do we?



Lewis and Wood are there to administer a sport rather than to speculate with limited RFL funds. Singling out certain clubs for substantial assistance while ignoring others. And doing it all without the explicit approval of RFL stakeholders.

Their 2 biggest financial projects have been Crusaders and the Bulls.

hardly surprising when Wood's previous experience was taking Fax into administration.

So are you saying that the guy cannot In any way have an opinion?

Oh and how many mistakes did Mcmanus make that you know of to form your opinion.

OK, I apologise for my flippant statement

Looking at the latest RFL report published (2010), the RFL invested £8.7m into the sport in that year. This is a 532% increase from the 2001 value of £1.6m

The annual report will put a positive spin on things but I for one think this a very good achievement

Of course, how clubs at all levels of the game spend this £8.7m is their problem, not the RFL

I wonder if its just the chairmen that cant afford to match the investment of other chairmen that are complaining.?

Yes, they could start with this:

" We need transparency, honesty, bravery and decisiveness to admit where mistakes have been made and to remedy them forthwith "




Very true, it does however, seem highly ironic.




Again, the irony meter has gone off the scale.


Incidentally, I'm not praising the RFL or having a go at you, I just think there are some clubs who are in situations of their own making and are looking at deflecting blame.

In the light of what we now know happened at Bradford, I wonder if the RFL are calling in debts/refusing to lend against sky money. Pure speculation by the way.

Well the SL charimen voted to have a title sponsor for free.

Complaining that the Super League is financially unviable because the RFL is giving money out to areas other than the SL clubs seems to me like a bully demanding the pocket/dinner money from other kids in the school, and trying to get the headmaster to endorse them.

If Hull KR and Bradford are spending more than they can afford to, what on earth should the RFL be doing about it? These are supposedly bright business people, they can't and shouldn't rely on anyone else to do their sums for them.

And why on earth did the SL chairmen (NOT the RFL) vote to have the league sponsorship for free?

And if those clubs c*ck up their board should be held accountable. It should not be the role of lewis and wood to pick some clubs and offer them substantial financial help while leaving others. If Wood and Lewis want to advance £700K to the Bulls (or Crusaders) or buy Odsal they should ask the RFL council for permission to do so. They don't do this!

At least they voted on it. When Wood wants to advance the Bulls £700K he does not have to get anyone to approve it.

I think Chairmen in the SL and the championship are now getting sick of Wood behaving this way.

Then maybe the RFL (which of course includes the SL clubs) should change the way they allow themselves to be run Presumably Lewis and Wood are acting totally within the operating rules and within the authority the CLUBS have given them...

3 chairmen have complained, how many are happy with they way the game is run?

clubs were never told that Wood and Dicky were advancing £700K to the Bulls or buying Odsal. Likewise Wood and dicky took over cougar park without a debate with Council / championship clubs.

My guess is that clubs think the interpretation of the operating rules has been stretched too far. If 3 are publicly questioning the competence of Wood and Lewis it is likely several others agree in private. lets wait and see how many clubs publicly endorse the competence of Wood and Lewis (dont hold your breath)

It doesn't matter how much money you dish out to a bad businessman, he'll still be a bad businessman. Run your clubs better.

Then why are only 3 chairmen complaining?

Perhaps they are actually trying to make everyone look the other way while they mismanage their own clubs?

What did the RFL do at Cougar park? You have made a statement as if you actually know, or are you just picking up on internet one liners?

Can you actually explain to me? (without rushing off to consult various speculations via google)

Why are they complaining about huge amounts of money being allocated with the approval of stakeholders...why do you think



Try to make everyone look the other way.....oh dear, is that your analysis?

As far as I can tell, your main gripe with the RFL is that they have extended help to clubs that have found themselves in financial difficulties

You do not have to believe me. Check the facts for yourself.

What a coincidence. The RFL control Cougar park and Kear calls keigthley cougars the 'Manchester City of the championship' because they have plenty of money to spend on players.

Nope. try again.

They have extended hugely dispproprtionate help to a few clubs while excluding others AND doing so without the explicit approval of stakeholders. These stakehilders are now biting back.

Hmm, you mean like the way a board of directors uses the money of a company without the express permission of the shareholders? Gosh, that sort of thing will never catch on.

Lewis and Wood are working for the benefit of the Rugby Football League and the game in general. They might be making mistakes, but thats for the RFL to decide at their AGM, or even an EGM if its deemed appropriate.

What Hood, Hudgell and McManus (who has a track record of whinging) are doing is trying to pass the buck.

I know the "facts" but you clearly don't. Reading gossip on a fans forum does not count as truth. (nor do the ramblings of John Kear). What little credibility you had has suddenly evaporated.

No it is a fact. Nothing to do with forums. You are too lazy to find out for yourself. Live with it. I will cope with not being credible in the eyes of someone as ingorant as you.

This garbage is still on the RFL site:

=#0000FFLewis explained that the [size=150rigorous assessment process [/sizeto which the licence application of every club is subjected had prompted the decision by Crusaders to withdraw their application.

“As part of the on-going scrutiny applied by the thoroughness of the licensing process Crusaders decided to withdraw their Licence application,” he said. “The RFL will now enter into discussions with Crusaders regarding their possible participation in the Co-operative Championship.

The final decision on the awarding of licences was made by the RFL’s independent Board of Directors following a detailed assessment process by the RFL Executive, who received valuable support from property consultants Savills, finance company KPMG and governance and business management experts at Leeds Metropolitan University.

“As welcome as the improvements in grades are, [size=150it is just one element of proof that licensing is meeting its objectives of driving up standards.[/size Lewis said there will be no relaxation in the desire to drive up standards and has warned the clubs which have been awarded a C Grade licence that they cannot rest on their laurels.

“The RFL’s independent Board of Directors reserves the right to revoke any licence awarded for the period 2012 to 2014 if it feels a club is failing, or not fulfilling, its obligations to help the competition meet the objectives of investment and growth,” he said.

“This is not a new provision, but the RFL will be subjecting those clubs whose applications are largely predicated upon future undertakings or with variable performance against past promises, to more rigorous assessment during the next licence period. [size=150Membership of the Super League demands high standards[/size.”

They need to remove this from the site.

[urlhttp://www.therfl.co.uk/licensing[/url