It will go down like a lead balloon, but this international nonsense and all the focus on it is farcical, pie in the sky BS.

They are on a different planet, but the NRL thrives so why can't SL? An even bigger goal would be to look American sports who also thrive without any international calendars too. All that success was originally based off the quality of their leagues and the quality of week to week competition (not 4, or 5 international games at the end is the year). Even bl00dy darts make more of a spectacle than we do.

What makes RL the best sport in the world, imo of course, is rivalries and the passion of the fans. I honestly believe that if the Hearns had taken over, then they'd have marketed the $h!t out of the league and sold its positives. That's how this game grows, that's how this game survives.

We need more international imports and ways to retain better talent. All with the goal of making the domestic competition the main focus. Obviously this won't ever happen, but I'm using it as a way to make a point, if RL in Australia was suddenly banned and the top talent came over to SL we'd see the game grow. Why? Because the games would be of a better standard, the skills and highlights would be better etc.

Fully agree about Eddie Hearn taking over. They had preliminary talks I believe but it went nowhere.

RL needs some fresh eyes on the game, some innovative out of the box thinking. Something that the Hearns would bring in spades. Too many dinosaurs in charge of the game.

No we don’t. We could get Elon Musk in but nothing will work when clubs don’t do enough off their own back. There are 4 teams in SL who get it. Saints, Wigan, Leeds and Catalans. The rest are complete rabble who will never get it right until they change the personnel at the very top of their club. Look at Warrington. They should be massive but their business plan is built upon social media likes. Like wtf! Really? As long as they get followers on Facebook they are happy. Look at Wigan. They have just won the reserve grand final by using their academy players. That is quality and potentially setting themselves up with a number of first team regulars in a few years. In the meantime warrington are trying to think of ways to get more Tik tok followers.

Saints and Wigan didn’t get to where they are by luck. Or by external companies with no ties to rugby league trying to change things for the better. They did it theirselves

The Hearns would always have been a huge punt. They have a background in selling indoor ‘lads sports’ like Darts and Boxing (I go to both now and again). Those sports are individual sports, where the audience are there for a drinking session, as much as the sport but this is a family game and a team sport. It just isn’t the same and whilst I’m sure they have been bold with it all, there would be no guarantees it would work.

Now I’m loathed to agree with Lebron, Wolf, Curry, 69 mon but he’s right in that the formula isn’t rocket science when it comes to being a successful rugby league club. There have been 4 winners of the Superleague title since 1996. The rest of the game should feel embarrassed, especially clubs like Hull FC and Wire who have had enough advantages over the rest to at least snare one. Hull are a big big club and Wire have had fortunes thrown at them but they’ve both cut corners when it comes to academy production. I don’t give a club like Catalans loads of credit tbh. They throw money at problems but it’s telling IMG want to put in a stipulation that they need to have a set number of French players. A club like Salford have done great this season, with a squad full of players brought through other clubs systems (bar Sneyd). They’ve gone great and their fans have had a great time but it’s not sustainable. Leigh will come up but again, it isn’t sustainable, it’s simply existing off other clubs work.

I’m really interested to see how this grading system will work. I sincerely hope there is a big weighting towards working in your community and bringing players through your system. As sad as it is, there are loads of clubs that need to be forced down that path.

The problem with Hull FC is they (and their supporters) are so transfixed on being the best club in the city as its the only thing that matters they choose to ignore the fact that they are miles behind the Top 4 year on year. This works vice versa with Hull KR too.

Two midtable teams hoping to simply be above the other over the last thirty five years.

Over the same period of time Wigan and Saints have taunted each other with periods of success. As one wins the league, the other usually not far behind is trying to plot a downfall. I'm convinced this is why the two clubs have maintained a steady procession of success.

WOW just WOW you made a lot of sense there 69

to be fair wires youth recruitment has been superb in the last few years, I think they will start to reap that in the next few

The sad thing is we have been here before (start of SL) with franchises, setup requirements about grounds/academy, gradings, improvement plans etc etc etc.

It worked briefly then (despite the stupid expansion plans of the time - Paris really?) but very quickly got watered down by the clubs with no ambition who couldn't and wouldn't change over a fairly short time frame the plans were watered down/amended and finally abandoned.

I honestly cannot see things being any different this time, the (usual) naysayers will say nay and water down the ideas and we will end up with some kind of hybrid (read lack of ambition) plan that maintains the status quo as much as possible and drifts back to the old ways within a short time.

Mere survival for some clubs seems to be the highest business plan they can conceive.

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/agent-re ... nos-59773/ Interesting read. I wonder if Wigan have a similar process?

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/agent-re ... nos-59773/ Interesting read. I wonder if Wigan have a similar process?

Those of us who remember what Hull and Hull KR were back in the 70s and 80s will agree with this wholeheartedly.

