Again the RFL make themselves look like a bunch of idiots (I can think of better adjectives) every other club that has gone into admin has been docked the points equivelent to 3 games whatever league they were in.

The RFL have signalled their intent, so much was made of the Cru getting the playoffs this year, 4 pt deduction gives them the chance again this year great publicity for Sky (who are our paymasters).

Time for the RFL to tell the truth Sky want Cru, Cats and Quinns in at any cost, and they will sacrafice any other club for this except the topSL clubs.

As for some of the Cru fans coming on here giving it we have been punished with our point deduction get a life.

I was going to post more but came to the conclusion that sanjunien's posts are (hopefully) tongue in cheek.

Why would Sky want Wakefield? What is idiotic about trying to secure the most money possible for the game?

Not only are championship clubs given a usual 3 win deduction...they have less games to make the ground up...the RFL are pathetic

certainly not tongue in cheek ! please post more international rugby bits & bobs if you want to try to justify the Crusaders debarcle by one great national performance against a poor french team on the day
The south wales venture was a great innovation but the events over the past year have done nothing for the credibility of SL or the RFL

So the 2 years in SL has miraculously changed the make up of the Welsh national squad more than another two years in the Championships would have ?

Nah

As for the 4 point deduction

No comment

did people really expect the rfl to be consistent in its behaviour ?.

You are right.

Whitehaven have only 18 league games I think, at 3 points for a win = max 54 points.

Crusaders 27 games x 2 = max 54 points.

Whitehaven deducted 9 points, Cru 4 so clearly Haven's wrongdoing in entering administration was judged by the RFL to be worth more than twice the punishment of the Crusaders.

The 'debacle' involving improved crowds, increased junior development, vastly improved on-field performance etc? The club has 100x more credibility now, if you have posted this last year I could understand as the previous club was shambolically run but to say that thing have improved dramatically is an understatement. How can you possibly say the club in South Wales was better or had more credibility? You argued that Crusaders had done nothing for the game, that is so blatantly not the case. Equally you inferred that the RFL were a bunch of 'old farts', how can they possibly be described as that? The actions that seem to cause such antagonism are surely ones that are completely the opposite of what 'old farts' would do? Your posts made so little sense that I honestly assumed you were taking the p"ss.

With the greatest of respect mate, France are a joke. and I can't believe you are knocking another international side, especially after this year's European Cup.

I couldn't believe it when I heard they had only got 4 points. Has there been any justification from the RFL as to why Cru's administration is deemed less important than any other teams?

France are certainly a joke and I have nothing but admiration for the welsh team who played well in Albi which is a great testament to Iestyn & his back-room staff - the welsh lads were almost overwhelmed by their feat ! Jake Emmett said it was the greatest moment of his life,Danny Jones was on a different planet and Lee Briers was like a little kid at xmas and he didn't even play ! Gareth Thomas led from the front and was the inspiration.
You seemed to have missed the point of the original topic - that is the Crusaders justifying a place in SL which (IMO) has absolutely nothing to do with the performance of the welsh international side - The whole SL 'crusade' seems to have been an administrative disaster and I beleive Widnes would have been a more credible SL candidate,that's all.

HH - it's pointless posting a news item like that ! it's like saying Cas & Wakey are better than Crusaders just because the English team thrashed the Welsh team a couple of years ago in the WC warm-up game ! it's utter b****ks to compare the international & SL set-ups

It's nothing at all like that. Cas and Wakey are not the only Super League clubs in England, between them they have provided one player for the English national side since 2008. Of the Welsh side that beat France, 12 of the 17 are either current or former Crusaders players, or South Wales Scorpions players. Would they be competing with France had Crusaders not existed? No, the team would still be filled with Englishmen and be at the same level as Ireland and Scotland. Instead, they have won the European Cup in consecutive years with an almost entirely home-grown squad. You said that Crusaders had done nothing for the game. That is not only short sighted in the extreme, it's also complete and utter boll0cks.

If you are going to include former players then Wakie and Cas can add a fair few more to that one you are quoting.

Since you ignored this one , I'll give you another chance




As you have a better knowledge of the team than me away you go , tell us which players that the Crusaders have ' developed ' into International players , that weren't beforehand ?

Of that team, probably Kear, Roets, Thomas, White and Dudson would not have played. The point is not just the individual players though. Others like Flower would not have been at anything like the standard they are. It's a chance for Welsh players to compete at a higher level, just as Catalans allow French players that opportunity. Crusaders being in Super League also led to the formation of Scorpions which is another chance for Welshmen to play pro RL.

Argue all you like about Crusaders not 'deserving' to be in Super League or 'deserving' a heavier points deduction or whatever you want, but there's no way you can question their positive impact on the game in Wales.

Yes they have had a positive impact on the Welsh game , but nowhere near the impact you suggest , and quite possibly just the same as if they had stayed in the Championship

Of those players you have highlighted quite possibly only Thomas has become available because of the Crusaders elevation to SL , just out of interest , how many games have the rest played last season between them

And you claimed 12 out of 17 , but only name 5 , you were no doubt including the likes of Lennon/James and others in that 12 , were you including Anthony Blackwood , by chance ?

If you try to exagerate things you lose credibilty , dont do it

The catalyst for any current Welsh success was John Dixon and the endeavours of those based in Bridgend.
John Dixon was deprived of any finance when in Super League yet he had displayed superb professionalism when he was surrounded by an unreliable owner and irate followers of the game based in the heartlands,and then his players being subjects of 'easy targeting' by the UK Border Agency.There was massive development within a small timeframe.
The conduct of those running the club in Wrexham,and the RFL,has done nothing other than bring the game into disrepute and turn many against the expansion in Wales.
Because the Welsh have done well against other nations is to be applauded,but to put out the welcome mat just because a team coached by Bobbie Goulding has been defeated defies any logic as sides from Whitehaven,Keighley and Blackpool could probably replicate the victory.
[url=http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/2010---france-11-wales.htmlThe Welsh side on the day was hardly brimming with Super League players[/url
The points deduction,such as it is,serves only as a token gesture.

No, because Blackwood didn't play. The fact is that 12 are former or current Crusaders players. Lennon and James qualified previously, but the rest didn't. I don't care if you don't like Crusaders, and a positive impact on the game is probably seen as a negative by someone like you, but surely you can understand that kids playing at a higher level = improved standards of play, and a better club in a higher league with more money = better youth development. It's not a difficult concept to grasp.

Pretty sure the majority of posters hated Crusaders long before they moved to Wrexham. Please explain what the Wrexham administration and the RFL have done that has 'brought the game into disrepute'.

Why do you CONSISTANTLY wish to prove that you actually know NOTHING about the game?

I would have thought you would have learned by now!!!

Well if we're splitting hairs, Cas had two home-grown players capped for England in 2010...

So they are ?

And the number of games they played for the Crusaders last season is ?