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It is an appalling system, the main beneficiary being the parent club, they can send players across for one or two games at the expense of the guys who have trained week in week out for the host club, unlike a proper loan arrangement where a player would come for a few weeks or ideally a whole season. It is a system that is open to abuse and should never have been introduced in the way it is at all. I disagreed with it when we did it and I am of the same opinion now.

Nobody knows what the set up will be in 2025, given the level of investment by Oldham and Keighley in particular for next season they would appear to be nailed on for promotion if it still exists. To try to compete with that level of investment would probably have put the club in a precarious financial position. I’m sure building a solid foundation across all facets of the club is the way to improve both on the field and in relation to IMG ratings. We’ve all seen Town go through boom and bust scenarios where we’ve paid top dollar for ‘big name’ players and it hasn’t worked. The current board have done an amazing job over the last 18 months, the old stadium looking better than ever, events being held, new sponsorships, close affiliations with community clubs, ladies team and so much more. When you build a strong base it will allow you to develop accordingly and hopefully sustain a successful team. We’ve unearthed one gem in Ciaran Walker what’s to say there won’t be others in our predominantly Cumbrian based squad. Good luck to Sean Croston and welcome to the club, you tube is never the best guide but he certainly looks to have something so let’s see how he goes before unfairly writing him off.

Well Harry. Firstly, my post wasn't to be taken entirely seriously. And secondly, the search function allows me to see that a poster named Harry Stottle did in fact mention the £450k IMG bill on the Magic Weekend thread and the London Broncos 2024 thread.

The RFL have never sold the betting rights before, most of us don't even know what it really means. But yeah, I'm sure we had lots of interested parties bidding for the rights. It's funny reading the replies of people being negative about it just because IMG is involved.

I heard a rumour that next season's squad size is likely to be just 17, as a few of the lads we have already announced, have since been signed by SL clubs or lost the will to live after reading this thread. But that number is entirely reliant on the number of times you can ask the same question every time we announce a signing. If I have read the IMG document correctly, I think we get an additional point for each time either you or PD can repeat the same question, and at the last count, we've climbed the gradings table to just below Warrington. Well done mate

It's a system that holds the game back and is just pure cost cutting and short-sightedness by both the SL club and their feeder club and it damages the integrity of the Championship & League 1. If all the feeder clubs refused to pander to the SL clubs, the players would naturally filter down the pyramid anyway which would strengthen the game at lower levels rather than having SL clubs hoover up all the players. If it genuinely worked in everyone's interest, why has no "partnership" ever lasted?

They're working towards 11 teams in elite 1 next year with Villefranche moving up,

It’s obvious some people will just automatically assume IMG are on the take because they don’t like the grading system.

Mickey Higham should never have left Bulls

Pointless throwing money around when you don`t know whats coming next season . You could spend a good bit to win promotion and then they could merge the Leagues into an East/West scenario as other posters on the Main site have speculated . If so that money has been wasted .As long as we are competitive the crowds will hold up as we saw last year .

Totally agree with this, and I cant understand any Town fan that wants the club to splash out on overseas players etc after the last few years seeing clubs get into financial trouble doing that over and over. I think the way were recruiting is bang on last season and into this one, build in the right way within the financial restrictions the club has. Or would you rather see our club fighting for its existence the end of every season after throwing money at loads of expensive imports like our neighbours?

It just came across that way mate. I do also retain my own opinions! The RFL, by their own wording, was getting no money out of this at all. This is a new revenue stream and is a deal for 2024 to 2026. I see no real downsides for the RFL here. They get a decent wedge of cash upfront for something they did not have the expertise or ability to sell themselves prior, for a relatively short 3 year term, after which the rights will either be worth more (then great) or not worth much (then great we got the cash now).

Maybe the RFL wants this arrangement for the immediate upfront money for something they were getting no/less value from? I see this as selling the rights to something for 3 years, just the same as we do with SL title rights. If the RFL were not bringing in this amount, which they obviously weren't because they wouldn't sell them for less than they were getting, then it's a guaranteed result for the RFL. If IMG don't deliver then the RFL have got more upfront than they would otherwise with any share deal. If IMG do increase the value then the rights are worth more in 3 years and again the RFL are in a better position.

