Will you stop saying that.

he did ask you a very good question though. Why should championship clubs concentrate on developing players for other teams? What is in it for them?

You do seem to put a lot of time into your thoughts and ideas but, and i don't mean this as a criticism, you should maybe put some more time into learning more about the championship leagues and clubs as you don't really seem to have much perspective of what clubs/teams/fans in those leagues are about and some of your opinions and ideas about the Championships are way off the mark IMO.

That said I do agree with nearly everything in the last paragraph

No, it was to do with the 'you don't have a clue' on the SL War. I wasn't really into rugby league then, so it was more what I had read and assumed, than knowing from experience, as I was only 5 or 6 at the time.

About Championship Teams, I would say that incentives like points on the application of Championship Clubs for Super League, after the three years, the points of stay solvent, onfield performances, off field promotion of rugby league, rises in attendence etc could perhaps be acculmilated, and would form like a league table of general performance, so it would all be transparent, open, and fair.

Dodged the question quite nicely there. But your last paragraph is essentially meaningless.

I'll repeat it. Why should championship clubs develop players for other teams? What is in it for them?

They would develop players in their region, much as now, to gain brownie points to gain entry to super league, once they've got into super league, they would be able to retain those players, and also pick from other players in the area.

So let me get this straight...In your opinion the whole raison d'etre of the championship should be to develop players for teams in super league, and all they get out of it is imaginary "brownie points" which count towards a one shot every three years franchise? And the teams who have to wait a further three years, what's their purpose? Or the teams who are realistically never going to get to super league, what is their incentive? You've thought this through admirably sir.

Realistically though, how would Wakefield, for example, ever get themselves in a position to overtake one of the 5 Yorkshire clubs? Most people would agree that they are already weaker overall and have less success than their rivals in bringing youth players through - and thats from a position of being in SL. Once they are out of SL, their attendances will drop, they'll have no SL money, less money to spend on youth development, they'll be less attractive to sponsors. Even if in 2 years time they get their new stadium, most people still wouldn't want them in SL over any of the 5 Yorkshire teams than you have mentioned that you would keep in SL.

Halifax, for example have done as well as anyone could have expected over the past couple of years, considering their limited resources, but purely due to their location, they are not realisitically going to oust any of the current SL teams - and certainly wouldn't be one of the top 5 Yorkshire clubs. I understand peoples argument and desire to expand the game, but you can't realistically expect people who support the likes of Halifax, Leigh or Widnes to be excited at the prospect of being constantly overlooked in favour of expansion clubs - especially when its debatable as to the success of the expansion program.

Unless there is the same guarantee of a SL place to a Championship club who meets the criteria, then there is little or no benefit to Championship clubs to run academies or reserves. There's no way Leigh should spend thousands on searching for the next big star, for sole purpose of it being good for the game. I can't think of any sport, where independant clubs exist and invest money purely for the benefit of other clubs or the good of the game. IMO the only way lower league clubs will invest in anything is if they think they will get somewhere in the game i.e. possibility of a licence. Take that away and there's not much point in them spending anything other than what they have to - a safe playing arena and a winning 1st team.

Why have you included Harlequins in there?

If Quins were an animal they would be an old sick lame and blind horse who really want gently leading out into a field somewhere the other side of the M25 to be put down

....like the sharkies bazza

Will you stop posting crap then ? , why is it that the fans of SL clubs have this obsession with telling fans of the Championships what we should be doing with our competition , we dont want to merge together , we dont want to be feeder clubs , we dont want expansion clubs playing to different rules as us , we dont want foreign club exempt from relegation in our competitions , we dont want any clubs coming down with parachute payments , all we want is a fair deal , we either have P and R , or we have something guaranteed as regards getting into SL , or we just want to be told the truth , and if that truth is , " We dont want you " , then fine either help us properly to survive , or leave us alone to die on our own

But stop telling us what we should want , it has nothing to do with you

Top 8 in 2011 Gutters!

You just see if your old mate Barry McKenzie isn't right!!

just because you're an old man now,no need to act like a miserable old git ok ?

the RL set-up in europe is unusual to say the least - a real minority sport which should be working together instead of infighting
we all know your great desire to stay as a dinosaur league playing your cosy little parochial second-rate game in the northern wastelands but not everyone thinks like you fortunately ! believe it or not some people actually want to see the C/C1 progress and not just stagnate as it seems to be doing now woith people like you who cannot see further than than the factory wall and the disused pits etc etc -
for me (with or without french teams) the inevitable answer is P & R and as I have said many times,this will return one day when the game is really on it's knees.
By the way,I suppose you have already booked your flight to Toulouse ?..........

You draw this conclusion how exactly ?

No , as it is too expensive costing about the same as attending all the other away games put together , so I either give my money to Easyjet/Ryanair and the hotels /bars of Toulouse or have 13 days out watching 13 games of RL in England

Patronisation of the highest form right there. Shame on you for posting this drivel. People worrying about the future of their club and hoping to safeguard its future does not equate with wanting the game to stay in a "northern wasteland" (a discriminatory term if anything). What you have posted above is quite typical of the attitude of people Starbug has been highlighting.

People don't want to watch a lame duck competition. They don't want a competition which is uneven, capped at a low level, and artificial. They especially don't want the second tier to be nothing more than a feeder league for the top tier. Where is the motivation?

These people are the existing fans of the competition. It's suicide not to listen to them. No point to the sport without them.

Im sure the game in all its forms would survive if you stopped watching. The fact is the game was dying, it needed to change to survive. it would be suicide to have listened to them.

pity,I was really looking forward to buying you a beer and discussing the finer points of the game - i'm sure the other faithful Leythers will enjoy the trip on your behalf

yes,discrimininatory it is,well done for spotting that one at least !

the fans are the fabric of the sport at C/C1 level especially,you're right we should be heard but it's difficult when the powers that be consider these leagues as second-rate don't you think ?


generally you and your mate are typical of the numbskull attitude that will continue to drive our sport down even further - the 'lame-duck' competition is exactly what you will all be left with in your own little world up there in the wonderful, pulsating,vibrant (yawn yawn) northern paradise if you continue to resist some kind of progress - it's sad really...

If you think I'm going to bother playing your games though you've got another thing coming. As you've already brought this down to a personal level I might as well respond in kind. I haven't the time nor the inclination to indulge a prat like you in a game of pointless one upsmanship. We're done btw.

Now you are just trivialising all the issues and repeating the drivel about northern numbskullery earlier. You haven't a bloody clue and my opinion that you are a troll strengthens with your every post. None moreso than this one.

that's the answer to everything isn't it,call someone a 'troll' who doesn't agree with you - the easy option as usual - it's juvenile stuff,try something more original or are you one of the blinkered people never have been south of Watford ? bet you can se te M62 from your front parlour?

The problem is you're the one who attacks where people are from, not me. I've travelled all over the world. You're certainly a troll. Certainly. This post proves it. You're getting more obvious as time goes on.

i hadnt brought anything down to a personal level, simply said the game is bigger than you or me. Nice to see your lack of self-esteem shining through though. Its been a while since we have had a Dalton trademark hissy fit. Its like the good old days.

what is a 'troll' by the way ?

my years in the Merchant Navy where I really DID see the world (the good old days when sompe of he world map was still pink) taught me a lot and often ran into narrow minded numbskulls such as yourself - if you have indeed been about you will realise you are talking absolute nonsense except for the occasional lapse into sensible speak - I respect your worldly views but don't have to agree with them,or do I ?
no offence meant CD,it's good to see the passion in our great sport coming out in all it's forms....