Maximus Decimus

I think this is quite an idealistic way of looking at it. In theory, the salary cap and licensing would have produced this evening out across the division but it still hasn't in anything like the way we would hope and perhaps more importantly for this concept, it hasn't spread the talent across the division and has in fact worsened it by increasing to 14. I still think we would find the top 6 clubs being a lot better than the bottom 6 clubs and that would include those making the bottom 2 of the 8. There just isn't the talent pool in British RL to have a competitive 8 clubs.

Unless there is a change in the strength of Rugby League clubs across the board (and I don't think there will be for some time), the top 8 might not be a great place for the bottom 2 clubs. Before Widnes went off the boil, we were in the run in to make the top 8. However, if we theoretically made the top 8 after the split I've little doubt that it would actually be a pretty miserable existence in the top 8 as it would be a run of almost certain defeats many of them large. This would only get worse as it would be these teams that would struggle with the regular intensity.

They also tried it in Switzerland who ended up returning to a more normal system. An official urged the Scots not to do it and said whilst it made for more excitement at times the middle league was essentially cast out and nobody was interested in it.

The season ticket culture is the biggest contributing factor to low playoff and CC attendances in comparison to SL games. Put it this way the crowd at the Wigan-Leeds semi-final decider last year was lower than for a routine home game against London. It is impossible to imagine that there was more interest in the town of Wigan for the London game than the Leeds game. The problem is that you have approximately 10,000 or so people that automatically have a ticket for every home game because they paid out in full. So for the London game you only have approximately 3,000 people paying for that game whereas for the Leeds game you are selling 12,000 tickets. For whatever reason there is clearly a significant portion of that 10,000 that are not willing to pay for any extra matches. I think only a small part is laziness and is probably more to do with the habit of paying for games especially when you can watch on TV or in the pub. If you pay out in a big chunk, paying for RL games stops being a part of your regular outgoings. So when a game comes up that you weren't necessarily expecting you are having to find the £22 odd quid out of your regular outgoings to pay for the game. If you bring a family you are multiplying that. A season ticket takes out the will I/ wont I decision because you've already paid and with SKY it's all to easy to save a bit of money and watch in on tele. The answer is a hard one and probably not answerable. As for the playoffs, a return to a decent and valuable playoff system would at least help matters.

From what I've seen they appear to have made a decision and they're doing all this consulting to make it look like it's been thoroughly debated on. It would be a brave man to suggest that any where near a majority are in favour of it.

You equally cannot compare the NRL to Super League. The profile of the sport over there is massively different to ours. It's the number one sport in 2 of the top 3 cities in Australia. I'm not sure we're the number 1 sport in any city of the much larger UK. Melbourne Storm are nowhere near the success they should be. Without multiple titles they would have likely been dropped years ago, they still get as low as 12,000 in a city that claims to be the biggest sporting city in the world. This is similar to a very poor Super 14 team and way lower than any of the 8 or so AFL sides.

Nice and civil there, I'm sure all his other antipodean cousins agreed didn't they?

They are if the potential is there. Are London's problem solveable? Especially when you consider that they could literally go out of business at any minute. If their owner pulls the plug do we replace them again? Maybe now isn't the time to support a London club in the top division. I think short and medium term those clubs would do a better job. There is little more demoralising in RL than seeing a top-level game played in a stadium with 3 closed sides and a handful of people there. At least those clubs provide a bit of passion and the odd semi-decent crowd.

I'm not saying that the RFL are playing down anybody. However, London's inclusion above other clubs is largely because of their potential. The chances of their ever fulfilling this diminish all their time. Let's be honest, they haven't drawn a decent crowd for probably a decade aside from an 8,000 crowd against Saints which was their first ever game as Harlequins and clearly included many Quins RU fans giving it a go. The last time they had decent crowds was 1996/7 and their crowds are the lowest they have ever been in Super League. Things are going backwards rather than forwards. When they made the final in 99 they brought 9,000 from memory. I'd dread to think what they would bring now. Halifax, Fev or Leigh would perform marginally better but it's hard to justify why London get a permanent place and they never get a place. For all the good they apparently do (and I think it's all debatable), they do harm to the image of the game in these communities and others who see a failing club with crowds lower than their own allowed a place at the top table. This is justifiable as long as they are good for the game and as long as they have the potential to do something great. I'm just not sure that that they have this potential anymore.

I think there is a genuine argument to be had about London. I've always been pro-London because of the reasons given but the last few years I have really started to doubt whether they ever can be even a moderate success. It's all well and good saying that they do a similar job to Fev and Fax but London are a ticking timebomb. There simply isn't the money to sustain them in their current form and within the next few years there will be another crisis there unless things change. My point is that if the potential for their success isn't there and I'm not sure it is, then their perpetual inclusion ahead of teams such as Fax and Fev is grossly unfair. There is only so long potential can be used as an argument. The potential of the new stadium has arguably kept Salford going for years but the move has done nothing to bring out their apparent potential. It's taken a wealthy backer to get anything going there.

The doubt is of course whether a genuinely successful London club is a possibility.

They've done really well. However it's hard to say whether they'll dominate. Leeds had an off year by their high standards, Saints were missing both of their main half-backs and Wire are getting better every year. Add to that other clubs that might improve year on year and it makes for an interesting time. They'll start next year as favourites but they won't have it all their own way.

They were also the original colours of Widnes rugby. Saints should go for all-white next year. Will go well with their new nickname, 'The Jimmys.'

Best team this year, without a doubt. Congratulations. Looking forward to next year already.

I can't believe somebody mentioned Paul Sculthorpe. He was our one class player over a bad period. I remember when we lost 64-10 being embarrassed that he was on our side, because he was the one that didn't deserve it.

Apparently there is still 6-7k tickets left but only singles or doubles. Don't have a source just internet rumour so it could be balderdash.

It has a few times actually.

Virtually won us the game that. Awesome tackle.

I'm certain they will. This is RL and Saints fans will treat it with the respect it deserves. We all make mistakes and Terry was no different. RIP.

Wow, I'm totally shocked and never saw that coming. You have no point, you are in essence, pointless.

When I first heard about it I was well sceptical of Twitter I just didn't see the point. Now I love it, reading what celebrities and RL players get up to, even getting the odd reply. The best RL related one came last night from....Robbie Savage! "I'm just a thin earl crabtree,, thin earl crabtree"

One of these looks like the badge of a modern sport and one doesn't. To me the Melbourne Victory badge is simple and classy and the Leeds one looks amateurish.

Can we invent a time machine just so you can go there? The S of Salford was rubbish. I'm not against the use of monikers or of modern looking logos. My problem is that Rugby League has very few good ones on either side of the world.

The Phantoms badge that you have displayed looks way better than most of the Super League badges.

Nope these are easily the world's fittest athletes.