Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

[Wigan_forever1985]

I think we need less teams not more - i reckon you could make 8-10 competitive teams from super league

Wakefield despite their brief surge under chester are largely just one of the teams who will folly the bigger teams every now and then - that being their greatest achievement

the problem is that due to the league not mattering in our sport even that is a hollow victory for them - the simply exist to fill fixtures, they arent going to win the GF or the CC

We are still in a position in which only 4 clubs have won SL, 1 of whom hasnt been in the top flight for what a decade now?

Only Saints, Leeds and Wigan have won it and in current guise only Saints or Wigan look like winning it again - Catalan and Wire continue to flatter to deceive and others around them are slipping further away Hull FC for example.

The is only 1 common denominator between the 3 teams left in the league who've won it that sperates them from all the other teams and thats the youth setups. The 3 best youth setups and academies are the 3 most successful teams

If the RFL want a properly competitive league they need to address that area, now more so than ever as when top talents are being instantly poached by the NRL, teams who can bring SL standard kids through have a huge advantage

[josie andrews]

I think we need less teams not more - i reckon you could make 8-10 competitive teams from super league

Wakefield despite their brief surge under chester are largely just one of the teams who will folly the bigger teams every now and then - that being their greatest achievement

the problem is that due to the league not mattering in our sport even that is a hollow victory for them - the simply exist to fill fixtures, they arent going to win the GF or the CC

We are still in a position in which only 4 clubs have won SL, 1 of whom hasnt been in the top flight for what a decade now?

Only Saints, Leeds and Wigan have won it and in current guise only Saints or Wigan look like winning it again - Catalan and Wire continue to flatter to deceive and others around them are slipping further away Hull FC for example.

The is only 1 common denominator between the 3 teams left in the league who've won it that sperates them from all the other teams and thats the youth setups. The 3 best youth setups and academies are the 3 most successful teams

If the RFL want a properly competitive league they need to address that area, now more so than ever as when top talents are being instantly poached by the NRL, teams who can bring SL standard kids through have a huge advantage

This is what is wrong with the RFL. Why reduce the ages from U20/21 U19 to U19 & U16?

[CheshireWarrior]

Well, without going too in depth, if you look at Leigh Centurions, they are club who have been in SL before, have an ambition owner, have an SL experienced coach an squad full of SL standard players and have made interesting mid season signings in Blake Ferguson and Josh Charnley. In addition they have a strong enough fan base and stadium. I think it fair to say that at the start of the season, Fev looked like Championship front runners, appears the tide has changed.

Looking at Fev, they have spent the previous two or three seasons building up to SL, again they have an experienced SL coach, SL ranks in their playing rosters etc.

How much risk is associated with both Leigh and Fev and if we did return to SL licence scheme, what criteria wouldn't they meet? Especially if relegation is scrapped and they have two or three season to build themselves.

[the pieman]

Well, without going too in depth, if you look at Leigh Centurions, they are club who have been in SL before, have an ambition owner, have an SL experienced coach an squad full of SL standard players and have made interesting mid season signings in Blake Ferguson and Josh Charnley. In addition they have a strong enough fan base and stadium. I think it fair to say that at the start of the season, Fev looked like Championship front runners, appears the tide has changed.

Looking at Fev, they have spent the previous two or three seasons building up to SL, again they have an experienced SL coach, SL ranks in their playing rosters etc.

How much risk is associated with both Leigh and Fev and if we did return to SL licence scheme, what criteria wouldn't they meet? Especially if relegation is scrapped and they have two or three season to build themselves.

this is where the licence / franchise has some merits. We just need to look at Catalans, they were given 3 years to build, and the rest as they say is history. They get good home gates, have the pick of the french players and complemented with overseas players (plus a beneficial exchange rate at the minute)

I personally would like to see a return to licencing, but with some serious criteria aimed to develop the clubs who are given a licence. Not the pile of s**** that was applied before. These are the criteria, but hey ho, dont worry about being a poor yorkshire club as we wont kick you out anyway

do the new clubs (if the game is to expand) need to be from the M62 corridoor, not so sure, but either way, if we went back to licence, then the clubs need to be given at least 3 years to get things in order without the fear of relegation and build a competitive squad and get the infrastructures in place to move forwards

[josie andrews]

Well, without going too in depth, if you look at Leigh Centurions, they are club who have been in SL before, have an ambition owner, have an SL experienced coach an squad full of SL standard players and have made interesting mid season signings in Blake Ferguson and Josh Charnley. In addition they have a strong enough fan base and stadium. I think it fair to say that at the start of the season, Fev looked like Championship front runners, appears the tide has changed.

