A cumbrian sl team would be great for the game, not sure if would ever happen, but the likes purdham, mcnally, lupton, amor, graham etc (all of whom qualify to play for cumbria) all playing in the same team sounds good to me.

Um, I do care about Rugby League.

No, you don't. You're not allowed.

2 reasons. Population and politics. If Workington, Barrow and Whitehaven wanted it, then it could happen. No chance individually. There's no point blaming the RFL.

Of course, how silly of me. My fault for being Southern.

Yes. it is.

Absolute nonsense.

These clubs struggle to keep their heads above water now financially, for them to compete for paying speccies with a SL club in the area would kill them off completely. Most people would not be able to afford either the time or the money to support 2 clubs every weekend.

Your comparison with France is totally flawed. They don't play at the same time of year and are therefore not competing for the same spectators. The only way such a proposal could ever work in West Cumbria (and forget Barrow it's too far away) is if the Championship reverted back to winter rugby.

Barrow RL, CAN GO IT ALONE.

Everything both on & off the pitch is on the up and has increased every year in the last four years and is expected to increase again next season.
Support, interest, lottery, merchandice, etc

Look at the Barrow born players currently playing SL
1,Gardner
2,Gardner
3,Lupton
4,Harrison
5,Wilkes

Apoligies if i,ve missed anyone off this list.

Several Barrow born u18/u16 players are earning rave reviews in various SL academy sides.

Add to the mix ((if)) Barrow RL were in the SL then several of the Cumbrian West coast lads would probably rather play for Barrow SL Club than the others, not all and maybe not the most but some.

If Barrow were really competing in the SL then probably most would want to stay local-ish.

BARROW RUGBY LEAGUE for SUPERLEAGUE.

You can have that great useless lump we have.

Of course, people love to blame the RFL for the lack of a Cumbrian team in SL, even though it's through no fault of the RFL.

Cumbrian clubs shouldn't be "helped" any more than any other established club should be "helped". If Haven, Barrow or Workington can't come up with the on and off field package to even put together a licence application, never mind a succesful one, then that's their issue to overcome, not the RFL's.

IIRC, Whitehaven have still to make any steps to deliver on the ground improvement promise that they made (regardless of the result) prior to the 2005 Grand Final.

Was going to say the exact same thing.

Barrow-in-Furness is in Lancashire, not Cumberland. Workington, Whitehaven, Carlilse etc. are in Cumberland.

It's not 1971 anymore.

And who mentioned Cumberland? We're talking about Cumbria here.

Doing the right thing?

Whitehaven - ground... 7,500 max and nowhere near premier; average... 2,000 max; Have been a fairly competitive side throughout the NLs.
Barrow - ground... 6,500 max and nowhere near premier; average... 2,000. Have been in and out of the two lower divisions for years. Only this year have been competitive.
Workington - ground... 10,000 and nowhere near premier; average... 600. Not been in second tier for 7 years.

None of these were good enough this time last year to apply. In fact, only one was able to apply as the other two were in NL2 that year, and that team didn't even apply anyway.

So if by the "right thing" you mean the RFL should put a team in the SL that didn't even apply because even they didn't think they were good enough, then yes: the RFL are definitely afraid of doing "the right thing", and rightly so!

We have the added handicap of players who travel and the costs & accomodation coming out of the salary cap that M62 clubs dont really have.

There are a few clubs actually in SL with the same problem.

Whoa Wellsy, Barrow's average home crowd is a lot more than 2000.
We have have two 3000+ gates and will probably expect another on BHM our last home game and possible title clincher


That leaves 7 other home games where (im trying hard to recollect here, with no figures at hand) so if im right we have averaged something like 2300 in those, add the 3 , 3000+ gates, then we will average something like 2550ish.



Our gates have rose every year in the last 4

Wow, 2300? And what is Celtic lambasted for?

2,189. This is just based on home games in the league and not the NRC. The NRC usually lowers the figure anyway.

The same problem that Celtic Crusaders had and that Gateshead and London Skolars (amongst others) have then. Although I'd be surprised if that did come out of the salary cap, given that hotel and travel costs are hardly a "benefit in kind" to the players.



And that makes it OK?

The old Cumbrian Super League team debate again, Ooooh it must be six weeks since we last had this one.

Do you not think it might be up to the people who actually live there to decide where they are from?

I live in Cumbria.

Basically league's equivalent of cornwall in rugby union. Produces great talent but not enough money or people in the area as a whole to sustain a top flight team.

Superleague 1996
11/08/96 - Bradford Bulls v Workington Town (A) Won 28-14 (Att: 2,430)So, 2,430 fans went to Workington to watch Bradford.....yeah...the Cumbrians just Love their RL


353 rolled up earlier this year to watch the once mighty town get beaten by the worst team in the division.....
The teams in Cumbria were offered the merger idea and rejected it.
1,670 average for Whitehaven
2,170 average for Barrow
0000000 average for Carlisle
456 average for Workington......

Yep.......it's a real RL hotbed up there and London and Wales should be binned to get them in

I agree 100%. But to work you are talking about a SL club that will have to play in either Workington or Whitehaven. As it is unlikely that fans from one club would support a team in the next town (even with a name like Cumbria Cobras) there is just the prospect of a very small town trying to attract crowds of 6-8000. No chance.