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At this rate he'll be about 6'9" and 21 stone by the time the season starts.

Wellington Albert signed for next year. More happy with that than the likes of Kyle Trout.

Post underneath!!!

Bloody hell you must be fun at parties

1. Its 2. Way 3. Too 4. Early 5. To 6. Make 7. League 8. Position 9. Predictions 10. Complete 11. Waste 12. Of 13. Time 14. HALIFAX

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union Nawaqanitawase 'DEFECTS' to Rugby League............ While Joseph Suaalii 'moves' to rugby union....... The union hacks just can't help themselves can they...

I watched a bit of those “highlights”. I had forgotten how fat Vichy forwards are.

By "ARU contract", you could well mean "ARU money".

To be honest, I am not sure any of these cross code transfers have the same impact as they have in previous years. One of the consequences of multi channels sports behind paywalls is that individual sportspeople (with the exception of football) don't have the profile of previous years. While Freddie Steward or Harry Arundell are good players (in particular the latter), I don't think they would resonate massively with a typical League fan in the UK.

It should be consecutive Home/Away fixtures for every team and if your home ground isn't available for whatever reason you play it elsewhere. Plenty of time to sort it out: the fixtures are months off. Crusaders seemed to manage when Colwyn Bay wasn't available.

None of it matters next year we can win the league, playoffs and challenge cup but still won’t be allowed to be promoted so we just have to chill and enjoy the rugby because that’s all that’s left.

The majority of the people posting just seem to be doing a final league standings, I am not sure why the competition rules would matter for that? They're not going to deduct 10 points mid season for not having LED advertising boards.

Re-read what you've written... "I don't see the sense in penalising teams like Cas" / "Need to be tighter on teams like Bradford inflating their figures". Now ask yourself if those two things could in any way be linked... The catchment score is designed solely for the purpose of getting Bulls back in SL.

I was at the meeting last night and a lot of credit has to go to those that have got us this far. People who genuinely love the sport and didn't want to lose it and are doing this while working full time. From a fan's perspective I just want to see a team on the pitch representing the north east, there will be bumps along the way but as long as we make it we have a team to watch!

So if the RFL are rejecting appeals this year because it's unfair, do we take it they will do the same next season? I can't wait for the gradings to come out next season and teams to start planning only for multiple teams to then submit appeals. If anything its going to add some drama to the new season, maybe they could do a I'm a Celeb style TV show for the announcements for entry to SL. "Bradford.........It could be you" "Leigh...........It's not you"

I dont't know why they bothered. It was an indicative score, no real consequences of getting it wrong, they've just advertised that they've made an error and, if they'd said nothing, they'd have had the comfort of knowing they had an extra point in their pocket for next year.

Very good player but if Levi edwards can stay fully fit he won’t be much of a miss

Its hard to compare much with leigh as they were a total anomaly and the stars aligned for them to basically put together a top 6 SL team in the Championship and you can't see that happening again for a very long time. I agree Wakey look better than Fev though and Im really not sure the thinking of those that think it might be tight at the top, just one look at the quality through the Wakey squad and you have to think something has gone majorly wrong if they don't top the league. I'd also argue that Fev could have made changes last season and did bring a player or two in but I am not sure there were the players available and to be truthful when you dominate the league in the fashion they did you can't really blame them for not wanting to spend any more money.

Sure, people were posting their final league tables and you decided to call people lazy for not reading the competition rules. Unless something is in the rules that will affect the league table, I'm not sure it's all that relevant.

1-Wakefield 2-York 3-Toulouse 4-Bradford 5-Featherstone 6-Sheffield 7-Doncaster 8-Halifax 9-Batley 10-Whitehaven 11-Widnes 12-Swinton 13-Barrow 14-Dewsbury I’m Expecting a big year from York, I think they could be serious Contenders this year. Also I doubt Featherstone have the Depth for a proper promotion push this year. Wakefield should be big favourites but the competition looks very even this year and the ladder could go plenty of different ways which is very pleasing.

I think that shows the realisation of where the game is at Tommy and why the bar is set so low to achieve an A grade, to quote yourself "If you stand still you are in effect going backwards". I have been dubious from the introduction of IMG in how their methods will increase spectators both live in the grounds and eyes on the broadcasts. Some will say it is already working at your club, I will counter that with an emphatic NO, success on the field and quality player's at the club along with games of more interest and the opportunity to see better players visiting in the SL is the sole reason and main contributor to the greatly increased attendances, and controversially to some I doubt the ENTERTAINMENT is bringing more in. If Leeds increase their attendances from last season it will be on the back of the new signings and performing better on the field not that they are the No1 rated club on IMG's spreadsheet. We could go through the SL clubs at the end of next season and look at why they have improved/dropped attendances and I will predict it is how the club is performing on the field, not how many are in the catchment area, LED advertising, big screen scoreboards, padded directors seats or any other peripherals that are nessacary to gain IMG points.

Could they have used anonymised data? Maybe not as it may be too reliant on honesty, which is never a good thing! Or they could have looked at engagement with schools and clubs no matter how geographically distant, an example being Wakefield's involvement with a club in Immingham. That said, my own opinion (and that's all it is based on no more than gut feel and possibly flawed intuition) is that the clunky measure arose from a combination of laziness and incompetence.

London are ranked 24th. The whole picture is the important bit.

This is so obvious. Attendances should be the only measure and Catchment Areas dropped. Otherwise a poor expansion club benefits over a good club in an area with more competition. The fact that an expansion team doesn't have as much competition should be benefit enough and attendances should show this.