Humberside should be an RL fortress, but unfortunately they've now become the game's Celtic and Rangers, two dwarfs continually arguing about who is tallest. I've not seen anything in the IMG plans suggesting mergers, but these two ought to be prime candidates, as the game's so-called 'greatest derby of them all' (which never ends and seems to occur permanently at mid or lower table), is holding the rest of us back.

Ultimately it’ll boil down to brass or lack of it,the clubs can’t survive on the the games they have now do where is the money going to com from if they do go ahead and cut them,though I suspect SL will increase in size,the mid season international is fine but against who?France and who else?

A lot of what’s been trotted out is stuff that’s been tried before yet because IMG say it’s great isn’t an automatic golden pot at the end of the rainbow.

Exactly - money will always be the driving force but clubs need to look outside the box a bit more, most clubs have a significant asset sat idle for most of the year (ground) so need to look at how that can be utilisied more as an example. Just playing games of rugby these days is not enough to survive on (especially for smaller clubs) - most clubs need money putting in, thats why these pie-in-the-sky ideas will fail again. Ultimately it is about entertainment - that is what brings in the fans and sadly there is a lot more available these days than standing on a cold, poorly equipped sports ground paying over inflated prices for a poor product especially for the younger age ranges (what is the average age of RL fans?) who want more immediate entertainment and the cost of living increases are going to really hurt RL I feel.

Well to be fair Saints are Leeds are two examples of clubs that do use their stadium all year round. Its why both clubs suffered more than any other clubs during COVID when the stadium was out of bounds to weddings, conferences and parties.

Fortunately for Saints Langtree (I will never call it the TWS) was used as the regional vaccination centre which allowed costs to be covered. Even then we could have charged more but due to the circumstances we ensured that we charged a fair price for the facility.

Post COVID we have held a concert back in June and the stadium is back to normal operational capacity.

I thought I would thank you for coming on a Wigan site to tell us that you and Leeds are doing the right thing and that all is back to normal at Saints.
I know it is sarcastic.

This seems to have become the thread for discussing the proposals and future....

As others have said, standards/the bar need to be set high and it’s up to those who want to be involved to bring themselves up to them.

I see a lot of fans of some clubs deriding mythical “sunlit uplands” etc. but I don’t think anyone is promising that… Surely though the best chance for League to better itself is to have highly professional organisations presenting a highly professional product.

I’m all for licensing with serious criteria to hold one. Just putting money into your first team squad (a constantly short term, easy, sticking plaster venture) is nowhere near enough. It should include running a comprehensive junior/academy setup, community setup, coaching development, you should have access to (ideally own…) a modern top class stadium, good corporate facilities, proper professional training facilities, proof of the funding for all this and business plan for x amount of years. Sponsorship. Bringing a TV deal to the table for overseas clubs wishing to take part…. I could go on.

You have to be ruthless though and be prepared to say maybe less is more. If 12 teams meet the criteria, great. If only 10, or 8, initially well that’s the reality then and what the size of the league will be. I’d rather less games and a shorter competition with better quality and class to them and no filler. If it’s all heartland clubs meeting the criteria, half a dozen French teams, a London team, North American, Timbuktu, whatever. Everyone has a shot, and you make clear expansion is always the aim, but only if you can meet the standard expected.

The governing body and league also need to play their part. Highly professional decision making. Stop the constant tinkering with the rule book. Get the refereeing and disciplinary up to standard. Dropping the Super League name is one I’d definitely look at. Most people in the UK aren’t really aware of RL as a second code, we have to be honest, and then Super League could mean anything as loads of sports adopt that moniker. And though I know sometimes beggars can’t be choosers and there has maybe been a better effort at this in the last few years, think sometimes they have to look at their sponsorship and implications…. I can tell you all for one that here in the South when I have tried to get people to watch a game of League (often pretty big sports fans with a basic knowledge of it and its existence) they see things like sponsored by Tetley, or Eddie Stobart, or mushy peas, or on a different note the people they have commentary, and they have a chuckle and it plays into Northern stereotypes.

I’m sure many would read all that horrified and say I’d be ripping the heart and soul out of the game and smashing all tradition and historic clubs. It’s also a bit doubtful whether people prepared to put in the money at a large number of clubs are there. But the game has to do something and aspire to be more than it is, or it remains a parochial regional also-ran.

Anyway as much as I'd love to talk about our history making 4 in a row even with all the injuries

its now time to devote all my attention to the WC. I have to say that I have no issues in ignoring club rivalries when it comes to the International game. I can't seem to do the same with football and have little or no interest in the International game despite being a big football fan too.

So what do we think about next week? The Samoa team is start studded but given that 8 of them played in the GF, the England game is 13 days later so thats a few days on the ale for the Penrith lads plus the flight, jet lag and mininal field sessions. England being at home in probably wet and cold conditions gives us a big advantage. I think we could pull of a narrow win, all depends on the team he selects of course.

Seems very strange though to be having a warm up game with half of the expected side against Samoa missing. Surely the point of a warm up game is to build combinations etc.

Be interested to hear other peoples thoughts...

