being a good defender.

They need to be realistic and not try to reach for the moon. Staying up next year is all that they should care about.

One of the problems of the game getting boring. We had the joy of 3 games away v hudds this season and lost the lost.

Having said I'd settle for playing Leigh 6 times finishing off at Old Trafford.

He's 1 year older than Galloway

and? i'm 20 years older than Galloway, with no knees's and i'm quicker. trust me that's no recommendation

Stewart left his fridge in Sydney though.

Absolutely right and i also agree with what mark laurie put, signings like Stewart will give them every chance of mixing it with the sides in the middle of the table.

Just pointing out the hypocrisy of criticising Leigh for signing a 30+ Aussie.

Will that include you,or have you become invincible again..

Its not really, its a kind of SL-centric view.

Warrington have been in the top division for the history of RL, they are the 4th most successful side in the challenge cup, and have never ever been relegated. Taken on a wider view/longer view, it was Bradford who were the interloper on to a traditional big four of Leeds, Wigan, Saints and Warrington. Outside a decade or so that co-incided with the beginning of SL. Bradford were not, by any measure, a real big club. Bradfords current plight, is more of a reversion to mean, and the period 1996-2006 was more the outlier.

That, big 4, have won 53 of 120 challenge cups played and 24 of the last 30. They have won 45 of the 90 league titles played for since the return to a national league after the first world war (not including the war-time leagues in ww2) and thats gotten even more concentrated during the pro era, Where they have won 16 of the 20 SL titles, and made up 24 of the 32 Grand Finalists.

'consistent investment in the right areas' has brought Huddersfield no challenge cup wins, and 0 Grand Final appearances, Hull have had huge investment and moved to a great new stadium and made huge strides in becoming a big club off the field, they have 2ccs and being comfortably beaten in a GF to show for it, Cas are held up as a model of how to run a 'smaller club' they havent won an championship in their history and havent won a CC in 30 years. In the 10 years since promotion Hull KR have had millions pumped in to them, on and off the field, I can't see a 50-0 loss in a CC final as a good return for that, and they may not even be in SL next year.

The fact is Hugo is right, RL has always had success concentrated in a few clubs, the change to professionalism has exacerbated that, smaller clubs have been left behind both on and off the field and cannot compete on a regular basis. People hold up our struggles this year as evidence 'anything can happen' but the fact is, this historically bad year for us, would delight Leigh next year.

*Will

Christ you do talk some bo||ocks Smokey.

Warrington were adrift, rudderless, simply making the playoffs was enough for them.

This isn't about history, it's about where clubs are now and where they can get to. Leigh can get to the very top, (as Warrington have) but it will take a long time of consistent investment and improvement. There is no magic bullet solution, as Koukash has found. Leigh have first to make themselves a consistent mid-table side whilst building/expanding the infrastructure and reach of the club. As Warrington did. Then they can attempt the huge step from mid-table to the top. But you can't skip out that middle step, it just won't work. As Koukash has comprehensively proved.

Me too, if it's 6-0 to Leyth.

You're just boosting numbers by including Leeds, Wigan and Saints.

Before Simon Moran took over at Warrington they went over half a century with just 1 Challenge Cup and 0 league titles to their name, that's not a constant 'Big Club' and most of their success was in a certain period of late 40's-mid 50's, not unlike Bradford with their mid 90's-mid 00's. Before to his investment started to pay off with the Cup wins of 2009, 2010 and 2012 they had won less Challenge Cups than Hudds and the same amount as Wakey and Halifax. And for his ownership it's still taken them over a decade and counting to clinch the main prize and that's the point being made by others regarding that it takes time.

You take it personally when facts disprove whatever narrative you are trying to pretend is the truth now.

Leigh are in a completely different position to Warrington, Leigh have spent 1 season in the top flight in the professional era, Warrington have never spent a season out of it.

Where you wish to downplay Warrington as 'adrift, rudderless, simply making the playoffs was enough for them' Most clubs are striving for that. Leigh are far far below that. The fact is, bar the big 4, 'adrift, rudderless, and simply making the playoffs' is historically good, if Leigh's next ten years are as good as Wire's decade pre 2004 and the move the Halliwell Jones, it will by a long long way their best period of success in my life-time.

Koukash hasnt comprehensively proved anything other than his own inability to actually put in place any sort of plan. But im not arguing Leigh can make that huge step to the top without being a mid-table side first. Im arguing that they can't do it either way. It very very rarely happens for any club in any circumstance and when it does, it usually a very brief time.

And ?

im not boosting anything by Including Leeds, Wigan and Saints. It would be ThePrinter level of nonsense for me to count the trophies won by a big 4 of Leeds, Wigan, Saints, and Wire, that didnt include Wigan, leeds and Saints.

Simon Moran has been part of Warrington for a fair old time now, the majority of the pro-era, it makes no sense to take out just because it suits you. Its like about 10% of the entire games existence you are removing for no discernible reason.

And nothing.

Its a self-contained argument backed up by facts and evidence. Has that confused you?