21 replies to this topic

[gazza77]

We all now know that the RFL are planning on kicking out/relegating one of the existing SL teams. Assuming that there are no financial collapses between now and then, how will whoever is demoted do in the Championship? There are plenty of threads where fans of various teams comment about whoever goes up from the Championship needing a full team of SL standard players, but what about the other way round? I assume that player contracts will be void, and with a drop to a £300k salary cap, whoever comes down is likely to need a full team of new players too. How will they go with recruiting at the lower level, and will they be competitive on the field against the existing Championship pace setters?

[ShotgunGold]

This is what I'm worried about - how the hell can you ask a team like Castleford or Wakefield to "downscale".

A huge number of their players will be lost, a huge number of their fans will be lost, a huge number of their sponsors will be lost. It would be terrible for any club to simply be "pushed off the cliff".

Obviously they will be able to compete, but I doubt whoever does get the chop will storm the Championship, as it's not like they'll be back in a years time - the whole structure of the club on and off the field will would be scaled back completely.

And I guarantee that if Wakefield or Castleford do get the chop then they'll never be back in Super League again.

Say what you like about Castleford, Wakefield or Salford not being Super League clubs, but they certainly are not Championship clubs.

The RFL should improve the structure, the finances and overall professionalism of the Championship before they demote teams.

If that takes a further 3 or 6 or 9 years then so be it.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

Ahhh.. diddums...

Day after day we get fans of SL clubs spouting on bout how the Championship is a worthwhile competition init's own right, how a bit of marketing by CCs will get the fans flocking in etc etc.

Soon there'll be a chance for a so called SL club to show them all how to do it?

[leytherjay]

Tuff on the club that goes down.....welcome to the real world of RL. Did the SL clubs have any sympathy for Widnes when they were relegated to make way for the frogs......NO, or when certain clubs were given a franchise for promising new grounds etc (which they ain't delivered on).....NO.
SL clubs were warned by the RFL ages ago that they had to get things up to scratch and they ain't delivered (at least Salford have done ground work etc so far)....so I have no complaints if they get the chop.
If there`s any justice Widnes will be going up.

[RP London]

depending on who it is they will have a good ability to atract players as it is more than likely it will be a heartlands club so they will have their academy and they will have a fair few players around them to pick up.. so they should be fine..

yes they will need to sort the backroom out from top to bottom to scale the entire club back to the level of hte championship but as has been said who ever it is i doubt it will be a huge shock to them.

But to say "but they certainly are not Championship clubs." is not true.. the whole point of franchising is to up the standard of both comps.. if there is a club of better standards in the champ than in SL then they should go up meaning the worst comes down.. they have known this for a while, and if so then they are championship clubs.. the championship ranges from very high standards to less high but that doesnt mean they arent championship standards.. whoever goes down will fit nicely in and maybe not at the top of the tree depending on who they promote..

[Saint Toppy]

If Cas go down then I can see them surviving pretty well in the Championship. They have a pretty good record of bringing through their juniors and a loyal fan base (as seen last time they were relegated).

Salford & Wakefield i would say would really struggle and would find life in the championship really tough.

[Keith T]

Let's face it if any team coming down from SL can't hack it in the Championship then they haven't been doing the job right over the past 3 years whilst they have been in SL.

SL clubs are supposed to be the clubs that are developing all our new young talent and the clubs that are loaning our players to Championship clubs under the dual registration system. Most Championship clubs have made use of many of these youngsters during this season.

[Keith T]

Let's face it if any team coming down from SL can't hack it in the Championship then they haven't been doing the job right over the past 3 years whilst they have been in SL.

SL clubs are supposed to be the clubs that are developing all our new young talent and the clubs that are loaning our players to Championship clubs under the dual registration system. Most Championship clubs have made use of many of these youngsters during this season.

[bowes]

Think they'll have Championship licensing so the clubs will have a season to recover without the fear of relegation, but they'd then need to go all out for 2013 to have the chance to apply for 2015

[Bulletproof]

This is what I'm worried about - how the hell can you ask a team like Castleford or Wakefield to "downscale".

A huge number of their players will be lost, a huge number of their fans will be lost, a huge number of their sponsors will be lost. It would be terrible for any club to simply be "pushed off the cliff".