Looking at Fev, they have spent the previous two or three seasons building up to SL, again they have an experienced SL coach, SL ranks in their playing rosters etc.

How much risk is associated with both Leigh and Fev and if we did return to SL licence scheme, what criteria wouldn't they meet? Especially if relegation is scrapped and they have two or three season to build themselves.

this is where the licence / franchise has some merits. We just need to look at Catalans, they were given 3 years to build, and the rest as they say is history. They get good home gates, have the pick of the french players and complemented with overseas players (plus a beneficial exchange rate at the minute)

I personally would like to see a return to licencing, but with some serious criteria aimed to develop the clubs who are given a licence. Not the pile of s**** that was applied before. These are the criteria, but hey ho, dont worry about being a poor yorkshire club as we wont kick you out anyway

do the new clubs (if the game is to expand) need to be from the M62 corridoor, not so sure, but either way, if we went back to licence, then the clubs need to be given at least 3 years to get things in order without the fear of relegation and build a competitive squad and get the infrastructures in place to move forwards

Well said Mr Pieman

[morley pie eater]

I think we need less teams not more - i reckon you could make 8-10 competitive teams from super league

Wakefield despite their brief surge under chester are largely just one of the teams who will folly the bigger teams every now and then - that being their greatest achievement

the problem is that due to the league not mattering in our sport even that is a hollow victory for them - the simply exist to fill fixtures, they arent going to win the GF or the CC

We are still in a position in which only 4 clubs have won SL, 1 of whom hasnt been in the top flight for what a decade now?

Only Saints, Leeds and Wigan have won it and in current guise only Saints or Wigan look like winning it again - Catalan and Wire continue to flatter to deceive and others around them are slipping further away Hull FC for example.

The is only 1 common denominator between the 3 teams left in the league who've won it that sperates them from all the other teams and thats the youth setups. The 3 best youth setups and academies are the 3 most successful teams

If the RFL want a properly competitive league they need to address that area, now more so than ever as when top talents are being instantly poached by the NRL, teams who can bring SL standard kids through have a huge advantage

100% - great post!

10 teams, play each 3 times, gives 27 games. Not ideal, but Scottish football did it for same reason - the bigger the league, the more it diminishes the quality.

[medlocke]

SC needs binning off, Let clubs spend what they want, let's start raiding Union again, just because you can spend shedloads it doesn't mean your going to win anything, just look at Wire with their elastic cap, what have they won since 1955 , let the big clubs shine again, merge some of the smaller clubs, Bring back the corner flag and go back to winter

[moto748]

let's start raiding Union again

Of the tiny handful who might usefully convert, who would want to? Bigger bucks and fewer bruises in Union.

[the pieman]

let's start raiding Union again

Of the tiny handful who might usefully convert, who would want to? Bigger bucks and fewer bruises in Union.

i genuinely feel that that boat has long since sailed. The international game in RU, is so much bigger than the domestic game, and RL cant match that at all. Just look at the list of ex Wigan players (Robinson, Farrell (*2), Paul, Ford, Lydon, Edwards, Ashton, Tomkins J) who all are / have been part of the international RU game. that was the main reason they went over there as it is such high profile (sure i have missed other off too)

If we did extend our cap, and can pay them decent money, as you say, what is the allure to RL now? Pay, and a battered body, with a poor international calendar (and lack of publicity)

[buttmonkey2]

For a team that proudly boasts that they never spend to the cap, looks like this attitude might finally bite them on the backside this season. A chairman that has spent just enough to allow crowds into the dilapidated "Belle Vue" too. It is this tail that has wagged the super league dog for too long