I'm suspecting they are cutting their cloth according to what coin they have avaliable, nowt worse than not paying players and constantly going round with begging bowls...

Gary Connolly and Saints…

My old boss (she was German) had something like this pinned up in her office:

The Betting Rights are given to companies who then have the sole right to broadcast live footage of X with the subsequent possibility of people consuming X to place a bet via the platform they're consuming the footage. A bit like when you can watch football games in betting apps. I have a few mates who are in this type of business. If i remember correctly, the footage, just needs to be footage. It could be one camera and silent, from a legal perspective. IMG through endeavour are linked to SKYBET, DraftKings etc. Edit... Someone, probably IMG then receive x on the profits made by the IMG client's Superleague betting activity.

Totally agree . You can spend your way to short-term success but i'll be interested to see in particular what happens at Leigh when their ageing squad needs replacing. We've seen with the likes of Sammut , Wilkes, FFMM and Thackrey the difference they can make but it's unsustainable . Unity and hard work will have to be the mantra to compete next year. You don't write off a player who's only 24 but we've had a few from league 1 clubs like Simpson and Hutchings who haven't made the grade so there has to be a bit of caution. Who doesn't want a 16 stone powerhouse centre who scores and creates tries? Let's hope that's what he can give us.

SALFORD RED DEVILS forward James Greenwood has found a new club following his exit from the Super League side. Greenwood’s four-season stint with the Red...View the full article

Go on then, what has your best mate told you?

its just even more confusing and bewildering for the fans - millions of channels with nothing worth watching

josh addo carr should have not left storm for the dogs

Luther Burrell should never have left Union Sam Burgess should never have left league

you could thake the eight teams irrelevant of full membership announve the dates Only teams that have full time membership by then can qualify

That is very true

So now we see that the game will be sending IMG a bill. I wonder if that will be highlighted in every thread like the £450k?

The opposite can apply as well. Danny Langtree arrived here with a 'Mr Reliable/ever present' reputation and then spent half his time with us out injured for weeks at a time.

Did his ankle last year I think and had a serious knee injury couple years back ,not got a great appearance record over last few years but like others have said if club can get him on the pitch regularly it's a real signing,and he's a big lump like Silva so pack is looking pretty big

Personally I think the recruitment has been bang on this year brought in the best available cumbrians and some experience just think we are lacking a enforcer I use to like the Jamie Acton or Jamie thackeray sort off player and think it would complement this pack perfect

And, apparently a £450k bill from IMG.

I`ve a feeling it was the other way round, the RFL. Sky, IMG etc endeavored to get all games on a live feed for just this reason, to get it into the betting main stream, as theres a ridiculous amount of money to be made on it.

The two positions centre and second row are totally different propositions. A good second rower generally requires a good engine, positional awareness, tough strong defensive capabilities, communication skills, good go forward. Other desirable attributes such as speed, athletic ability, handling etc. Centre is also a difficult position and IMO requires most of what I have just described apart from a good engine. Last season ( yes League 1) our back rowers were capable and did the full eighty minutes. This allowed Finny to rotate other positions such as prop. A centre can often leave the field after eighty minutes feeling pretty refreshed. A back rower should be feeling k- - - - - d.

It all sounds very good. I really don't understand the detail of this arrangement. My only question would be is IMG the only company which could provide this service and did the RFL get the best deal they could? I guess we probably will not find this out. I wouldn't want to think IMG was getting this on the cheap.

