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By getting London instead? Hmm. I agree with the original post but not this one, at all. Saying Fev couldn't afford to take the next step...well, I think getting £1.4 million instead of £80k might have made a bit of a difference! And your comment about "It’s not really decided by performance on the pitch, it’s decided by money" about promotion is laughable, it will be decided MORE by money from now on. Any team that gets somebody prepared to throw big money at a club will be in a very favourable position because so many of the IMG points available are predicated entirely on this. They can literally "buy" IMG points across the board, even through schemes such as heavily subsidised season tickets (eg at Wakefield) to ensure getting high points in that category...they get points for investment...they get points for splashing out on LED advertising boards etc. I'm not even saying that it's necessarily wrong, but let's not pretend that money (and current SL occupancy, with the financial advantages that brings) isn't going to be the ultimate decider in who goes in SL. I don't disagree at all though with the original point that the old promotion system was flawed in terms of how hard it is for an existing Championship team to build a SL-competitive team in the short window available.

Hoping to pay off your huge Championship debts with Superleague money is flawed from the start. You'll need your Superleague money to pay your Superleague players.

New Zealand 2 in Christchurch now please:

The situation Fev currently face provides a justification for the new IMG rules, and shows how a straightforward promotion and relegation between a full-time SL and a part-time Championship doesn't work. Without a very rich sugar daddy available (like Leigh and now Wakey), Fev, if promoted last year, would have found themselves having to use their fresh SL income to cover the previous losses incurred in trying to gain entry to the top table. They would have been at the back of the queue (inevitably) in recruiting a full-time squad, largely from cast-offs and fringe players from other SL teams, hamstrung by their starting financial position. Like Toulouse the season before (but probably financially worse off) they would be odds-on to go straight back down again. Back in the Championship, Fev would then have the task of offloading all the players they signed on two year contracts that they then couldn't afford, which would make their current financial problems look trifling.....

This was not the case last season though because if Fev had of gained promotion they could, if they wanted, just keep all their part time players and bank most of the money which would have more than adequatley paid off these debts without the fear of finishing bottom having much barring on which league they would be in the following year. The belief through the season was that Fev would have been very close to the automatic spots in SL and a lot of people believed that once in there it would be very hard to lose their spot. As it turned out most people were wrong and Fev were nowhere near where they needed to be so even if they did go up then they would have come straight back down like London are doing but again that money would have been a nice sweetener for them. We can't forget just how dominant Fev were last season, personally I feel getting rid of Sean Long was a huge mistake which in my opinion came back and bit them on the bum as I didn't see Ford as been up to the task. Although I think its awful what Fev have done regarding missing payments I also find it hard to really blame them either as last season was probably their last chance at a shot in SL for at least the 3-5 years until this system has run its course and we try something new.

Are you not aware of the 1911 FA Cup winners, Bradford Large Town FC?

But that is not how they read, they put obligations on everyone who signs up. That includes the originators. You should find another sport to hate. The RFL has been recognised as a leader in sports governance, it may get up your craw but it is a rare thing RL is respected for. Perpetual whingers like yourself, who whinge with no reason, or evidence, do more damage to the game that the RFL has ever done.

Just on the Challenge Cup, I've waited ages to see a mention of what the prize money is these days and here is a comparison between now and 1999. It makes for pitiful viewing even before you factor in 25 years of inflation:

Why? Are Fev relying on them for this year's salaries?

I think we've supposed to have forgotten that bit.

It's also the equivalent of what Leigh did in 2018, when Beaumont admitted that he hadn't envisaged that the club might fail to reach the play-offs and couldn't honour contracts as a result, with the club going into special measures. Harry, you were spectacularly wrong in your assessments about Fev last year from start to finish and it does you no credit to be doubling down now.

The Ireland-based board is most likely in place precisely because it does what it is told by the people with all the power in England. I have no doubt that most of the people in England involved in Rugby League Ireland did not have malign intentions but they have effectively hijacked a national sporting organisation and are using it for the benefit of English Rugby League players of Irish descent and to the detriment of the sport and it's players in Ireland.