Just got my tickets downloaded today for the opening game, going to the France game at Bolton and the semi at Arsenal. Really looking forward to the competition. I can never understand this club 1st mentality, International games should be the pinnacle of our sport. I'm lucky enough to have seen GB beat the Aussies in an Ashes series, I just hope my children and grandkids get to experience that.

I’m optimistic for the World Cup. Whatever happens with England, I’m looking forward to it and can’t wait to get up to Newcastle for that first game. What I do hope is everyone doesn’t throw their toys out the pram if we lose that first game. We can still get past Tonga in a quarter IMO and take Samoa on again in the semi. It would be nice to start with the win but it’s not the be all and end all.

As for this warm up fixture, I can understand it not being full strength. I look at who isn’t playing and Bateman/Knowles are banned and I get the feeling Sam Tomkins isn’t at 100% going in to this tournament. I doubt Oledzki is 100% either, given he battled through the play offs. That leaves Makinson and Lees, who both also had niggles at the back end of the season. A little rest will freshen them all up hopefully.

I also think we can win the first game,would set it up great if we did.

We all should put local rivalries aside and shout for England be it your Welsby,Batty,Wlliams etc.

I'm looking forward to the competition as a whole but concerned about how England will match up. The real fear is it ends up being humiliating and a real reality check about the difference in standard between the hemispheres. Frankly if someone offered a semi-final exit with competitive games I'd take it and run just now.

England look to be in a transitional phase just now - in 2017 we had Graham, S Burgess, O'Loughlin, Roby, Widdop, Mcgillvary etc who have all now gone. We're obviously missing some big names in Walmsley, Newman, Hodgson with Lomax being the big one. Our playmaker options are either untested/unproven at this level (Sneyd, Ackers, Welsby), out of form (Williams), or carrying an injury (Tomkins). We also have a number of players who clearly have been picked for their experience which I can understand to a degree but there's no denying that most of them are past their best (Hall, Mcilorum, Cooper, Hill).

There are reasons to be hopeful - we do still have the potential of a very good forward pack particularly with Tom Burgess, Luke Thompson, Elliot Whitehead and Victor Radley. We have some exciting players out wide with Makinson, Farnworth and Young (although I worry it might be a bit soon for the latter - would have gone for Joe Burgess personally). Shaun Wane will no doubt prepare them very well and they'll be fired up. But looking at the other squads on paper it looks ominous.

I think a lot depends on if Jerome Luai gets a ban. He will be a big player for Samoa and if he plays I think they will beat us quite comfortably. Watching the NRL and there is an awful lot of it played in bad conditions (Although not as cold as it will be) and they handle it just as well as we do.

I think Australia will win it comfortably simply because they are light years ahead of everyone in the halves and hooker. The fact Damian Cook hasn't even made the squad tells you all you need to know.

The big misses for me are Newman and Lomax. I actually don’t think Walmsley is as big a miss as those 2 because a guy like that isn’t anything out of the ordinary for these NRL players and I think as we always see with a Wane team, the plan will be to out work and out last these big packs and guys like Knowles, Radley, Thompson, Bateman, Lees etc are perfect for him. It’s not to say Walmsley isn’t a miss, it’s good to have that point of difference but I’m not sure it’s as big as it looks at first glance.

There are some players in there probably past their best. McIlorum would be one but you know what we’ll get with him and in tough conditions, he’ll rock up and just rattle people. I doubt Cooper will play many minutes and the same possibly goes for Hill. I get why he’s gone with that experience in and around the squad however.

I’m excited mainly about the names the younger/less experienced players can make for themselves. We don’t look at Welsby, Young, Farnworth, Oledzki, Lees, Pearce-Paul and Batchelor and are proven international quality but they’ve just not had the opportunity to show it yet. I think 3 or 4 of those will walk away with their reputations hugely enhanced and will give us confidence as a nation going forward past this World Cup.

I saw somebody say the Aussie squad was the poorest they’d ever seen. I’m not having that at all! It’s inexperienced at international level (as it would be with Covid and the NRL trying to stop internationals taking place) but it’s pretty scary.

The backline will be along the lines of Tedesco, Holmes, Mitchell, Wighton, Addo-Carr, Munster and Clearly! To think guys like Edwards and Hynes haven’t even made it as back up is incredible.

Agree with all of that. And i have to be honest McIlorum surprised me in the game vs. combined nations, thought he had a belter of a game. I think it is quite clever of wane having him, tomkins and williams all playing. All players in key positions comfortable playing together and all comfortable playing under wane. I think it showed in the combined nations game, there was a certain fluidity to it that i felt came from these 3.

Interested to see how harry smith ges on in the game vs. fiji if he is picked (seems like he will be). Will be out of the country unfortunatly and seems the game will be showed on the RLWC2021 app, hopefully i can get it to playback later or something if i don't get chance to watch live.

Leeming, Sutton and Burgess should have been in for Cooper, Hall and Ackers IMO.