What a load of crap. For a couple of clubs that won't happen and that's what hacks people off. No matter how much you cover it in Smokey flavoured candy floss I'm not buying it.

Who says there is to be a Magic weekend? And what you said doesn't make any mathematical sense. 7 games a weekend. Someone doesn't play. Each team would have a weekend off twice a year and the season would be two weeks longer. Unless you can point out how it doesn't work over the season (assuming that there is no Magic weekend).

Read post no 2 on page 1 slugger

But there is an argument going on, on this very thread, stating there isnt enough players to go around in SL, never mind asking for 30/40% of championship squads to be of SL quality. There simply isnt the players to go around.

as for your example at HKR, they didnt build a team in the championship. For the 2007 season they brought in Vella, Ward, Ford, Bauer, Lovegrove, O'neill, Dyer, Hardman, Lennon, Cooke, Tandy, Gannon, Chester.

In fact only Murrell, Fisher, and Cockayne featured with any regularity and are still there now.

If that is the case why did Wakefield feel the need to enter this season with 9 overseas players and try and sign Hickey and HKA at one stage have 11 overseas players?

That you linked the two parts. Here: Im simply saying I dont see these two parts of your sentence as linked

what do they lose? Considering it cant be the monetary cost of applying as it is their choice to apply, if thats how they choose to spend their money so be it.

That doesnt mean we dont have the facility to do so.

If we dont, that isnt the systems fault.

I dont agree. I can accept a standpoint that says the RFL wont remove 'certain clubs' (i think we can take that as shorthand for expansion clubs') at a time you dont think would be the right time, or that they would give them more time than you would think was correct.

What i cant accept is an argument that says the RFL would keep 'certain clubs' in SL after they had passed the point where they believed it to be pointless.

I think Starbug has finished shooting himself in the foot with his 'strengthen the team in the Championship and then take the same squad up like HKR did' arguement, as shown by Smokeys pretty good explaination that they didn't....

Even if HKR HAD taken the whole squad forward, there is no guarantee that any other club would do the same. I'd be more inclined to believe - given historical precedents - that 99% of clubs would put all their money into buying promotion on any given year, and then would get their backsdes spanked, leading to them coming straight back down the following season - in short, HKR got lucky.
There is a fine example of this, as I keep pointing out. A certain Leigh Centurions did this... mad dash for SL, got there, couldn't get the squad, got relegated (although technically it wasn't relegation, we got booted out for Les Cats, Widnes got relegated.... Same difference though) and nearly went bankrupt.
Yo-yo clubs like Leigh (and by extension Widnes, Halifax and perhaps the Cumbrian clubs) would suffer more with being repeatedly promoted and relegated than they could ever hope to gain.

I repeat. P&R is a luxury RL literally can't afford. It would prove to be a huge white elephant again.

Well, let's see over time. The RFL have given certain warnings and public concern over stadia and the size of crowds. What makes me doubt their resolve is one interview where Mr Lewis warns one club over it's attendances and their importance for the club to retain its license and then 18 months later states that (for that same club) it's not an overriding factor in their quest to stay in SL. I await the announcement that the recession will save a couple of clubs from being forced to upgrade its stadia.

I'm pretty sure that Byron Ford played against Warrington in the Challenge cup while Rovers were in the National Leagues. Scored a couple of tries if I remember rightly and also scored against Cas when we won the Northern Rail cup (2005?)

something has to change, the game is sinking without a trace imo

once the tv money goes we are screwed

No, you got relegated (you finished bottom). Widnes can claim they were kicked out for Catalans after finishing in a new relegation spot to accommodate them, Leigh can't.

No we weren't. We were told early in the season that the team finishing bottom would be making way for the French, the relegation battle was above that.

Go back and look.

With respect thats sounds like rubbish.

No. You were told before the season started that there would be two relegation spots in SL in 2005. Hell, I knew it when we got relegated in 2004. You and Widnes entered the comp knowing that there were two relegation spots. You promptly occupied them. You were both relegated, in line with the rules of the competition you agreed to when entering it. Neither of you was 'hard done by' or has any ground for complaint.

Amazingly you are right , for once

, hows the stadium coming along , 2015 maybe ?

Wheldon Road will become the "preferred style" of stadium in a massive RFL u-turn. A bit like when they altered the seating requirements for Cas early in the franchising malarky. Mind you, they knew about it so there's no point in kicking up a fuss

Sadly you are right

Wonder if they've still got all those portaloos dotted around the place - you know the ones they put in to help meet the criterea for promotion back to SL?

Yes. I read it, a few days later the article had been updated to match the one on BBC site.

It might have been marketing weekly, can't remember now.

not exactly an answer to any of the questions i asked but hey ho.

not entirely sure they did . hendo was born in uk and therefore i'm pretty sure would qualify to play for england.

rinaldi can hardly be classed as an overseas player in a european superleague.

we cant all get by with the seven like leeds.

anyways..the point being made was that regardless of where they come from, there are enough players out there.

Classic

Erm in our 1st season in SL we took up the players who had the following appearances

James Webster 24
Ben Fisher 25
Ben Cockayne 21
Jon Goddard 20
Scott Murrell 23
Jason Netherton 22
Byron Ford 14
Makali Aizue 19
Gareth Morton 11
Ian Morrison 11
David Tangata-Toa 17
Tommy Gallagher 9
Jon Steele 5 (But he broke his leg which restricted him playing more games).

So your stats are a complete lie Smokey. I could have added more names of players we took up into SL but they've played less then 5 games.