Really? 5th round attendances; Coventry V Maidstone 26, 757 Bournemouth v Leicester 10, 872 ( near capacity) Blackburn v Newcastle 22,730 Luton v Man City 11, 163 ( near capacity) Chelsea v Leeds 37,882 Nottingham Forest v Man Utd 28,665 Wolves v Brighton 23, 882 Liverpool v Southampton 59, 782 4th round, selected only Bristol City v Nottingham Forest 25, 787 and 27,754 ( replay) Chelsea v Aston Villa 39, 375 and 40, 013 Tottenham v Man City 60, 872 Ipswich v Maidstone 27, 273 Leeds v Plymouth 35, 247 If this is serious decline I'm a Dutch man.......now where's my Oranjeboom

The FA Cup has been in serious decline for years. Attendances in the rounds before the quarter-finals are not what they used to be. Even many non-league clubs no longer treat the FA Cup seriously, mimicking Premier and Football League clubs by naming 'shadow' teams and reducing admission prices in an attempt to attract a reasonable crowd. The FA Trophy has become a joke. Indeed, the FA Vase - for smaller non-league clubs - is the only major football knockout competition still treated with respect by all who enter.

You're correct no model is perfect, but when promotion is won on the field rather than by some arbitrary method then it has definitely been earned. London won their place in SL fair and square and if they earn enough points to not finish bottom of SL, they should keep their place. If Wakefield are promoted to SL, then it should be because they've won the Championship GF and not because they've built a new stand.

No, if they thought they had a chance of having nearly enough IMG points should they gain promotion where the benefits of been in SL could push them in to the top 12, then they would have been totally stupid not to try rather than the alternative of a slow demise in the Championship.

So didn't Leigh buy promotion ? Or were they all home grown ?

It has to be Christchurch and the South Island to me, it just opens up the sport to the entire country. Wellington leaves the South Island still untapped and I'm sure the Warriors can still take games to Wellington too.

A domestic NRL New Zealand RL derby would be awesome between the north island and South Island. It’s got everything going for it to be a success and would take RL in New Zealand to the next level and maybe even threaten “rugby” as the #1 game in the country in the next decade or so.

This. forget about any soft power nonsense in PNG to counter Chinese influence in the pacific region. NZ2 is ripe for the picking especially with warriors flying and super rugby on a downward trajectory.

I spoke too soon.

It's been a long while since we had two athletes as good as Dom Young and Herbie Farnworth in an England back line. Add in Johnstone, Wardle, Welsby, Williams, Smith, Lewis etc and it's as good a 1-7 as I can remember us having for a long time.

Excellent sellout crowd for the Warriors in Christchurch today: https://x.com/mikeburgess99/status/1771070655095791696?s=46&t=8wIlQ43b9SxaQrrsf4MLtA

Fair comment. The NRL is in a boom at the moment. There is a lot to be positive about. More than not. Maybe I could have been a bit more positive in my delivery around Newcastle’s figures. Let’s just say then that I think they have a great opportunity to drastically increase that membership number. I will add too, membership numbers are all a little bit of smoke and mirrors. There are all sorts of memberships varying from club to club, from single game memberships to full season. Kids memberships to pets. So if Newcastle have predominantly full season members in that figure, then that is a pretty good result.

Lets kick the NRL while its having a boom time...and I can tell you after the Super League ###### the NRL has been doing very well since 2002 to present and long may it continue unlike the newer yet dead Super Rugby.

nothing more desperate and short-sighted than your average M62 club assuming his existence is saved by 50 more away fans by another M62corridor club

Shame about Emerson. He was a hundred percenter, no doubt. But, sometimes someone else's 80 % is better. Tbh it was almost definite he was going to the butterflies, I would've put a clause in his release that he couldn't play against us. As I've said previously, the ex players should've proved a point last year.

Welcome to Rochdale, Emmerson. A career enhancing move!

Coaches and administrators in amateur sports who overlook their grass roots in an attempt to go for glory poison sports at all age groups all over the world. It’s a mindset they have and they don’t change. It’s infuriated me when I’ve come across it in junior sports in my community. So many junior athletes just leave because of one or two of these personalities take over a team or a club. I get the feeling Lebanon will sort themselves out eventually but the others will be overtaken by other countries that are starting to develop quite nicely. It’s a correction we had to have and it’s a sign of progress.

How about a 2nd PNG QCup team? I wouldn't be against it. NZ2 needs to happen basically now.

Be nice .

Do you know the lottery numbers ?

That's pure speculation from you ,you don't know that for certain. Only the players know.

Staggering. Clubs stiffs players but, yeah, it's fine. No biggie.

