Agreed! After 2012 I can only really see 'Expansion' sides breaking into SL if franchise system says the same!

TBH should just put Widnes / Leigh / Halifax and 1 of Cumbria ( Barrow due to money) in to Super League and leave the rest at the even playing field across board that they want!

You won't be saying that if we are heading for relegation next season with no room on the SC to strengthen, or if we don't get the nod in 2012.

This may be good for SOC's pocket, but it could be disastrous for the club if we don't get a licence for 2012.

But aint there the same chance of that for Halifax & Barrow anyway?
Alot of our players already on 2 year deals so if they do get excemption then so will we!

Seems a little optimistick with the likes of Beswick / Gleeson / Penky / Black on board!

Yes. There'll be no real advantage for any club in this league anymore, no matter how strong they are off the field. That's sort of the point: anyone can end up being champions or relegated. It sounds like a recipe for an exciting league, but not very good for clubs that have ambition and the wealth to be better than the others.


That's not really what I'm on about. Forget this/next season. Look at the situation we'll be in should we not get a SL place in 2012.

Your right, hopefully prestige / SL ambition and the better coaches will hold us in good stead however!




Would agree with that as I have mentioned after 2012 future is bleak for the NL's

it's a shame as I feel could be rarely good divisions if we had an NGB that focussed on the SPORT not 1 league (Why I think SL & RL should have sepearte bodies, like the Prem and the FA!).

How far has over-spending got us? Even in SL? Nowhere. I'm positive that Cullen can build a squad better than most in the Championship.

And if that frees cash from SOC's pocket to splash out for a SL squad if we get the nod, then that's fantastic.

If we don't get a licence for 2012 Cullen may not be here to pick up the pieces. We don't know who we could end up with.

There'll be no more guaranteed places for Championship clubs for a SL licence and we would face the very real prospect of being relegated. Far more than we do now.

Again though our income would still put us in better stead than any other NL club so saying we've got a good chance of going down is daft! There's still 11 teams all in same bout! Why are we worried about relegation in the slightest? No other sides are bothered about it!!!

P.S. I ma very optomistic we WILL BE IN SL 2012! They have no reason to say know and know it's off benefit to them! Never mind teh fact I bet SOC has every transcript of EVERY conversion he's ahd with them for a nice libel case next time around!

What really concerns me is, the league next year will basically be a random free for all. We could be runaway winners, we could be bottom sailing towards relegation with no chance to improve. Our crowds and financial situation should guarantee we are safe in this league. Huge budge in the salary cap, no budge in the ludicrous no promotion two relegation in a twelve team league. It's a worrying prospect. Our final is out of the way already, great, but we have another challenge now and it's not a positive one.

Why such negativity? We're bang on for a license.

We pretty much should be, but I don't think a spell in Championship 1 with miniscule crowds when we are presenting our credentials will do us any good. If this league is truly random there is a 16% chance we will be relegated at the end of it. There are other factors to consider for us so it isnt truly 100% random, but you only need to see just how competitive it is this year. Leigh are a team who should be safe and they're struggling.

We should be nailed on for a license, but then we should have been last time and we were overlooked.

Good post.

This is something some people don't seem to be able to grasp.

Hopefully you're right.

But if we don't get one, the lowering of the salary cap could spell disaster for us. How much money we have, or don't have, will be totally irrelevant.

Why? They have no divine right to be safe. They recruited poorly.

Yes, Widnes have no divine right to win the league, but I'm confident that we're much more equipped to win the league than most other sides, albeit of a cap reduction.

I'm pretty sure that many teams will operate well below the cap next term.

I know Leigh have no right to be safe, but my worry is that further balancing this league will leave us in a very fragile position. Leigh are going through a mere lull and if they were allowed to spend a bit more to get out of it they would do. They have made a hash of things and deserve to be in trouble but we're in dangerous territory here. We could easily be a team struggling at the bottom.

Why shouldn't we be able to spend more if we make more money? I'm not asking for the ability to buy the league outright, just the ability for stronger clubs to have some security.

I'm sure we will, Chris. As I've pointed out, at least half of the league will spend considerably less than us.

Not sure if the 40% thing works but that will obv aide us! And maybe still keep Batley & Co behind regardless! Maybe they can only afford 200k? etc.

I think SOC will just steady the ship in preparation for your promotion in 2012. It would be ludicrous if you continued as you are now and didn't get a license. I can't see any reason why you shouldn't get the nod. I know the RFL seem to be a bit potty at times but common sense should prevail in 2012. The problems will occur for those clubs left in the Championships and how we can make them viable comps in their own right instead of hanging onto the faint promise of SL membership. Fans have to have the perception that it is a good comp and worth paying £14 to go and watch.

Bored of you sucking up.

I hope you are right. Your optimism is certainly a better attitude than mine, I wish I shared it right now.

Hopefully all will pan out fine. If we're mid table next season, we should still be favourites for the license.

Thing is though the franchise process looks at way more than on field competitiveness, how many boxes does it tick exactly? Barring an utter disaster with the club (which we're used to), there's every chance we'll remain competitive.

In Cullen and the O'Connors we've got the best combination of rugby and business brains this club has ever had. We should have faith in their ability to make us successful in every way.

Our biggest worry should be the t1ts at Red Hall.

Apparently ' dual registration ' players will not count on the cap

So you could have say Hunslet with 6/7 Leeds ' loanees ' still operating on 100 K

Basically if you agree to be a ' feeder ' club you get a SC excemption

Good old RFL eh

Yeap. Feeder clubs from clubs with a 130 yr history. Greedy, selfish c***s.

it appears the RFL want to completely wipe all non stupor league professional rugby off the map,

as for the dual registration thing, any coincidence that leeds have made an agreement with whitehaven????