Obviously they will be able to compete, but I doubt whoever does get the chop will storm the Championship, as it's not like they'll be back in a years time - the whole structure of the club on and off the field will would be scaled back completely.

And I guarantee that if Wakefield or Castleford do get the chop then they'll never be back in Super League again.

Say what you like about Castleford, Wakefield or Salford not being Super League clubs, but they certainly are not Championship clubs.

The RFL should improve the structure, the finances and overall professionalism of the Championship before they demote teams.

If that takes a further 3 or 6 or 9 years then so be it.

Play me the smallest violin!

The largely temporary difficulty faced by one of the demoted teams is absolutely no reason to keep teams in the championship indefinitely and without hope and whilst I support getting the championship right if there are teams in it who are suitable for promotion then give them a chance.

The hardships faced by a club in super league being demoted would be nothing compared to assigning clubs in the championship to the league forever.

I have absolutely no idea why some people think demotion is controversial, why they "can't relegate team x or y". If anything, I'd promote up to three from the championship if there are three with the chance of making it.

[gazza77]

Personally, I think it will be vital for whoever comes down to get off to a good start, as fans will be more likely to start deserting in numbers if the wins don't appear.

Having said that, I think the "demoted" team will be in for a shock. It's quite likely they will have an entirely new squad, and equally likely an entirely new coaching team. On the pitch at least, this may well mean a struggle against the teams that are currently performing well at Championship level.

No excuse whatsoever for this to mean that no team should have to come down a peg or two though.

[DemonUK]

Think they'll have Championship licensing so the clubs will have a season to recover without the fear of relegation, but they'd then need to go all out for 2013 to have the chance to apply for 2015

Do not agree with that one at all. No season to recover, and please Mr Lewis and Wood 'no parachute payment'

Edited by DemonUK, 23 August 2010 - 02:55 PM.

[marklaspalmas]

Cas and Wakey would have a lot of work on to get their grounds up to Championship standard to start with, without worrying how their squads of aging antipodeans were going to be competitive on the field.

FWIW [tongue out of cheek mode] C*s made a decent job of their last spell in NL1 as was. Wakey could well implode.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

1 year in the Championship and the prospect of promotion is what kept Cas crowds good. However 3 years with a good possibilty of not being promoted will hit crowds at any club. I would think Cas would do better than Wakey or Salford. But I can see a few problems happening for a EX SL club and the championship has some class teams and players.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

1 year in the Championship and the prospect of promotion is what kept Cas crowds good. However 3 years with a good possibilty of not being promoted will hit crowds at any club. I would think Cas would do better than Wakey or Salford. But I can see a few problems happening for a EX SL club and the championship has some class teams and players.

[chrisl1]

However 3 years with a good possibilty of not being promoted will hit crowds at any club.

To be fair this has been hitting crowds of clubs in the Championship for the last couple of years. I appreciate the difficulties a club demoted from Super League will face but this can't be a reason not to give a Championship club a licence as Super League would then become a closed shop.

[chrisl1]

However 3 years with a good possibilty of not being promoted will hit crowds at any club.

To be fair this has been hitting crowds of clubs in the Championship for the last couple of years. I appreciate the difficulties a club demoted from Super League will face but this can't be a reason not to give a Championship club a licence as Super League would then become a closed shop.

[chrisl1]

However 3 years with a good possibilty of not being promoted will hit crowds at any club.

To be fair this has been hitting crowds of clubs in the Championship for the last couple of years. I appreciate the difficulties a club demoted from Super League will face but this can't be a reason not to give a Championship club a licence as Super League would then become a closed shop.

[marklaspalmas]

1 year in the Championship and the prospect of promotion is what kept Cas crowds good. However 3 years with a good possibilty of not being promoted will hit crowds at any club. I would think Cas would do better than Wakey or Salford. But I can see a few problems happening for a EX SL club and the championship has some class teams and players.

Of course. Even after 15 years of funding, remove the SKY cash from virtually any SL club and they would

1. Fold,
2. Struggle like all hell,
or 3. Rely even more on their sugar daddy

Doesn't stop their fans talking out of their rear ends about Championship clubs needing to get their acts together and not being good enough.

[Kenilworth Tiger]

their squads of aging antipodeans were going to be competitive on the field

Yes we have a squad full of ageing Aussies - you used to be quite funny but you anti Cas stuff now shows up as very silly individual