What reasons were given for removing promotion and relegation when Super League was introduced? What benefits has it brought to the sport?

I think the RFL, and perhaps more importantly Sky, wanted to see a fully professional league containing only teams from larger towns and cities, with large fan bases providing ever more subscribers for Sky sports. I suppose it was considered impossible for many of the 'little village' and suburb clubs, to compete at this level. Unfortunately for the authorities, that particular demographic is strongly represented and very vocal within RL. When you look at the criteria used under licensing, it was clearly designed to weed out those clubs who needed to raid the 'leccy box' to subsidise the part time wages paid to their players, however well they were performing.

I think it was assumed that RL would spread out from its 'heartland' and that new towns and cities would jump on the emerging bandwagon and set up clubs, in fact assistance was given to foster that idea, much to the annoyance of the 'flatcappers'. I think we may have all worked out that it didn't really turn out well.

When.clubs such as your selves did not give a rats ass about the championship and voted.for a closed shop franchise where we play for 3 years of pointless friendleys with still no chance of going up. Eg wakey bust fax record massive profit etc

Now we have a chance a slim chance where you.came close and blew it. You lot are not happy but at least we have something to play for. A taste of sl is better than no sl.

You lot should be hopeing they don't scrap the system and revert back to a closed shop from next season. You Leeds Wigan st'hellens did not give a monkeys about the championship until now your stuck here.

One of the benefits is that it has made Halifax fans VERY angry (as it transpires). Especially when we dare talk about it.

And there's me thinking that Halifax graced Super League....memory playing tricks again.
We did have promotion and relegation in the early years of Super League......some clubs got relegated.

Well said

And there's me thinking that Halifax graced Super League....memory playing tricks again.
We did have promotion and relegation in the early years of Super League......some clubs got relegated.

Well said!

Well said, well said!

It was also to try & prevent clubs spending beyond their means & going under. As Wakey would no doubt have done (again) if they had lost. If Leigh fail again next season I can see them heading that way too.

And in later years SL teams could go BUST as many times as they wanted . Until the RFL and the rest of theSL teams said enough is ENOUGH.

promoting a conference club into the Premiership. Obviously it's daft, and would never work, but that is our eternal problem.

The problem is that the issue that led to them scrapping P&R has come back with the new Middle 8 concept

Namely that the eventually promoted club, whether it be the bottom SL club or the best placed Championship club, is inevitably niles behind with their recruitment for the following season. This season it could have been us - in the event its Wakefield. Brian Smith referred to it as starting a 400 metre race at the 450 metre mark.

It's completely unfair and ridiculous, and will almost definitely mean Wakefield will be at the bottom again next season, as we undoubtably would have been if we'd won on Saturday.

Everyone goes on about how we would have an extra million quid, but when all the players worth having are already signed for next season, and all you can pick off are the rejects and scraps, then what's the point of having a million quid burning a hole in your pocket?

Paradoxically if they'd gone with a straight 'one up one down' then this would have been avoided, since it was obvious that Wakefield would be relegated from half way through the season and they could have started to plan accordingly, whilst the promoted club -which would have been Leigh - would have been able to start SL recruitment much earlier than the second week of October.

Not quite. Bradford dropped 7 points in the last month of the season, and came 2nd by 6 points. It's unlikely the promoted team will be able to start recruiting much in advance of the end of the season most of the time. A little different for Wakefield, but it's not always so clear cut in terms of having a team so far adrift at the bottom of the table.

I expect that IF that happened then Bradford and Leigh would probably be invited into the top flight.

On what grounds do you think Bradford deserve sl.

How many times did you go bust in the last franchise. Your not.a big/famous club anymore. It's people with attitudes like yours that give Bradford fans a bad name. You did not win the league. You happily voted for franchising years ago when bulls were a top 6 team. In a nut shell you lot.made the bed now lie in it

Despite the fact that you are clearly trying to make a name for yourself by coming across as all aggressive with your whopping 23 posts, I will indulge you.

1. NOBODY on here has been more critical of the way that Bradford have been run in recent years. I stated, quite categorically, at the end of 2014 that we got what we deserved with demotion.

2. We ARE a famous club. We might not be very good at the moment but we are a well-known club. RL is not a big enough sport to dismiss some of the bigger sides in the game.

3. IF the aforementioned clubs were "with us" during the last franchise voting then why would they vote against us now?

4. Our travelling support is considerably better than that of Huddersfield, Wakefield, Salford, Catalans (at least). It is financially sound.

5. We are where we are due to financial mismanagement of previous owners who are no longer involved in the sport. We are rebuilding in the correct manner and I am sure that the other clubs realise this.

That will do for starters

I'm sorry to compound your irritation but we are still a big famous club................people outside the North of England have heard of us. We have a fairly significant history and we're pleased to be sufficiently well supported that the little clubs this year have looked forward to us coming to town as it provides a welcome boost to their income. Those that are fortunate enough to have seen their small clubs beat us will be able to regale their descendents with fanciful stories for years to come and pass on the relevant memorabilia. The Season that keeps on Giving.

My point, albeit perhaps badly worded, was that moving to the current system has returned us to the 'late signing' issue that was behind the switch to franchising.

Basically we are back where we were before franchising in that regard

Not very bright are you?

can't believe some on here,
it was a year ago that Lowe was pleased to be given a chance in this super 8 competition now he's saying it should be a straight 2 up 2 down, well wasn't it chance for a 4 up 4 down,
can't help thinking back to when it was a closed shop and Bradford was one of many leading clubs not wanting any championship clubs up now your in the championship your all seem to think you have got some super league right up there,
yes there's no doubt you was once a big name but then there was many other big named clubs up there that have dropped down the pecking order.

just like to add that I thought your support was very good, your team pushed to the the very end and you was that close of succeeding, I agree with Lowe saying that the refereeing standard is at an all time low but his rant at the end of the game was totally out of order and so was Powers in doing the interview so soon after the final whistle.

anyway good luck with the next season, I'm sure you will be knocking on the door again as we will be preparing to stay up again, as I fair bet we won't hit the top 8

Cracking coach in his time that Graeme Lowe.

Then you are truly stupid. Have you lived through "all time" in order to make an informed assessment? No, so you admit it is just hyperbolic bullcrap?

I don't think anyone could have reffed the Bulls/Wakey game significantly better than Silverwood di, and from my own experience, I'd say in particular he, and Ben Thaler, bear favourable comparison with the leading referees from any recent era.