Well, we may as well make a thread now, before we get the influx on Thursday/Friday. Who's gonna come up?

Oh my Lordy Lordy.

Franchise schmanchise. I'll be glad when this madness and "distraction" is done with.

Widnes.


This will be repeated again though won't it? In July when Wakey get booted.

Can't we have 6 year licenses?

I've been tasked with getting vox pops for Halifax fans reactions on Thursday morning, wish me luck...

The vast majority should expect the expected. You'll get some anti-RFL rants and criticism of the league performance of the license winners but really - all of them should realize that we need a backer and more fans in order to consider being elevated to the Gods.

Hey - looking forward to visiting your gaff again this year. Always love the trip to York.

Unless we invest in another quality halfback, a fullback and a loose, I expect you'll probably beat us by 50...

Well, we're lookin' up at you at the moment

Well if it's as exciting as the "pick yer opponents"

Widnes will come up. If they don't do well, everyone will say Fax should have come up.

and the reverse would also be true. <sigh>

It would be nice to see barrow get the nod. At least then the game is getting 'spread' a bit more.

As long as the criteria involve things like stadium quality, attendances, etc, Barrow will struggle. They invest in their team but not their off-field structures. Place on the league ladder will not get you a licence.

Depends how much time you give these clubs to improve their facilities. As has been widely discussed on here many clubs were supposed to be sitting snuggly in new stadiums by now - according to statements made in their last license bids.

I've never really been against franchising, the decisions on which teams get franchises maybe, but I get the premise. But is it not time for the RFL to reduce the number of team in SL, top 5 playoff, then bring back promotion and relegation. Let the Championship clubs know that they have to have x y and z in place before the season and achieve x y and z in the season then if you do this and win the Grand Final, you're up.

No

Stop being niave, what other sports reward clubs for on field excellence over shiny taps in toilets..............

.................. oh, wait a minute

I thought you'd all be for giving the less well off a chance to thrive. Mind you, politics and sport don't mix do they?

Just think of all the lovely new words you're going to learn

As we've said before. Fax fans are well aware of what will happen, well aware that our club are not ready and well aware that the future of the club will be safe for the short term - long term is different.

So doubt he will learn any new words

We wont be having a leigh style hissy fit

Yawn, this has been done to death. Everyone in their heart of hearts knows Widnes will/should get the nod, if they don't... well I don't think I will be visiting this website for a while, either because the site will probably crash due to too much traffic or there will be so many dummy spits and toy throwing going on it will be like 2 year old's on pro plus and steroids (don't know where that came from

)

Nothing is EVER done to death on these forums.

Widnes will get the nod on Thursday as they are the best placed of the three clubs (based on the specified criteria) so we shouldn't need to worry about the site being swamped by angry Widnes fans.

Widnes are so clearly ahead of the other two that if (and that is a very big if (I don't think it will happen)) Fax or Barrow were to be named as the promoted side on thursday then to me it would just say that two teams were coming up, not one (with two therefore being relegated) and that Widnes would get the nod in July and that the decision had been made to name the other club now to give the weaker of the two clubs being promoted more time to get ready for the step up.

i think my head just exploded! a conspiracy theory thats actually constructive and has a positive outcome! from a rugby league fan! i could swear i just saw a pig fly by my window

Well personally I'm glad to see so many fans so sure we are in this time round , just wish I had there confidence . I have not now and to be honest have not for most of my life had much respect for the workings of our sports governing body or there honesty for that .
I will believe we are in when its announced and not before .

Oh dear , somebody has lets slip the result of Fax's application



' Loose lips ' and all that springs to mind