Didnt we sign 2 welsh players a few seasons back

wouldnt be suprised seeing them in the celtic outfit next season and beyond

in my opinion i dont think salford should be in there at all. i dont feel they brought anything to super league the last time they were there, admittedly neither did widnes or leigh. but i feel widnes' setup is far superior to that of salford, leigh, Celts. even cas and wakey for me could have been replaced by widnes..

a lot of talk has been about how poor grounds are, but if it went purely on ground quality then Saints, cas, wakey, celts, salford... none of these would have a license so there are many factors why i feel widnes have been hard done to

Well done to Celtic as the development they have made in 3 years is phenomenal. may be 3 years too soon for them but only time will tell

2,561 for game with Widnes. The 'Big Team' in NL1



Er..Leigh?



from RFL Site
Despite previous relegations from Super League the club has a long history of financial stability. The club’s commercial and marketing plans appear well developed and will allow them to make use of a new stadium and access to the Salford and Manchester conurbations.

So would suggest not



Agreed. However at the end of the day its not all about stadia.

No chance Mate......I watched the Celtic v Whitehaven game on channel 4 Wales and the Haven fans travelled down in decent and vocal numbers and from the sounds & images on the TV they looked to be thouroughly enjoying themselves...and enjoying a good Game of rugby League to boot.....

We cant encourage that kind of positive behaviour now can we...??

Its not completely different at all, it just doesn't suit your argument.

Melbourne Storm being added to the NRL taking into account the games' popularity in Australia [iand[/i adding Celtic Crusaders to the SL isn't different?

Ok if you say so. Then let's hear your argument..

Leigh have gone abit nuts about it all on Sportinglife. It would be interesting to see the applications side by side and understand where the RFL believe that Celtic's application is of higher standard.

I would have admitted Widnes and Leigh personally with their new stadia built / nearly built. Advisory notices would have been sent to Salford and Celtic on what they need to do in order to achieve status in 2011.

Super League via SKY broadcasts has a biger profile currently in South Wales than the NRL had in Melbourne prior to their acceptance into teh competition. Not only that Celtic Crusaders already have some NL1 games broadcast on Welsh free to view TV.

Also as "rugby", as a concept, is embedded into the psyche of the local population. It is not as difficlut A job to sell the "summer version" of the game to an audience that already exists without having to educate them to the game.

You obviously know Melbourne well and therefore prior to the Storm what percentage of the population living there would you say had an interest in the game?

I believe Celtic have a decent chance of making a go of it. The one thing they won't receive to help them is the size of hand-outs that Melbourne have and continue to rely upon to exist.

I guess it comes down to those people who are willing to take in risk because they want the game to expand and be successful on a national level and those that are willing to accept mediocrity. If you rewind three years it will people the same people who forecasted the imminent disaster that Catalans were to be.

Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."

Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."

Quote ="Wirefan"Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."'" Cheeky barstewards.

Quote ="Wirefan"Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."'" Cheeky barstewards.

A lot more than I initially thought to be fair. Their first home game, which I remember fondly managed to bring Olympic Park to it's capacity (over 20,000). And thats no easy feat given that Victoria as a state tends to side with Australian Rules Football.

Catalans do deserve all the praise in the world I agree. But I do feel that their initial potential was far greater than Celtic Crusaders. Don't get me wrong, I can understand [iwhy[/i the RFL are trying to expand. But they're missing the simple concept that RL will struggle to stamp it's mark as a leading sport over here, regardless of who they choose to invite into the competition. Take Millenium Magic for example. I loved Cardiff to be honest. I'm sure you probably went yourself, if not this year, then last year? The average crowd over the 2 days was about 60,000 but I doubt that a great deal of those were Welsh Rugby League fans.

In 3 years, if Celtic are pulling in over lets say 7 - 8,000 and contributing sufficiently to the competition, feel free to dig this one up Paul and I'll be the first to hold my hands up

Well surely London / Harlequins / Fulham or whatever they wish to be called should be in the same bracket. Didn't the RFL bail them out of financial trouble to the tune of about £3 million not too long ago?
Something the RFL haven't done with the likes of Widnes, Oldham and Halifax, still it's all in the name of expansion



Widnes should be in. They have the stadium, support and the potential to make an impact in SL. Now with the inclusion of the Welsh we are going to have 3 games (Catalans, Quins, Celtic) at the HJ with absolutely no or little revenue, or atmosphere for that matter, generated from the away supporters. As far as I'm concerned the idea expansion should be scrapped. We've had 1 real success story, Catalans, the rest including London, PSG etc haven't worked. Harlequins had just over 2,000 there on Sunday which isn't good enough. We've been trying expansion for many years and not got anywhere with it. We even tried a side in Bridgend in the 1980's where Celtic are based and that failed too!

