Re: rfl warning re stadium. : Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:11 pm  

RebelRebel wrote:

That must make Widnes a shoe-in, unless they financially implode again before the next round of licenses.

I suppose that they must be considered favourites but personally I dont think that the RFL have invited Toulouse into NL1 for nothing. I wouldnt mind betting if they win the NR or get to the play off final that they would pip Widnes.

Re: rfl warning re stadium. : Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:31 pm  

chissitt wrote:

I suppose that they must be considered favourites but personally I dont think that the RFL have invited Toulouse into NL1 for nothing. I wouldnt mind betting if they win the NR or get to the play off final that they would pip Widnes.

Who's to say they won't allow both Widnes & Toulouse in if they both fulfill the criteria and drop 2 current teams ?

Re: rfl warning re stadium. : Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:32 pm  

chissitt wrote:

I suppose that they must be considered favourites but personally I dont think that the RFL have invited Toulouse into NL1 for nothing. I wouldnt mind betting if they win the NR or get to the play off final that they would pip Widnes.

I still think it's possible that we could see the comp grow - if there are enough clubs who meet the criteria!

Re: rfl warning re stadium. : Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:02 pm  

TRB wrote:

I still think it's possible that we could see the comp grow - if there are enough clubs who meet the criteria! :wink:

I think thats where the problem will lie. In 2 years time there will probably be 3 or 4 teams that meet the criteria all wanting SL and as the RFL have stated there will be at least 1 club from the NL1 in it, so on that basis it wont matter if all the clubs needing new grounds' get one somebody has to go. As kyassor says there is no reason why they cant put 2 teams in who knows what they are capable of imo that will only make it worse it would be a disaster for 2 clubs' instead of 1. I would like to think that you are on the right lines saying that they might expand but being realistic about it I cannot see the chairman of the clubs who know they are safe taking a drop in income from the Sky money on offer.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:21 pm  

redandy wrote:

wakefield is the worst sl ground i have been to. terrace all falling down at ur feet stains sfull of weeds. cas stand full of asbestos then ppl hav the cheek to say rovers ground is $hit ? look closer to home pal u play in a $hithole ov a ground

We are. Somewhere in the Stanley area. Cas are looking at somewhere in the Castleford area. St Helens are moving to a nearby complex. Hull KR, however, are settling for what they have. By my reckoning, if all the clubs get the stadia (which looks likely), Hull KR will then have the worst ground in Super League and will fall down on expansion.

Mind you, you could always have just one Hull club. What about it?

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:29 pm  

I dont think its much to worry about at the moment, none of the 3 clubs have made any amazing progress towards the new stadia and I think the RFL are right to remind all that there is at least one club in the NL's that looks like competing for the spot with them.

In relation to Craven Park, I agree - I know BV is hardly a paradise but at least you get nice and close to the pitch and on a summers day it is glorious - no matter what time of year it is at KR, you are always miles from the playing area and got that damn wind to contend with - deffo the worst ground other than Celtics.

Re: rfl warning re stadium. : Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:57 pm  

TRB wrote:

I still think it's possible that we could see the comp grow - if there are enough clubs who meet the criteria!

In my opinion I think it's unlikely. If the league is expanded then as Chissett says why would the Chairmen of the A & B licences take a cut in money to accommodate another 2 clubs unless SKY put more in which again is unlikely.

You are alot closer to information on the new stadium and I'll wait until we hear something tomorrow in the Express but I don't think we can underestimate the serious position we, Castleford and Salford are in.

The last round of franchises there was a view that Widnes and Toulouse would be in as well as Celtic and Salford at the expense of 2 existing clubs. Fortunately that was not the case but I fear it may well be next time.

Ourselves, Castleford and Salford all got in on the back of promises of new Stadiums. Salfords plans collapsed and they are now looking at a more modest plan but I don't know what stage they are at. Despite what some may say Castleford have not moved any closer and whilst like us the Council are putting land into a trust so that funds can be borrowed they still are a long way off securing all the funding to build a stadium.

Our original plan at Thornes collapsed and we now have Stanley. We have no planning permission yet, we have a community trust, a Developer and maybe the funding (some better connected than me will know) but it will be a tall order for work to have commenced to meet the 2011 application. There is no way any of us 3 will get a franchise for 2012 on the back of more promises.

I know I'm probably panicing but I really fear for us and Castleford and I can see one or both of us missing out. I really believe (unless someone in the know convinces me otherwise) that we need to seriously get our heads together with Castleford and the Council about jointly developing a Community Stadium that we can both have equal shares in. I cannot see us both securing funding for 2 stadiums only 2 junctions apart on the M62.

The problem would be where. I still believe that Stanley is a viable option for both Clubs as its equidistant from both Wakefield City Centre and Castleford Town Centre. I know Casleford fans will have difficulty with this and someone off their board will come on and say why not Glasshoughton as its in both "Wakey and Cas" but Stanley is in "Wakey". I wish someone would explain that to me - both Glasshoughton & Stanley are in Wakefield MDC but Glasshoughton is around 1m from Castleford and around 7m from Wakefield but Stanley is the same distance from Wakefield and Castleford.

I know this post will not be popular amongs many fans of both clubs but I genuinely believe to secure both our futures we both need to talk with the Council and come up with something that secures both our futures or one of us and possibly both of us may lose out to Widnes and Toulouse.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:12 pm  

cant see the panic!
for what its worth i think both us and cas will be in next franchise picks along with an nrl1 club and a bigger comp

i also think we will have a shiny new ground, and for what its worth i think cas will too.

too many people have formally committed their support to us for it to fail now

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:10 pm  

GET EM ON SIDE REF wrote:

its a bloody tip the worst ground in SL barr none

ok fella, I was only pointing out to some other poster why Bradford were not in the letter and that's its not just some conspiracy, Im not holding Odsal up as a beacon of excellence 'cause it clearly is not.

Its just a shame for you that the RFL disagree with you and think there are 5 worse. And FWIW they have plenty of bars at Odsal, not none

chapster wrote:

cant see the panic!
for what its worth i think both us and cas will be in next franchise picks along with an nrl1 club and a bigger comp

i also think we will have a shiny new ground, and for what its worth i think cas will too.

Spot on, i predict current lot plus Toulose and Widnes, if someone does go it will be Salford and Fax or Leigh will take their spot. But its all guesswork unitll we know where the RFL move the goalposts to.

: Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:34 am  

I have watched, and filmed, ants running around, seemingly, to us lesser mortals, spending too much energy getting their final result. They are building a home fit for a queen and her subjects.
However, at the hub of it all, the queen ant just sits there, letting all around her run around like headless chickens,( altho' she probs hasn't seen a chicken, let alone a chicken's head), feeding and, erm.... servicing her.
She has a plan, and no one ant will be allowed to hijack that plan.

We are the ants at the mo.

The RFL/Sky are the Grand Masters.
She knows that when the Empires are built, under her guidance, to the Grand Master's plans, her colony will survive.

We can panic all we want with regards this letter.
We don't know if the SL will be increased numbers-wise.
However, expansion to me means just that, EXPANSION. It does not have to mean replacement.
If we get the ground, and with what JK, et al, is building, we will be fine.

Calm down, and let's enjoy Sunday.

I am certainly with kyassor. My glass is half empty, but the bar is still open. Bliss.