I've never understood the obsession with expansion. There is very little appetite for rugby league outside it's traditional towns. There never has been, and it's unlikely to change just because London (who have been in it many seasons previously), Toronto (who have just bombed out of it in spectacular fashion), Newcastle (who played one season in it before "merging" with a longstanding club), Toulouse (who are completely unproven), York (who have been around for a long time and never really established at the top of the game), or anyone else you can to name is suddenly awarded a place in Super League.

Leigh is a town with a long standing rugby league heritage. It's not a big town, but the people there do support Leigh RLFC and will go and watch them (if/when crowds are permitted). Why is that some sort of taint on the game?

The crowds in Toronto suggest otherwise regarding appetite.

It is what choosing Leigh represents attitude wise, not the club itself.

The tragedy is these idiots would take you seriously.

They are blinkered and cannot see the truth.

Great post by the way.

Great post. If the sport and game is that bad as some on here portray, why don't they just move on?
In my lifetime alone..
London
Fulham
Bridgend
Gateshead
Mansfield
Kent Invicta
Cardiff

...have all failed. There seems to be an opinion that the sport will fail and collapse without this "global brand" that a number of posters keep harping on about. We are 155 years in and I see zero evidence to suggest this is the case.

If the sport is that bad, move on and find something else and take your angst ridden self importance elsewhere.

Otherwise, just enjoy the sport for what it is.

Yet you and people like Donnyman can?

look there's no shame in knowing you got it wrong just learn from it

London chairmans thoughts https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... tion-money

London chairmans thoughts https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... tion-money

Quote ="wire-quin"London chairmans thoughts https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... tion-money'" Thank you for that I was wondering what his position was and why the new ground? He clearly remains highly ambitious for London to be in Superleague 2022 now and so maybe he forsees (which is easy to do when your mate is Lenegan) that there will be some new standards of entry which may not include playing out of a small RU club grounds

Quote ="wire-quin"London chairmans thoughts https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... tion-money'" Thank you for that I was wondering what his position was and why the new ground? He clearly remains highly ambitious for London to be in Superleague 2022 now and so maybe he forsees (which is easy to do when your mate is Lenegan) that there will be some new standards of entry which may not include playing out of a small RU club grounds

Who are you referring to?

bearing in mind I was quoting you I'd say it was you or are you that thick not to realise



anyway its all sorted now we have 12 teams for next year and its looking like a strong championship too so lets see where the game goes from here you never know you might even get your wish of Wakefield being relegated next season

Agree with Hughes, absolutely disgusting that Leigh or any team should be without the same funding.

This is why league in the UK need an independent commission to avoid the clubs who only have self interests at heart who currently run the show from allowing such things to happen.

I kind of agree to you on this but then you and I don't know the reasons why do we as we're only guessing, I would say that the clubs have calculated all this in previously into the future their budgets and with the sudden back out of toronto then puts a different light on funding but then I'd say you know all this and so does Hughes but it doesn't stop him having a dig,

maybe he should of had the start we had in super league having no funding but again you clearly want to forget past.

Superleague have new whipping boys!

Wakefield and Salford will sleep better knowing they now wont be up for relegation next season.

There isnt much appetite within its traditional towns either.

Rapidly declining crowds across the board, losing sponsors, lower TV deal and no serious offers outside sky. Participation levels dwindling juniors through to open age. The game will not just persevere just because its 130 years old. The game is struggling at even in its so called heartlands.
The perception that some off us want a global trans Atlantic brand is just a myth created by the likes of donnyman, but what allot of us want is the game to break away from its Stereotype northern only game, but alas a large section of fans and apparently some owners want to regress backwards and become more insular. Regression is not the answer, nor is so called shutting teams down and moving them to Aberdeen and Stockholm etc, but i don’t know anyone (except in Donnyman head) proposing that.

I actually want franchising back and Leigh would be on my list, and certain clubs both sides of the pennines who gave promised and delivered nothing would be out.

Don’t know why you’re so bothered you prefer Union.

Just because I prefer a proper run, exciting global sport, doesnt mean I dont care about its little brother.

If licensing was brought back the criteria would have to be tougher on grounds and junior development than is was last time.

care to enlighten us on this as you seem to have the voodoo doll out again

Its going to happen as sure night turns day.
Certain clubs are going to have get their acts together as regards grounds and junior development

Isn’t your signature missing another line?

Why ? Your chosen (French club ?) could well get promoted next season, while rubbish M62 club Leigh Centurions get relegated.

Boo. Nah, right move to have Leigh in next yr. If ppl don't want to watch rugby that's their problem. IMO we should consider bringing back rucks similar to what they have in RU, ban being able to kick in a forwards direction and to go to 12-a-side. 5 in a non-contested scrum, 2 binding at the front, 3 binding on to the two forwards.

If it’s not contested why have them? They are hinderance in League now. How much time would be wasted forming a scrum?