I just knew it a SL drone who accepts everything that Fat Controller and his sidekicks at the RFL say and who dare question the Mighty One???
You know our bid was poor do you? Seen it personally?
This is the problem with this naff system its like a private club or more like a Communist state all done under cloak and dagger and you cannot challenge the authorities or if you do they turn things on you like slag off your application and the ones 'in the club' swallow every word like you have done pal.
As for Bradford's youth set up they come over to Halifax and take young players from this area which is still strong as Bradford believe it or not is not a strong area for RL below the Bulls, plus the RFL do not fund anything for a youth set up to clubs below SL apart from 'Development' areas like London, Sheffield etc...
We have to raise money through the supporters Trust to help run an U23s, we don't get any money for the TV deal now so life is tough down here but hey you stay in your chummy club and stick up for your 'mates' even if they are bust!

If they end up in Championship 1 then they will struggle to keep hold many players at all. Going from a salary cap of 1.6million to a salary cap of £150k will mean any academy/youth teams will be vastly reduced/scrapped in order to stay within the cap. Hopefully they could take some of the most promising youngsters with them to CC1, but if those youngsters have SL ambitions they will more likely move to another SL club.

I think the Bulls could find it more of a struggle than some would expect if they do get demoted. Not certain they would 'walk it' straight away. It takes time to build a team on such a small salary cap and I imagine most of the top teams in that league will be spending up to/close to the cap so they will not be able to spend any/much more than the likes of Barrow, Whitehaven etc. are spending.

Hopefully it wont come to that, but I imagine we will find out more tomorrow, isn't that the 'deadline'?

First things first, my club is one of the fortunate clubs that at the moment, wouldn't be affected whether we use P&R or franchising. My personal opinion is franchise for the medium term to get clubs such as Fax, Leigh, Fev & whoever else closer to SL level (for what its worth, from what I know Fax have been carrying out some great work that should be applauded). The when there is a reasonable amount of clubs at that level, revert to P&R, then best team wins.

No, I dont know it was poor, nor do you know it was one of the best 14 so I dont really see the value of your point. But I'm not buying into the conspiracy that the RFL would do teams over to look after its mates...at the end of the day it's success comes from having the best product, therefore the best 14 clubs. I have as little reason to doubt the accepted 14 teams being the best as you do reason for thinking they're not.

It's a case of "my club didn't make it, its stings and I will stomp my feet"...that's natural but doesn't make it right. Do a Widnes...go away, work hard come back stronger next time...that's a good approach to any rejection in life I think.

I'm not going to criticise Bradford for casting its youth net beyond Odsal...that's good scouting and that's part of a good youth set up. Warrington have had a few Welsh lad and Cumbrians come through its youth team...it makes sense to get the best of what's around.

SL teams have Supporter's Trusts too to help support the youth system, but I acknowledge your point about further funding...how the funding is split is a whole different bigger arguement that needs addressing. I know its tough for teams in the lower divisions. Halifax should be praised for turning a profit in the tough times!

End of the day, it wont change my life as to who enters or leaves SL over the whole Bulls situation...but a year on I'm bored of bitter fans crying they didn't get in.

Go away, work hard come back stronger next time

Fax are in their 9th season out of SL, and we're off to our 4th final in 4 years this Sunday. Life really ain't that bad outside of SL, and any "test" of loyalty for fans just demonstrates that they're not really true fans. A little different for any financial backers, admittedly.

I've supported Fax for nearly 40 years, seeing pretty much everything the game can offer in that time, and I still get a buzz on a Sunday afternoon (or Thursday/Friday evening) in anticipation of going to watch [umy[/u team.

Great post! Enjoy your Final day!

As a london Broncos supporter, I believe the post above sums up what's great about our game. Regardless of point scoring between rival clubs fans, collectively, we are some of the most passionate sports fans around and it's just a shame there aren't more of us.

Would still kick you out on principle though.

The only post you have made on this thread that isnt bollox

I have recently stopped going to games because quite simply they are pretty meaningless, you say ' go and do a Widnes ' , so you mean find somebody to tip millions into your club?

Yes clubs do need to work harder, but they also need a guaranteed prize for that work, anything else is just a waste of time

It could be argued that there is a prize for all the hard work, just not the same prize that exists in most other sports ie promotion to the top tier.

This!

Yet some people would rather point the finger at the RFL rather than look at why their own club isn't coming up with the required goods.

Hmmm, I disagree.

Halifax show that you dont particularly need someone with the millions. Didn't the RFL summary of their bid say that the the team, facitilities etc were really good, but that the manner in which its bid was put forward left a lot to be desired? You dont need the millions to make a solid presentation of where a club is and where you see it going...just thorough, hard work.

There is a prize for people to work for and people know that its acheived through franchising. Everybody knows this from the off and that is what they should work towards.

Its a comparable argument to people moaning that finishing top of the league doesn't make you champion...well we all know the score from the start so that's how it goes.

It's a shame you dont go to support your team anymore and enjoy your rugby like the poster enjoyin his build up to Sunday's final!

Exactly.


Its going to watch my team that matters, sucess is the aim, but its the journey that keeps us going to watch. Whatever happens to my team today (or later in the season if the deadline is extended... as I suspect it might be) I'll be there next season in whichever league someone is playing in the bradford red amber and black.

And a bit of truth perhaps? Bradford.
1) "Where the club is" (up crap creek without a paddle)
2) "Where yo see it going" (straight into Administration)

All beautifully presented though (aprt from points 1 and 2 of course. They left those out.


Fax got Santa to deliver their bid in a helicopter - that's pretty good going considering that Santa sleeps from January to September (the bid was delivered in March). Fax of course shouldn't be considered for SL until they come up with better crowds and solid financial backing - just my opinion of course.

In the grand scheme of things, all sport is meaningless. If your team wins the highest prize available to them, sure you celebrate, but your life carries on pretty much as it ever did. Enjoy sport for what it is.

No no no. This is wrong. I'm STILL dining out on Fax's 1987 Wembley victory over St.Helens. That memory is going to help me when i'm dribbling in a nursing home with Alzheimers.

Ask a Widnes fan about their WCC victory over Canberra three decades ago. They're still crowing about about it today.

Seeing your club win the highest accolades IS a life changer.

Dreams and memories, pretty much sums it up and some excitement along the way

Indeed. That dramatic "Battle of Belle Vue" match between your club and Castleford in 2006 was an epic. You can't buy memories like that (well, unless you're Ambramovich of course).

I can get you a dvd for a small fee

i know a lad who plays for fax youth team and he says that halifax had the call on wednesday night telling them to be ready for sl next season as bradford were put in the championship.

probably not true but i thought i'd put it on here

Unfortunately, as a Trinity supporter, that’s about as good as it gets.

You’ve seen your team win silverware, whereas we witness salvation from relegation.

If Bradford were to drop out of S.L or even cease to exist (Which is so not going to happen) at least their supporters have seen it all, Grand Finals, WCC’s & Challenge Cups that can never be erased from their memories.

When Melbourne were stripped of their titles the fans will always remember the elation of the captain lifting the trophy.

I'm still eating out on London’s first 2 tries verses Leeds at Wembley in the 99 Cup final - the last 60 minutes dont exist.

London’s been 5 mins and one vote away from extinction too!!

Think yourselves lucky you've seen silverware!

rlfans it a nutshell. That gave me a smile.

Interesting how so many view the championship as "extinction".

Yet they're more than happy to have teams consigned there long term as strangely this particular oblivion is a "vibrant" competition.

The whole Internet in a nutshell!