Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:26 pm  

Willzay wrote:

Losing London and Bradford has done f**k all. The monumental RFL Stobart cock up, now that has been costly.

Also filling the top British comp with foreign teams isn't going to get more people in THIS country to watch the sport.

The thing is SL lost Bradford whilst they were still in SL....or at least the Bradford people like to remember or the Bradford people hope they could be.

Someone said earlier we need a strong Catalans. Key word there is strong. We could do with a strong Bradford like we had in the late 90's/early 00's, we don't need the one we had for their final few SL seasons creating headlines because of repeated bad off field issues.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:38 pm  

I have no sympathy for any club that appoints a coach as devoid as ideas, or so lacking in passion or as inept as McNamara.
It was a disaster waiting to happen from day one. What WERE they thinking ?

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:42 pm  

Parkside Freddie wrote:

What's so wrong with letting sporting ability decide who stays and who goes?

A contrived competition does absolutely zip for the sports credibility. We're supposed to be a professional sport and ability and winning should trump geographical location.

It's hardly Leigh's fault one of the competitions major sponsors is tinned mushy peas.

I don't think anyone on this thread has said letting sporting ability decide is wrong.

Bramleyrhino has presented some great arguments for why he'd prefer a Catalans win, but he has conceded that it's not for him to decide nor will the positives of keeping them in the Super League stop them being relegated. He has said it comes down to their on field performance

Personally, I'd rather Catalans stay up too. But come Saturday I think it will be Leigh ending the game with Super League status.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:49 pm  

SecondRowSaint wrote:

I don't think anyone on this thread has said letting sporting ability decide is wrong.

Bramleyrhino has presented some great arguments for why he'd prefer a Catalans win, but he has conceded that it's not for him to decide nor will the positives of keeping them in the Super League stop them being relegated. He has said it comes down to their on field performance

Personally, I'd rather Catalans stay up too. But come Saturday I think it will be Leigh ending the game with Super League status.

Why?

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:54 pm  

People keep saying that we need Catalans in SL. No we don't. They offer nothing. No one in France cares about rugby league so for me, Leigh stay up

Regards

King James

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:19 pm  

Cokey wrote:

Why?

Why not?

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:54 pm  

Barrie's Glass Eye wrote:

Thats a good point, and the stigma probably comes about because the championship itself is split into two very distinct groups, those who are arguably too good for that level, want to be in SL, and have the knowhow/support/money etc to get there and survive, and those who aren't good enough/realise they wouldn't be able to run as a financially stable SL club and are content to run in the championship.

This is personally why I would be in favour of an expanded SL, but realise that would take a massive overhaul, not least on how we divvy out fixtures.

I agree. That is why we see featherstone and Halifax (for example this year) making the Qualifers and then tailing off knowing they have achieved the goal for the season but are not really set in SL at the moment. Arguably not many teams could cope which promotion including my own.

Is it really ideal that we have KR this year and either Leigh or Catalans next year playing in a league when they will be the only real team with a realistic chance for promotion back?

Expanded SL is the way to go for me but instead of locking teams out like before work with clubs to grow academies, support bases, marketing etc and invite teams to SL in 2s preferably.

It would take planning and time which is where it probably falls down.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:04 pm  

Bulls4 wrote:

I agree. That is why we see featherstone and Halifax (for example this year) making the Qualifers and then tailing off knowing they have achieved the goal for the season but are not really set in SL at the moment. Arguably not many teams could cope which promotion including my own.

Is it really ideal that we have KR this year and either Leigh or Catalans next year playing in a league when they will be the only real team with a realistic chance for promotion back?

Expanded SL is the way to go for me but instead of locking teams out like before work with clubs to grow academies, support bases, marketing etc and invite teams to SL in 2s preferably.

It would take planning and time which is where it probably falls down.

That sounds fair enough, but make it a level playing field and no favouritism. Featherstone or Halifax should be given the opportunity to gain promotion by meeting the criteria just as much as London or Toulouse.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:10 am  

Bulls4 wrote:

I agree. That is why we see featherstone and Halifax (for example this year) making the Qualifers and then tailing off knowing they have achieved the goal for the season but are not really set in SL at the moment. Arguably not many teams could cope which promotion including my own.

Is it really ideal that we have KR this year and either Leigh or Catalans next year playing in a league when they will be the only real team with a realistic chance for promotion back?

Expanded SL is the way to go for me but instead of locking teams out like before work with clubs to grow academies, support bases, marketing etc and invite teams to SL in 2s preferably.

It would take planning and time which is where it probably falls down.

That's how I'd do it. I also agree with Parkside Freddie above that everyone should have a fair chance, though naturally some teams will have an advantage due to size/budget etc. We want the strongest teams, both on and off the pitch, in SL regardless of who they are or where they are based.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:14 am  

Congratulations to Widnes by the way.