Making stuff up doesnt usually stop you

Do you know how many Toulouse fans were at the Bradford Bulls game last month where if they won would clinch top spot and a home tie in the semi final ? I will tell you, ZERO. Not one French supporter was in attendance. My brother-in-law attended the game and was amazed by this, although I wasn't.

The derby games will be interesting in were loyalties lie. 15 years of Catalans who have generated support from other areas. Those areas will now be compromised but what road will they take?

Away fans are a luxury. Any club that budgets include away fans will end up broke, shaking buckets and booking Rick astley!

Another game without atmosphere

As opposed to having to listen to that godawful band that you have and hearing offside at every ptb like at Leeds games

Leeds Rhino's, we're Leeds Rhino's, Leeds Rhino's, we're Leeds Rhino's, Leeds Rhino's, we're Leeds Rhino's, Leeds Rhino's, we're Leeds Rhino's, Leeds Rhino's, we're Leeds Rhino's....ETC.TC.ETC.....tedium at its finest


I genuinely hope Toulouse recruit well and push for the play offs....they're the 2nd largest city club now after Leeds, have plenty of cash and they are part of a Rugby family that doesn't care about code wars...they want to make money, entertain and win trophies!

Bless

see it didnt take long for one club owner to come out whinging! reported in the examinerlive (west yorks version)

Bradford have never budgeted on away fans.

In fact we’ve not really budgeted much in the past at all

They could just do what the teams at the bottom of SL do. Promote random amateur players to the first team squad on £50 a game and claim they have "developed SL quality players"

Let's just dispel this myth.
Catalans have a squad of 15/25 Frenchmen. Toulouse slightly less so 12/25.
People seem to want to criticise Catalan if they aren't universally a team of frenchmen, forgetting that most SL teams have a number of overseas players in their teams. Catalan have as many french players as most other SL clubs have English.

The fact theyre not all French is just natural progression of their club, where players move around. The true gauge of success imo is that there are other French players playing in SL who are not playing for catalan. Were it not for recent developments in the game, players like Fages and Escare would not be playing for Saints and Salford etc.

It should be interesting who they have lined up to strengthen their squad.

Most clubs are on the lookout for a big prop, you suspect TO will also need one.

Houles looking to bring in four or five new players.

I see what you did there.





Catalans run with about 3 first choice French players and the rest of the first choice team is imports........

So if Catalans have for all these years run with such a make up then it appears there aren't that many top class i.e. Superleague first team quality French players about which is a shame. This may be why the French national side have been annually slaughtered by Great Britain.

So when Toulouse join Superleague they too will need to import most of the first team. Now that's just how it is and for me Toulouse have worked hard and waited since 1996 for this chance that they deserve. BUT Toronto didn't even bother to develop any players..........

And the thing is that for many years it has been made clear that SL clubs need to develop players and attract TV deals. That was asked of Toulouse, That was asked of Toronto, that was asked of Les Catalans........

So if Toulouse field a largely imported team and don't manage to find a TV deal then they fail the true test on membership to Superleague. But all that may have gone by the board.

I suspect those polices SL ran with for years are out of the window and the two French clubs will be tolerated because of their very rich owners, and the fact SKY want 10 English clubs and that can be fitted into a 12 club Superleague.

But you didn't think for one minute if SL had been reduced to 10 only 8 of the clubs would have been English??..................Did you??

This is different.


I'm just so pleased Leigh Centurions promoted their locals from their reserve and Academy side during their stint in Super League.
Those M62'ers are an example to us all.
125 years of unadulterated brilliance as they complete their money grab.

I find it hilarious that somehow Toulouse are expected to bring a tv deal- did Leigh? Would Fev?
I also find it hilarious that somehow the fact that only a dozen “away” fans will turn up , suddenly clubs are going to financially struggle without the 300 extra tickets they might have sold at 1 game next year had it been another side.
Then the fact that Toulouse are expected to bring to the table half a dozen top class home grown players - what like Fev and Leigh?
Did I miss something - or is this just really xenophobia by excuse?

Yep

Little Englander behaviour at its finest. #bluepassport

Didn't you know that small northern towns with clubs in SL see sky sports subscriptions go through the roof and in turn see sky paying more for the broadcast rights.

That's the myth I've seen told before.

This.

Any club could promote young players to 1st grade but thats not how you judge whether a clubs development system is working.

The players have to be good enough and the reality is there are very few players across the whole competition which make it to 1st grade because they are genuinely good enough.

Or multiple folks with the same agenda regurgitate the same gaff and then are`nt seen for months on end until a certain topic appears.You are part of Lord of the Flies.

If the board was more nrl centric I would gladly post more. The state of super League currently just doesn't create enough discussion.