Scubby

What if a Tonga or Samoa won the World Cup you would want those guys over with NZ every day of the week? We also have to remember that the RFL and NZRL own a joint loss making NZ company (which was set up for the farcical 2019 GB tour) and maybe the plan is to try and mop up the ####show created from that?

A repeat of the 2006 Tri series would be great. Two games v NZ in England, England v France (home and away), Fra v NZ (x2) and a final in the UK. England v France x1 can be before NZ come over to shorten time for Kiwis. Does it really matter if the final is Eng v NZ? The French games will give both Eng/NZ chance to use the wider squad and real prep for France for hosting and on the field for 2025.

Hull or Leigh SV

Middle end next year I think

Problem is what squad Wakefield will have if they go down? It's not beyond the possibility that they go fully part-time and there will be no main stand for that season. The club is run on peanuts.

Field of dreams

If Wakefield go down crowds will be 2-3k in 2023

If all the media and controversy is focussed on clubs 10-14 then it has a ripple effect. All the talk should be on the pinnacle of our sport.

I mentioned it on the other thread. The governance of the elite competition is the one major thing they can do. You need an executive committee with the power to make big decisions. You cannot have 12 member clubs squabbling and voting on every single thing and expect progress.

They are averaging 4600 I think. With 2 home games left against Hull and Catalans I think they will be close to the 5k average I mentioned. Good luck to Widnes with their crowds. It's a shame they aren't pushing for SL as the current Championship favourites are only averaging 2,939 from their 9 home league games this season.

You saying Australia has a gambling problem?

It's an accepted part of the NRL now regardless. Just like I accept that Barry and Terry will ruin my enjoyment of SL

Yet it works in the NRL and is now ingrained in the competition. Just doesn't seem to translate to a British audience for some reason. Maybe because the draw culture is so strong in football here?

Catalans finished bottom in 2006 with a crowd average of about 5.5k. Toulouse will either finish 11th or 12th with a crowd average of around 4.5-5k. Toulouse has a population of 500,000 people. If they stay in SL for the next 5-7 years and fulfill their potential we could have another powerful club on our hands in the northern hemisphere. Where is the value in that?

Isn't the talk always about pride in the jersey?

There have been people like Tommy Martyn at Saints saying how much it has cost them to fly to France this year. I'm sure he knows full well how much Catalans and Toulouse pay to travel to the UK and back over a season to complete fixtures. Completely unnecessary and small time. It feels like the Toronto central distribution discussion V2 with new protagonists.

How long have they been there?

Harry Leigh fans hijacking discussion threads to make it all about their team is getting pretty tiresome even for hardened users on here

Toulouse had restricted crowds and facilities in their first few games in 2022.

The is the leisure industry not some health and safety #### show. They are selling a product. I'm sorry but if Featherstone can rebuild two seated stands entirely with the help of volunteers then Wakefield can do the bare minimum required of an elite sports club. I have zero sympathy for them being shamed.

Wakefield have signed Tafoa and Shaul in the last 7 days. This is not a penniless amateur club. Did you see the pic of the ticket office?

Saints got to play there for free. Saints fans got charged to go there. If it is a #### environment for RL it has to be called out. This we are all evangelists line doesn't help anyone.

The meetings between Championship/L1 and SL were separate to my knowledge so DB and Hudds are talking about different meetings I think.

But Leigh's average is 2999 for their 8 league games and I think Featherstone is in the early 3000s. The only difference is those clubs relying on a few neighbours to bring away fans to local derbies. If they are rock bottom half way through next season then even the locals give up attending. The game stays corner shop, the footprint stays miniscule and the Sky money eventually dwindles to pigeons fighting over scraps. The Challenge Cup final reverts to Elland Road or Etihad and that's it - done deal. People really need to be careful what they wish for. It's 2022 not 1992. The Women's Euros is likely to have more spectators this summer than the 2021 RLWC. And that is with venues like Leigh SV and Rotherham. The competition is fierce for leisure money and sponsorship and sports that won't adapt will just wither into insignificance.

Perhaps the most important thing IMG could suggest is an executive board to run the professional elite game and make big decisions like the NRL. Taking away petty club voting on important issues. Clubs shouldn't be voting like mates deciding on what take away to have when it comes to the future of our sport.