Thats a fair point BSJ but RL is a different world and DRLFC is in a different world again. Leeds Utd season tickets start at £22 per game, £7 a game more than us but they have thousands of people on a waiting list so we know they could charge a lot, lot more and still sell them, but don't. We have no such issues and from where I sit I think the more season tickets we can sell the better it is. More people in the ground, more people buying add ons etc etc. Now I agree that £200 (£180 early bird) isn't way too much, but again I think that one difference between footy and us is that we are more family orientated so families like ours are looking at buying three. Now £600 is a fair bit, especially these days when things are tight. A £200 season ticket and £20 single entrance fee also mean that its not worth buying one if you risk missing just three games. No problem in the glory days of winter rugby but easily done when you're playing games in summer. All that said I guess the bottom line and something that MS will be very aware of is that you could charge £100 and the good folk of Dewsbury might still not buy em so overall you lose. Not easy and I don't have the answer............ Do like the offer of £100 for those aged up to 22 mind. Thats good thinking. I'd also offer all those on the new estate opposite a 2024 season ticket for a much reduced fee too. Post a voucher through the door, season ticket for £75 maybe? Try and get em hooked early.

The Dolphins introducing the uninitiated. Introducing new players to the game through League Tag has already been successful. “We have been able to create some really good relationships with local leagues, schools and clubs within the Wide Bay region,” said Blair. Our League Tag days are really popular for the sport for those looking at getting into the game, and it is usually the first steps for them. “The idea was that we would put in a Dolphins League Tag to get people involved on Friday afternoons as part of their school sport. “There were five schools involved and 24 teams across boys, girls and mixed teams and they played over five weeks.”

The highlights reel for Ramon Silva shows he has the ability to off-load. PLEASE let us encourage it and not look at safer options.

I love the fact that Kenya are having more Internationals than some established countries.

Wouldn't it have been better for IMG to build up the value of these rights and it still be in ownership of the RFL and then IMG take a share of any profit as we were advised would be the case.

Good to see Josh has signed for next year, and looks like he is fit to resume playing. Very good news!!!

I don’t know why you are asking me for my “ interpretations” but if you want me to support actions that continue to make this game safer for all concerned by reducing the potential for head injuries that I 100% do support that. Note the word “reducing” not “eliminating”. My targets are the players, coaches and their pet journalists and media presenters/ summarisers who will whinge when the penalty count goes up and will blame the match officials when it’s the players and coaches who are at fault. I want the RFL to not back down which isn’t an unreasonable stance or controversial.

Silsden AFC Steeton AFC Route one rovers All semi professional football clubs.

Current stadium too big, ideal is something around 8,000. He’s been pestering the Marie (city) for better facilities away from matchdays. He says there’s a leak in the team gym - it rains inside. Wants to unite the first team, elite team and U19s more - they seem pretty separate. Wants more fans in so he can fully capitalise on merchandising opportunities. Many Toulouse people don’t even know about TO. Hopes to sign an NRL halfback to replace Josh Ralph. Bemoans the lack of game time for French players across rugby league - uses Cesar Rouge as an example. The club wasn’t ready for Super League or or off the field last season so he isn’t worried about more Championship exposure. It allows him time to professionalise more sectors of the club.

Maybe, and this is guesswork because I don't much understand the sports betting market, but maybe to make money from this there would need to be a cash investment, and RLCom are not here for that, so are happy to take cash from a company who has that infrastructure. That would be win/win. This partnership doesn't mean that IMG will just give us access to everything for free, and we haven't given them access to our asset for free here.

Hi BSJ, you must have been tired when you counted Batley's players there are 18 signed on as per my PLayers signed on for 2024, I only put them on there once the club announce them. Just added Robbie Butterworth so that's 19 now. At your place maybe at ours we both face an uphill battle.

It shows what background I come from that when I saw the thread title I immediately thought of the discount clothing store rather than the birds!

Don’t quote me but I think these games will be split gate so just need to get as many as possible there to put valuable coin into coffers.

That was always the issue, getting money from Yorkcourt and a local authority that seemed to be happy not to put pressure on them to pay up. Anyway at least we have something now and with the extra funding Matt Ellis will be putting in our stadium will no longer be a problem. I will also add, it will also be owned by the club and we will not be second class tennants in soccer stadiums like quite a few others.

Writing as one who's eldest granddaughter is 31 and youngest granddaughter is 12, the answer is "no...it doesn't get any easier". I trust that thought has cheered you up.