Don’t agree with a Northern Powerhouse. That is part the games image problem.

There is a team in York already, 25 miles from Leeds and 40 from Hull, hardly a new audience. Liverpool is 10 miles from St Helens. Newcastle is a viable option.

I say Cardiff, because other than a short period on the early 80’s (when Union banned players who played League), any Welsh team has been located in the wrong place. A franchised Cardiff team, based at the smaller Cardiff Arms Park in summer, would have the benefit of great City Centre location and be in the best crowd catchment area.

Expanding Super League with teams like Leigh and Featherstone are not the answer. Featherstone have a proud history, but it is a village smaller than both Cottingham and Beverley.

We have to learn from other sports too. In Rugby Union, Wasps moved to Coventry and now get up to 20,000 fans; in circket The Hundred is based in the 8 main cricket grounds in cities, not villages.

There’s a balance to be had. We have 8 well supported teams (Sts, Wigan, Warrington, Bradford, Leeds, Cas, Hull and Rovers) along the M62. I’d keep them; 2 from France, Cardiff, Newcastle, plus two others.

I'm sure we could get highways England onboard as a major sponsor in the m62 super League

I agree that Bradford should be in S/L but only if they ground share with one of the football teams.
Odsal like the Wakefield ground has had its day thats why Castleford need to be careful because if Licensing comes in for 2024 then they will struggle especially given how near they are to Wakefield and Featherstone.
This situation with several grounds being within a few miles of each other is something IMG are looking at.

Wasps aren't a great example to use, they are flirting with administration. Not close enough to know if that's due to moving to Coventry or not but that Coventry stadium has been a basket case for everyone involved (currently an unusable pitch, Coventry FC having to move away from the City for a few years etc)

I say concentrate on the North because RL has tried and failed many times in other regions. How much time and money has been spent on London for example, yet they still draw shocking crowds and usually move home every 2/3 years.

Liverpool may only be 10 miles from Saints but the populations are very different, there is a different market to attract in Liverpool itself.

Agree with you that Wales stands a better chance than most as it is Rugby mad, but again who is pumping in the millions to really make it work? It has taken millions, backing from Rupert Murdoch and decades for Melbourne Storm to even get a toehold in Melbourne.

Sorry but you can talk about Wales as long as you like about Rugby League and that’s all you will do. The stigma from Union is never going to go away in “The Valleys” Union is more entrenched then ever. I spent a while working in South Wales, I’d go in a pub, ask for a pint and the locals would start talking in gibberish, sorry, Welsh.