Hands up I gotitwrong, disappointing by Leeds. So it looks like we go to HKR or Toronto - what a shame........

What a total joke Leeds is this season. A pathetic performance. They also looked utterly exhausted.

Also, I suspect the halving the parachute payment idocy from the RFL (how was that decided?) will mean Widnes totally fold, meaning we're away to Toronto.

RFL will put stupid expansions above all others. I agree we need to expand the game but do it properly and not just admit teams because they have financial backing. The rugby teams which are already around also need help from the RFL ie Bradford, Widnes etc not just pushed into financial situations that breaks them. Forcing clubs to grounds which hold far more people than is necessary ie Salford and possibly London is stupid and doesnt help anyone. Far better to have clubs in 100% safe grounds. But hey if the RFL want to push clubs out of being who are we to argue we are only paying fans

How did it not come up in a committee meeting that sharing the parachute payment for relegated SL clubs would create a conflict of interest?! It's a blatant flaw.

we will go to Toronto... With RFL stating that widnes would lose £250k if KR go down, widnes will lose by 40+ on sunday to ensure they keep the £500K

its amazing just how stupid the people running RL are... What a collective bunch of idiots.... They are effectivly paying Widnes to lose

There isn't any stands or cover to protect the spectators from the elements at Toronto Lamport stadium surely this stadium fails to meet the RFL minimum standards criteria for a professional rugby league ground

Not sure if the standards actually say anything about the stands having to be covered! Just talk about capacity

Money paid as parachute payment is only any good if it’s Spent wisely AKA Leigh! Even with an extra hand out they not stay up.
Think the whole central funding issue is one of the big problems in the game that will not be resolved unless there is a radical shake up.
If that means franchise again! Then Toronto tick a lot more boxes than us!

There isn't any stands at all at the Lamport Stadium

Ok if you wish to be pedantic. Don’t think there is anything that says the designated seating areas have to be covered.
What do you want to call the two structures either side of the pitch at lamport stadium. What ever you wish to call them they have the ability to seat 9000 plus
Besides they are Canucks they have big coats and boots to keep warm

So are you saying visiting teams supporters should take various types of clothing to cater for any type of weather conditions they may encounter at the game.

Cover or no cover on the stand in Toronto. The weather would prevent any games being played before April at the earliest on the pitch.

Average temp in Toronto in March 5 deg
Average temp in Manchester in March 7 deg.

Worse month for snow in Toronto is Jan, Feb yes they can get a bit but on average in Feb they get a total fall of about 10 inches with snow on about 9 days f the month!

How much snow did we get in the UK this year? The country ground to a halt. Difference with the Canadians is they know how to deal with it.

And Geoff, yes am saying visiting supporters if it’s going to be cold take a coat, a bit like they would if they were going to Batley

Bosty I agree severe weather may prevent games being played on the pitch, just like it does here when it snows

How much snow did we get in the UK this year? The country ground to a halt. Difference with the Canadians is they know how to deal with it.

Maybe because every year without fail north america knows the percentage of snowfall and therefore investing in a great amount of machinery to cope with this is not economic suicide as it would be if we did that. They have it down to a fine art because as sure as eggs are eggs it is the same year in year out but our weather is sparodic to say the least.

And Geoff, yes am saying visiting supporters if it’s going to be cold take a coat, a bit like they would if they were going to Batley.


You dont have a weight restriction on luggage, or have a number of days clothing to go to Batley you pop the case in the car and come home next day.

Bosty I agree severe weather may prevent games being played on the pitch, just like it does here when it snows

Does this mean the next excuse to play half a season here and half a season in Toronto save them using their energy on travelling.

One way or another I would like to see them go up. It will be good for RL.

It is not snow that would be the problem, it is ice.

Scroll down the link below & count the number of UK towns & cities with populations above 50,000 that dont have a professional Rugby League team. worldpopulationreview.com/countr ... on/cities/

Scroll down the link below & count the number of UK towns & cities with populations above 50,000 that dont have a professional Rugby League team. worldpopulationreview.com/countr ... on/cities/

Bosty, what’s ice got to do with it!? Do they get more ice than normal?
Itsmeagain, so you agree, the Canadians know how to deal with snow, ergo it’s should not present any problems.
As for taking warm clothing on a flight, 1000s manage it every year, and nothing stopping folk wearing the big coat, when it’s 7 deg in Manchester airport maybe that’s even a good idea.
The reason they didn’t play first half of the season in Canada this year was nothing to do with weather!

Think really the discussion is focussing on the wrong thing.
If Toronto win next week and they go up, they have the financial backing, they have the support of the RFL, they have a stadium that can handle 9000 fans, they have a playing surface that is all weather. They have the ambition. They have a core squad signed. They are pulling gates of decent numbers
The sad fact is, and don’t forget I am actually a broncos fan.
If we win next week, and I hope we do, But!
Not sure we have the financial oomph! Not sure the RFL give a damn about RL in London anymore (I am involved in community level Rugby remember), even if Trailfinders could get a second New temporary stand, for SL Vallis road is not great and capacity would be 4000ish max.
We have a core fan base of maybe 400.
How many contracts signed for next year?
How keen are the club to actually go up, and spend the money needed to stay up?

Do I want us to win next week? Of course I do! Out of the 2 set ups of us and Toronto who is in better position to go up though?

Geoff, not sure what your point is with your link!

I dont understand the logic in having a professional team based 3500 miles from the UK,if you read the link you can see how many UK towns & cities haven't got a professional rugby league team yet the RFL keeping telling everybody what a great product they have but they seem unable to market & sell the product to the majority of the UK.

The logic is pretty simple, someone in Toronto with the money the vision and the drive put a team together and applied to play in the English league.
Unless you have someone who is willing to do that, makes not a jot what the size of a town is, the RFL don’t set the teams up.
The advantage they have in Toronto, it’s something new, try to set up the same thing in lots of UK towns you already have life long prejudices ingrained.
The logic is they made the effort, same at Bernard gauche in Perpignan, then put the money in to make it happen.
Don’t think anyone in here wouldn’t love to see the game boom in london, Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle but it does not happen by magic

Richard Branson had the money & the vision what went wrong?

I think the whole idea is actually bonkers, but it s what it is, they are here and they have earned there place in the MPG. Will it achieve anything? Who knows. Could the game take off in N America? Be good if it did! Would that result in an improvement of the game in UK? Not sure it will. Should the priority be the game at home? Certainly, but expansion in England is not really working in its current guise, look at Wales, Oxford, Coventry, Nottingham, even London to an extent, so why not embrace something like the Toronto experiment and see if it reaps rewards here.
Pretty sure al, those years ago when a pro team in london emerged there were lots of folk asking similar questions but on a smaller scale, ie what’s the point of a team 200 miles away.

Branson was a sponsor, he didn’t give a hoot about the sport, all he was interested in was exposure of his brand!
That’s not vision or ambition. It’s will this make my company money. He quickly went away when it didn’t.