https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51837246 Have a good look at this and see if you can work out why a lot of fans aren't seemingly excited by it? The club has roots in early attempts to get the game going with South Shields as long ago as the turn of the century, then a Newcastle club in the 1930's before the current Gateshead club's inclusion in 1999. In that very first year with the right funding (which they have now got again) the club came sixth in Superleague and rolled over Saints, Wire and Wigan crowds were 4000 with plenty of scope to increase that significantly. Today's club has the investment, the player production and would underpin an English TV deal (I think they have TV's in the North East) There is a band of English "expansionists" who actually have noted Thunders brilliant work, and exciting future, but somehow we are small in number? Are you in?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51837246 Have a good look at this and see if you can work out why a lot of fans aren't seemingly excited by it? The club has roots in early attempts to get the game going with South Shields as long ago as the turn of the century, then a Newcastle club in the 1930's before the current Gateshead club's inclusion in 1999. In that very first year with the right funding (which they have now got again) the club came sixth in Superleague and rolled over Saints, Wire and Wigan crowds were 4000 with plenty of scope to increase that significantly. Today's club has the investment, the player production and would underpin an English TV deal (I think they have TV's in the North East) There is a band of English "expansionists" who actually have noted Thunders brilliant work, and exciting future, but somehow we are small in number? Are you in?

I'm in. Some great stuff happening up there, most interestingly for me is the success at increasing participation numbers via the creation of a number of amateur clubs over the past few years. The below map was from the 1st of Jan, and since then a new club has popped up in Hexham. 16 junior clubs feeding into Thunder is a pretty handy catchment.

Well that's two of us signed up on here.

Superleague [uREAL expansion[/u is available north and south of the M62 and does anyone think for a moment the door to the 2022 SKY deal is not being held wide open for Mr. Kurdi and Mr. Hughes by Mr. Lenegan and company. Does anyone really think that Superleague is going Transatlantic now?

I can see it all as Superleague's 2022 SKY deal unfolds for an expanded English game, those still clinging onto the American dream may well be moaning we are just an A1 league

Get a rugby league club in Sunderland going and then things’ll get really interesting up there.

As an ex cramlington resident I’m in!

Who wouldn't be on board I think it's brilliant news that the games expanding up north might even reach up to Edinburgh professionally, I'm still dumb founded that South Yorkshire still struggling to evolve into anything of any substance.

Soon as we drop these fake international clubs the better

Donnyman,
Reading your OP - I am shocked!

Are you suggesting that 'we' give Toronto,and Ottawa,over a century to get things right,and then we can all celebrate how wonderful they are?

I never thought I would see the day.

I'm in, have been for some time. My second club.

I'm in. Their amateur development has taken 20/25 years. Sheffield sadly have not achieved the same and maybe that's due to two football clubs rather than one.

I appreciate what you are saying, but I have always said that Toronto....and same for Ottawa and New York....should be allowed to play in the championships as long as it takes to get the game going at grass roots level in Canada and the USA. If you watched backchat this week Craig Harrison (player agent) was adamant that these so called "expansion" clubs will only truly expand the game when they nurture Canadian and USA players in enough numbers to find top class professionals to add to the pro player pool.

If you were shocked I was certainly more than shocked when Martyn Sadler sat there and actually agreed with Harrison and what I have said for years that these clubs cannot try to muscle in on the player pool here, they have to "expand" it to be allowed to run at Superleague level. The issue I have always had with TWP was the rubbish they talked about converting Grid Iron players, just to blag a place in the game here. Then after that they made no attempt whatsoever to work with Canada RL to try to get Canadians playing Rugby league. Sure it takes years to build a grass roots, but when a club like TWP don't even bother to try to build one then how do they deserve a place at the top table? How do a club like the London Broncos deserve to be relegated when they DO run a great player development system.

Over to you?

Are you Brian Carney?

Mr. Wilby reckons New York intend to start in 2021 with three exhibition games against NRL clubs. They’re apparently going to play in the Challenge Cup, and will have a season of 25-30 matches which will be friendlies next year, all in preparation to join the Championships in 2022.

Do you doubt this?

You've found me out Donnyman

Where are they going to find all the players to do this?

More to the point do you? if this Mr Wilby says it's going to happen do you have proof to the contrary.

Takes Newcastle 30 years to develop an amateur game in the area = bravo! Well done Newcastle.

Toronto don’t have one after being in existence for 3 years = shocking. Can’t believe we have let them in the league.

