tim2

By being 90% part-time and not re-investing in stadiums.

Pre-Covid I think. They moved to their permanent base at Lenton Lane in 2018 which woulkd have been one of the criteria.

This is true, but RU also has similar lower level clubs playing in Leicester, Gloucester and other places with a pro side, however it also has town and village teams everywhere. What rugby league doesn't have is weight of numbers outside where the pro/NCL teams are, and zero presence in some places that could potentially switch to part-time pro. And of course, funding. Rich benefactors are more likely to be in social circles where owning or sponsoring an RU club opens doors or allows you to swan around a nice clubhouse, host a corporate dinner etc. Look at clubs like Caldy, Ampthill, or Hartpury. Competing in the 2nd tier from villages, although Hartpury is a kind of feeder team for Gloucester and would never wish to get into Tier 1. Which of course is unthinkable in Rugby League, where everybody simply has to get into Super League. Nottingham Outlaws got refused entry to the NCL. Not sure why - they have their own ground, a women's team, a junior setup and have been around a long time. They have never conceded a game in their history. The irony is that "heartland" teams in the Yorkshire League and Women's League have repeatedly scratched fixtures against the Outlaws. The amateur game is really struggling. This is bad news for the pro game (as if it needs more bad news) as this is where all their players come from. I'm ranting a bit and losing the plot as well because RL is such a great game but it's been let down again and again by poor management and self-interest and it makes me angry.

I was using the RU calculator. The clubs had started pressurising the RFU to become more 'professional' by playing league games rather than friendlies before they officially started paying players.

and vice-versa. RU has some limits on promotion but it's fairly lax until you get near to / at the top. Our system is just anachronistic and odd.

Imagine raking in hundreds of millions of dollars on the back of athletes you don't pay. Great trick they've pulled off.

College Football in the US has 6 regular season matches yet they rake in millions and millions in merch and ticket sales in massive stadiums bigger than the Premier League. And their national finalists get picked by some kind of secret committee. Not helpful, but it shows what money and marketing can do. And that is the opposite of RL. No money and the marketing skills of a drunk donkey. I still find it odd that 25 years on from RU going pro, and building a full pyramid overnight, in RL we still have an artificial divide between "amateur" and "pro". Utterly bizarre if you don't understand the nuances and egos. If Skolars can hang in, a 10 team League One is still viable.

Did anyone have Halifax down to (possibly) finish 9th? No, me neither. Still, they got a cup. Sheffield v London next week. Should be a belter. Sheffield haven't had back to back wins for months.

Good season end for the Hurricanes too. Two away wins against strong teams this season. They and Cornwall are agonisingly close to being competitive in League One. Shame that Skolars are as bad as they've been for years. Assuming everybody makes the start line next year, and IMG/RFL don't move the goalposts, there'll be 10 teams in the league meaning, like today, 5 matches each week instead of a random number. But 18 games isn't enough. Can they not either play 27, or introduce the dreaded loop fixtures with "nearby" teams? Based on current positions as an example: Newcastle, Swinton, Doncaster, Oldham, Workington, Rochdale, Crusaders, Cornwall, Midlands, Skolars Introducing 4 loop fixtures would mean 2 groups of 5 (yes, I know it means a bye week but one would be OK, surely) with 2 home games and a 22 game / 23 week regular season. e.g. Oldham, Rochdale, Swinton, Workington, Newcastle Crusaders, Midlands, Cornwall, Skolars, Doncaster Just an idea.

5 wins, including 2 away and a heartland team in the last game to give their fans something to look forward to next year.

I'm equally worried about the decline of the open age amateur game in the North East. A few years ago it was thriving and they had a team in the NCL. Actually, it's in decline everywhere. But hey, let's pay for f****** video refs at every SL game. Because that will solve the sport's problems.

I ran horribly yesterday at Melton Mowbray, which, by the way is a lovely course. My heart rate was through the roof. Later yesterday I came down with a high temperature, shivers and zero energy so I'm amazed I got round at all. My smart watch told me off for doing too much with a low "body battery". Well yes, I guess I did ignore its warning.

I've had a few weeks off on holiday. Will be blowing a bit tomorrow I suspect.

It's not a woke point, it's a valid one. The wider the player pool, the better your team will be. Black working class lads have made a huge difference to England's men's team. Access for white working class players is critical too. England Cricket have blown a huge opportunity over the years to properly engage the Asian and West Indian communities, to the detriment of our national team.

Under 12 - possibly, my parents were brilliant School - exam stress and bullying University - not bad but the lectures, studying and exams were a pain. I guess I would do well with infinite time. 20s, 30s, 40s - all OK but work and kids dominated 50s - I got really fit and the kids had gone. Definite option. Now - Retired, healthy-ish. Yeah, I'd stay with now.

Mark Aston said something similar, maybe phrased differently - he has said a couple of times recently that he hates it when Eagles score on the first set. As if the mindset of the team alters and is difficult to get back on track.

So, the Aussie public will go to internationals in a sport they have very little experience of, and which is (according to the blokes at the pub) inferior quality. Yet they are not interested in rugby league internationals. Funny old world.

Long question for a two letter answer.

Not massively, but the revenue from match days now goes mainly to the Eagles, and other off-field revenue generation becomes far easier.

I assume Thacks was on a decent wedge (I hope so!) and he's retiring (probbbly) so I'd expect to see an experieinced half back come in. Brandon Douglas is leaving for Fax so I'd also expect at least one quality prop as a replacement. These two would be a great platform for any half back to play behind at Champ level.

Eagles away have been awful, except at Fev, where they nearly won with 11 men for long periods. If they'd carried their home form onto the road they'd be comfortably second. SATURDAY 5th AUGUST Newcastle Thunder v Widnes Vikings KO 15:00 York Knights v Toulouse Olympique KO 18:00 SUNDAY 6th AUGUST Barrow Raiders v London Broncos KO 15:00 Batley Bulldogs v Bradford Bulls KO 15:00 Halifax Panthers v Featherstone Rovers KO 17:30 (viaplay) Swinton Lions v Keighley Cougars KO 15:00 Whitehaven v Sheffield Eagles KO 15:00

Super League has never been an English League, from day one. In fact, given the number of Welsh teams involved from the early 20th Century, there hasn't been an "English" league for about 120 years.

Part of the transition may be in the Championship. The obvious lesson of Catalans will be lost in that small area of West Yorkshire, though.

You were obviously setting "mid-table" as your reference point.

I've been saying this since they got that first win. Cas have the easier run-in (for what that's worth) so the game between them on 18th August is massive. Having said that, you'll probbaly lose to Cas next week just to spite my prediction.