Of course, whether it is poorly thought out is a matter of opinion. My opinion is that using the population figures from the last census, within local authority boundaries, isn't a particularly well thought out measure of how strong a club is, or even how strong they may be. The only way I could say it is not poorly thought out, is if it wasnt thought out at all.

Union writer in today`s The Australian : Mark Nawaqanitawase just start of NRL raid on rugby stars | The Australian We can also reveal that it’s not only Australian players who are in the sights of league clubs. New Zealand Super Rugby backrower Hugh Renton is in talks with St George Illawarra Dragons about a potential mid-season switch. The 27-year-old, who plays for the Highlanders, is known for his aggressive style and if a deal is sorted, he’d be available for the Dragons after the Super season finishes in June.

He`s obviously left the door open for a return to union for the 2027 union world cup in Oz. Roosters will back themselves that when the time comes he won`t want to leave and will knock back union just like Penisini, Koula, Murray, Asofa-Solomona, Haas and Chrichton all have recently.

Some more great stats:

A lot will depend on who has the best available abomination sorry DR players at their disposal, so hopefully those who choose not to use it finish top

Prob too early for predictions with signings yet to come. Can expect another hugely tight league though. 1. Wakey - will strengthen and start recruiting a team capable of competing in SL as the season goes on. 2. Toulouse - only down to home form. They look to still have a small, ageing squad. 3. Bradford - Kept majority of last seasons squad that finished strongly. O'Carroll looks a good fit on paper, will it work out that way though. Got the toughest opening set of fixtures it was possible to give us. 4. York - probably have the strongest depth, although still think they look light at prop. I like Hendo and think they will do well. 5. Halifax - Always there or thereabouts, I like their signings of O'brien, Douglas & Eden. But they look to have a small squad. 6. Fev - obviously not many signed up but think they'll recruit as season wears on. Still a top 17 but think they will be a hangover from last season. 7. Sheffield - another good season, just not as good as last. 8. Barrow - improved season for them. 9. Batley - New coach and could be a transition year. 10. Widnes - recruited mainly Swinton players and coach, who only just stayed up. Another tough year for them. 11. Doncaster - think it will be case of team that looks strong on paper doesn't replicate on the field. But staying in the championship will be their main aim. 12. Whitehaven - think they'll have just enough. Always have some gems in their squad. 13. Dewsbury - Tough first year back. 14. Swinton think they'll struggle with a few players and coach going. Patton isn't the answer IMO

1st Trophy pick-up for Trinity under new regime.

I do kind of feel like you're answering your own question. It's clearly very popular and in many ways intrinsically linked to RL in this country. The sub-forum in my experience covers the sport a bit more club-specific, but in my opinion, the NRL certainly has a place in the General Rugby League Forum - it's not called the British RL forum. I hope the irony isn't lost that you've just started another one btw

The amount of whinging about a grade which is only indicative, and was caused by a ####-up of their own making, I really can't understand why some Cas fans are hell bent on blaming the RFL rather than their own club making a stupid error.

In my opinion, the biggest part in our end of season run was Brenden Santi, other forwards upped their game once he arrived. Delighted he’s signed for another year.

You go t'ticket office after yer shift int pit

What makes you think they don't have decent support already? I went to an Elite 1 game in Stad Albert Domec vs Lezignan and there was a decent crowd there - I'd guess around 1500 to 2000. They could grow that with the attraction of visiting UK rugby league teams. Nobody should make a plan for a rugby league side which relies on away fans! Away fans are a bonus on top of all the other season tickets, home ticket sales, sponsorship, planing, sales and merchandise.

It doesn't work like that I would suspect there would be a super league get out clause in place.

Here are some highlights of him in action.

The new company will I'd guess eventually be a combination of reds/town/independent (possibly council) members to manage the stadium during and after completion. They are talking to the FA as they will fund the 4g pitches, the RFL haven't got a pot to #### in unless you're from Yorkshire.

On a serious note, got to say I love looking at old trophies like the Challenge Cup, Yorkshire Cup etc. I think they look magnificent compared to the modern tacky things used across most sports these days for test series etc. Maybe a full exhibition of them would be great and some way of using them again (don’t ask how). Seems a shame to keep them locked away.

Despite all these years kicking Rugby League in France there is still a fear in union circles and union loving journalists.

ARU pay overs for Joseph Suaalii from the Roosters. Roosters just buy an ARU golden child in return.

I doubt any 'expansion lovers' read them anymore, they just like slagging him off.

Imagine how the clowns at 2GB are going to mangle that surname in commentary...

Is there any reason they couldnt simply use average attendance but have more tiers and just scrap catchment altogether? It would obviously have to be tightly to avoid teams putting in fake numbers like on the scale that Bradford have been doing but really only needs a few photos during each game then load it in to facial recognition software and you will be somewhere near to within a 100 or so, its certainly not going to be thousands out. I don't see the sense of penalising teams like cas who have done notoriously well with the population they have while rewarding teams like London who have failed miserabely year on year.

I wouldn’t call the likes of Aekins, Mininkin, Gale, Lacans, Reynolds, Springer, Jones, Addy etc scraps. These are all quality players. Plus there’s over 4 months until the first match. People need to calm down a bit and see what happens.

I wonder how much of this fixture nonsense is a knock-on effect of having to accommodate teams being unable to play on certain days? There's an awful lot of overlap between the football/RU seasons and our "summer" game, particularly in Spring. I'm thinking of the likes of Halifax/Toulouse/York/Doncaster who might not have first dibs at "their" home grounds on certain weekends in February/March/April - everyone else gets buggered about as a result.

To be fair, it's quite hard to compile a forgettable list.