It wasn’t a TRL initiative previously but it came from discussions on the League Unlimited forum. I’m happy to join if there’s enough interest.

Well this looks like fun!

Rochdale Hornets are producing a commerative programme..celebrating the life of former Chairman Peter Rush...for the game against Hunslet on 24th March.

Wow!!! That is absolutely amazing work. Where can I buy tickets to their World Cup????

Yes, lets do it! What if we attempt to revive the TRL development fund? Even if the amounts collected at first are tiny, I think it is still worth a crack. I am willing to help out, and if TRL are behind it again I am sure we can make it a success. What do you say Gomersall?

I think that's a good question. Because on the surface they may appear to have done bits and bobs, but I don't think they have done anything of any substance.

Yeah that's what people have been saying the last couple of years, just need England games!

Good game fom Young, a try, a couple of assists and plenty of tackle busts. Just one dropped high ball under no real pressure to blot the day. No idea why Souths left Tom Burgess on the bench for the entire first half as he added much needed go forward for them when he came on - but the game was already gone. Souths are a very poorly coached side.

I’m going to stick with TNT offering as my interest level is pretty casual. As a fan I’ve been dipping in and out since the 1980s gradually increasing my knowledge of the sport. The only drawback to this I guess is I will mainly be watching the early games on the east coast and central. I’ll probably miss out then on seeing the development of the west coast based teams unless they’re visiting the east. My main teams are the Red Sox in the AL and the Cubs in the NL after seeing them play in the 90s at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.

I think that is a very silly comment. The RFL have been trying for years to do something about the decline in the Challenge Cup. Maybe its prestige is just in line with other knock out sporting cup competitions? Or, and I think this is the major point, it exists outside and indeed contrary to the main customer engagement we have built up and established over decades now by not being included on Season tickets. Leeds vs Saints will be a good like for like comparison to show this.

Nice post and so true.

I ring them at least once a year to see what deals are on offer. They are always very friendly, and I always end up better off (or less out of pocket as Mrs Exiled would frame it). If you have a few minutes to spare of course.

I am a country affected by this decision. That being Ireland. One thing i commend the board for doing is picking a good weekend to bury bad news. It went unreported in Ireland and very commneted on it. On face value the criteria on face value seem laugablely easy. Leitrim a county with a population of 30,000 would meet the criteria if its GAA clubs also played Rugby League. To get a true understanding of the problems of Rugby League expanding in Ireland you have to look back. Ireland pre the Celtic Tiger of the 1990s was a cold house to professional sport and federations had little interest in going professional. The interest in Rugby League took off with Rupert Murdochs Sky TV in the 90s and the ending of the ban in 1995. Rugby League in Ireland seemed to be in its strongest in 2000's . Both Ian Dowling and Brian Carney played Rugby League and both became dual code internationals. In the mid 90's the then Super League must have seemed alot more glamerous than the domestic Irish Rugby Union scene. Since that period Rugby League in Ireland seems to have gone into stagnation and decline. In 2013 the RFL anounced that they would cut Rugby League Ireland funding. This decision has had devistating consequences and had led to the situation we are at now. Had Rugby Leaugue put big money in the 90s and 2000s in Ireland things may have worked out differently. The creation of the Celtic League in Rugby Union in 2001 seriously affected Rugby League chances of expansion in Ireland. While Rugby League Ireland had two international matches on TV a year on at best Rugby Union had 2 to 3 Provinical matches a weekend on Free TV. The professionalisation of Irish Rugby Union has led to a explosion of interest in the game. It is ironic the country that least wanted professionalism benefited the most while Australia the one that most wanted it the most benefited the least. The Provincal Rugby Union teams have caught the public imangination. There has been talk of a League 1 franchise been given to Ireland for over a decade. A few articles and forum posts but all talk no action. One thing for sure the sport wont expand in Ireland off a budget that would barely run a small GAA club in rural Ireland. That figure being around €50,000. I think this action is a power play by Australia and the NRL and is more about cutting votes than anything else. I seriously doubt i will see Ireland at Rugby Leage World Cup again and much the pity it is as i have a lot of good memories watching the games. I feel bad for the well meaning familes that put their heart and soul into Rugby League in Ireland and amoung emigrant communities.

Sometimes no commentary is much better.

So you want to watch Championship games without commentary? Maybe just have someone play the piano like in the days of silent films?