I thought they were being quite generous.

yeah but the rfl want a team based in london, i feel that quins should of been under more threat then wakey because they dont really contribute to the comp and their fan base is appaling, but the rfl's expansion plan would rather have quins in over widnes because their are already teams in the north west but there is only 1 in london

No. Anything else you want to make up?

Apparently the guy or people who have been bank rolling Celtic Crusaders threatened to pull the plug on the financing if Celtic didn`t get a franchise this time round, the RFL have obviously buckled to the pressure and went ahead with a sort of now or never thing with South Wales.

Can you imagine the crowd at the Brewery field (with field being the operative word) between Celtic and Quins or Celtic and Catalan, the RFL have been telling us for ages that as a sport we are moving towards modern stadiums with modern facilities yet they have turned down 2 clubs with all this in place already for 2 clubs that are renowned for poor crowds and will have falling down stadums for 2009.

Was just kidding pal, ayee thought they were quite generous considering we have been in and out of the top 6 for a good few years now. And our achievements mount up to one play-off win.

Maybe the same with the Catalans with that they can be televised away from home but S4C have home games!!!

In theory, Huddersfield have achieved more in SL than we have. One CC final appearance and one Playoff appearance is probably better than our one Playoff win and one Playoff appearance.

Oh dear god, even Wakefield might surpass us this weekend.

They should've been thrown out of Super league but by a vote of member clubs they were allowed to reform, only because 2 clubs abstained, and start a new company with no debts in a meeting with all member clubs, the RFL Chairman and the RFL Financial Controller.
So they did bail them out of trouble.
Something that wouldn't / didn't occur with any other financially troubled clubs from the RL heartlands.

wrong ! you arrange your working hours around your customer base ! and yes you can arrange them around some ko times but unfortunately you have travelling time from away games and seeing as my industry is in Warrington the travelling time comes into it .If you cant see my point you must just be a very narrow minded person .

Quote ="Wirefan" Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "[size=150The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent[/size. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."'" I wonder what the one or two aspects are?

Quote ="Wirefan" Feedback on Warrington from RFL Source: www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... __stadium/ THE RFL have paid tribute to Warrington Wolves' 'excellent' Halliwell Jones Stadium after confirming their place in Super League for the next three years. With promotion and relegation now banished, the current 12 Super League clubs will be joined by Salford City Reds and Welsh side Celtic Crusaders until 2011. That means Wolves' rivals Widnes will remain in the National League. Explaining the expected decision to hand Wolves a licence, the RFL said: "[size=150The club plays in a quality new stadium, which in all but one or two aspects is excellent[/size. "Further ground improvements are planned and although financial projections are challenging, the club has a good record in this area. "The club has strong sponsorship packages and a good commercial plan. "The club has performed reasonably well in Super League and has invested well in its playing infrastructure and now needs to start contesting major finals and semi finals. "At this stage it is not yet developing club trained internationals."'" I wonder what the one or two aspects are?

Tut, you lot aren't so long out of Wilderspool to be slagging off clubs for their grounds (especially when some of these clubs are just dotting the I's and crossing the T's on the paperwork to get started.)

Hull have moved to a far superior stadium - and they haven't gone all high and mighty on the rest of us stragglers.

In any case congrats on the franchise and see you at BV next year.

The RFL didn't bail out the Broncos - the other clubs allowed them to re-enter SL as a new company after winding up the old one. The RFL didn't give them a penny.

They were also only admitted on the basis of the changes that were coming along - becoming Quins, Lenaghan taking over etc.

Crowds are important as they obviously are the main source of revenue - however let's not ignore the importance of widening the talent pool. At the minute it is too narrow and will become narrower - for example Sale I'm sure cut into our playing pool along with Salford's and Widnes'.

Celtic's current average attendance is about the same level as UTC's was before they entered SL.

RL has learnt the hard way that a SL team should be the last piece of the expansion plan not the 1st. CC have the Welsh conference, and a Colts team plus junior development with the SL team as the place for those players to aim.

Does anyone know what Celtic Warriors' average attendance was? I've had a google but can't seem to find anything.

All those youngsters in Bridgend will now have something to do.