Toronto are a plastic club that’s why.

Just a quick question.

On the basis that it takes 20 -25 years to create anything like a reasonable amateur RL set up (and this is in a country that already plays RL), how long do you think it will take in N. America ?
Right now, there aren't sufficient players in the UK to sustain the additional pro clubs and although there does seem to be a dearth of decent players down under, just how many new clubs can the game support, without ANY extra players in the pool ?

Proof!!





Mr. Wilby is looking at a full season of games for New York, between 25-30 despite having no players, Brian Carney is a Superleague insider who thinks this is total nonsense. It appears the good Mr. Carney has the proof. Write to him at SKY Towers if you are outraged?

The thing is Steph that Gateshead Thunder set up a junior development system on entering the leagueand yes it took 30 years to get where it is today. In the last nigh on 4 years Toronto have not bothered to joining Canada RL and setting up any any junior RL system. The "Scotchy" bloke on Total RL keeps making the excuse that it's not up to Toronto to develop players, but up to Canada RL.

You'd like him. Like you he forgets many facts and realities, like the fact that Toronto Wolfpack as a club committed to player development and securing a TV deal to share here as the quid pro quo for entry to the leagues here. Of course they have reneged on both things, New York also look to be reneging on that, indicating they will sign existing players from the player pool. Only Ottawa via Perez have said they will set up a junior development programme. But Perez has a record for promising stuff and not delivering



Once Superleague get control of Superleague under a new TV deal city clubs in areas like TWP, Ottawa, London, New York and Newcastle will all want in. Who do you think Lenegan will allow in and who do you think he won't allow in?? I've left you a bit of a clue

.

Or,it could be a club considered to be built on sand.
The rugby club owner may have to consider the possibility of The Falcons NOT being promoted should the fixtures NOT be concluded,and the season brought to a premature stop.
What if Mick Hogan returns to the other code?After all he left that other club with potential,Wigan Warriors,to go to union?
It is very easy to envisage Thunder to be homeless,again,in such a scenario.
Many of the Academy,and reserve side,are players from the heartlands who attend local universities.
This latest,crisis,in this country may have a sport-changing denouement.
I thought your argument,or one of your arguments,was producing Super League players? If so,there has recently been more North American accents in Super League than Geordie.

Nope, not my argument. Primarily Superleague want clubs with a junior development system, and SKY pay £300,000 a year per SL club to help it along.Newcastle have set the system up and if they were in Superleague they would have £300K a year to enhance it [uand then[/u can offer top local talent a pathway to Pro-RL.

This is why relegating London shuts off quality young Londoners from becoming Superleague players through the Broncos system. My "argument" is probably that clubs should not be allowed in Superleague without a junior development system and an academy. That would include Salford and Leigh. I think it was the rule at one time??

Not sure why you think it's hilarious me asking your thoughts on the matter, if I wrote to Mr Carney that would indicate that I give a toss which I don't, also I find it strange that you being the font of all knowledge regarding this NA adventure isn't quite sure where the players are coming from and need to refer to Carney to endorse what tbh is becoming quite boring from you regarding your thoughts on the matter, time to move on chief and pick a different subject to get your teeth into.

You are going a bit off topic here.If no longer being in Super League prevents London not having a system,why does it not prevent Bradford from having reserve and Academy sides,as they are no longer in Super League?

It seems the Academy is a bit of a lottery.Sheffield Eagles lost theirs - consequently the reserve side.

Halifax and Keighley were no longer permitted a reserve side.

The system may very well give the impression that the rich get richer,etc.

I agree, Newcastle Thunder are doing a great job. Unfortunately for them, this is the year that they need to get promoted with Ottawa next year and NYC the year after. Hopefully they don't need to wait until 2023 for another decent shot.

To the people with more knowledge on the Thunder, do you think that this can be their year?

It's the biggest subject in the 124 year history of the game. Some people want to see Superleague broken up and players sent round the globe for a Transatlantic League, most people want to see the current set up continue (80% of fans in Hull) because it actually works and [ucan be improved by London and Newcastle's inclusion.[/u Why not pop over to TRL if you don't like me espousing the alternative majority view, where you can fantasise about the game to your hearts content.

My point that if you want real expansion you can get it by expanding Superleague North and South to complement its east and west spread is a new point in the debate, and it is telling that you don't want that point to be discussed, despite me only making it a few days ago?