Complete con, what happened to the" It gives clubs 3 years to build" part of the license.?

Plus. To let Toulouse in the RFL would have to change the rules. Again. That is something fans of any super league club should worry about. If your clubs face doesn't fit they will be out. Be concerned

I agree.



Again I agree. I think that Super League cant afford to become a Yorkshire dominated League because RL will become more parochial than it is now. If any club should make way from Super League it should be a Yorkshire one imo. One more Lancashire team with one less Yorkshire one would make it a lot more balanced.

People will say it is just because I am a Salford fan and I can see and understand all of the arguments against Salford but I would consider myself to be a RL fan first and formost. RL is struggling a lot in Greater Manchester with Oldham and Swinton struggling and groundless, Rochdale struggling. Super League needs a presence in the Salford/Manchester conurbation which is the largest population centre in Lancashire or Yorkshire. It is exactly the type of place that the RFL should be looking to develop as it is largely untapped. A strong presence in Salford/Manchester would do wonders for the game, especially with the BBC relocation. There is a long, proud history of the game here which we are in danger of losing. If we didnt already have a club there people would be saying we should set one up. If Salford faded away and became another Swinton then that is basically the end for professional Rugby League in the Salford/Manchester and the surrounding areas. Added to this with the rise of Sale then Rugby League will just get smaller and smaller.

I would also love to see Toulouse in the league as I think a second French club is a must. Also if Paris has the backers then the RFL would be very foolish to turn them away.

One or two on here are over looking Barrow. They are making great progress and are as deserving as any for a place. Its not all about Widnes and France.

This is all very interesting... especially as some months ago now John Wilkinson was supposed to have said at a public meeting that the RFL had personally issued him a warning. Unless 'actual' building begins on the Salford Stadium by the end of this year then they would not be looked on favourably for the next round of franchises.

Shortly after this 'those' letters were posted to the Infamous Five about ground improvements.

With the news that Salford are back to the stage of ground clearing and that this itself won't be started until spring next year I'd say things aren't looking too rosy for the Reds.

Those that are overlooking Barrow have almost certainly seen the state of their stadium!

It would be more than hypocritical for the RFL to punish one team for their facilities whilst overlooking the dump that is Craven Park.

They are currently in talks to renovate, but they don't have the finances yet and according to their fans it is looking like a mammoth sum needed.

Expect a very strong application from them in 2015 if Des doesn't get bored by then but 2012 is far too early for them.

Des might have his coaching badge by then so he can do it all himself

Indeed.

I'm guessing he already picks the team.

Just because they've won the Championship?

I think the key point was Lewis saying 'Yes' to the question posed whether a current SL team would lose their licence. That's a turn around, he has never said that before. He has always guaranteed a Champ side a licence, but he said that based on EITHER a side getting the boot, or increasing to 15 sides. I think it's a very interesting change of position from the RFL - looks to me like he's a bit annoyed at some broken promises and he's going to make an example of someone, and he's probably regretting not doing it last time round. Either that, or he needs to shoehorn Paris in somehow and doesn't want to go above 15 teams.

I think this upcoming round of licences could end even more accrimoniously that than the last lot.

I'm sure he said " a team would be invited to join Super League from the Championship" , this must point to Toulouse.

rowanandmartinslaughin.com/wolfgang.jpg Very interesting

rowanandmartinslaughin.com/wolfgang.jpg Very interesting

Leigh are the new darling club of the RFL



Only this week Nigel Wood has come out on record to say the RFL are looking forward to Leigh making a strong contribution to the Championship,already having granted them a relegation reprieve.

Not only did they as a visionary club fully embraced the RFL's 'Framing the future' blueprint, they have also fully applied all the recommendations the RFL laid down at the last franchise application process on facilities, finance,youth & community that they stated would assist Leigh developing into a 'future stong SL candidate'.

It's now by no means a co-incidence they appear to be assembling a strong playing squad on the field under the guidance of a world class head coach.

All of which has impressed The RFL and achieved without the need of any SKY handouts.

Whilst during the same timescales some SL clubs have, well you can all judge that for yourselves.....

Just a shame they'll win buggar all and therefore be ineligible for a Super League licence

that hasnt stopped the RFl before.

Quite simple this when Celtic finish bottom for next 2 year it got to be them it would be a discrace if team Likes Cas and Wakie go out of it they are the only area in yorkshire what are producing Super league youngsters not acadamy but born in there areas.
If these 2 teams went out of comp you will loose at least 3 or 4 Players from each England side because the youth developments in town would fininsh thats sound sad but very true.

Seems more accurate



Are these the recommendations that our Chairman collected on your behalf because your board spat their dummy and refused to attend the meetings after the last announcement.
Leigh have been given a reprieve because it suits the RFL.. in 2012 it will not suit the RFL to hand them a licence.

I thought the Featherstone area produced plenty of youngsters for many Yorkshire clubs. It seems that not being in Super League hasnt stopped the production of youngsters there.

Featherstone have only have 1 high school and 1 junior side Fev lions and thats on the border of Cas and most kids there are from Cas any way.

So the area's producing them, not the clubs? They're born in WMDC, but not developing through the Cas or Wakey academies?


Hang around: didn't you say you were talking bout players born in the area but who don't go through the two clubs youth development?

Is this the very meeting where your chairman told Leigh that the Widnes meeting with the RFL was absolutely pointless, and a complete and utter waste of time ?? !!

I very much doubt that to be the case taking into account the way that SOC has handled himself since the decision.

In any case it wouldn't have been a complete waste of time as it didn't show our board to be a whining, snivelling mob.
Make no mistake you're only in this division because what little extra money you bring to a few clubs in this division was a little bit better than the alternative.

I dont think the RFL would have been too bothered about that to be honest , in fact lets face it , the clubs in Championship 1 need the financial support that a bigger away following would bring than clubs like Widnes and Fax

It is quite simply ' convienient ' from the RFL's point of view with us finishing above Toulouse , basically everybody is happy

So, if it is Wakefield as many on here seem to be rubbing their hands (or other things) at, what is the point of the Franchise process when the CEO of the RFL and his board have already made the decision behind closed doors two years in advance?

And if that were to be the case, would Wakefield not have good grounds for legal action, as would all the other clubs, having possibly committed to spending money to support their application when the whole excercise was just a bit of window dressing anyway, and theyneedn't have bothered as all along it was Wakefield who were getting the boot.