ELBOWSEYE

Hasn't GB v Australia been ashes not England in RL terms. And generally a 3 match series

Interesting topic, but I am in my 60s and apart from Bradford none have drawn regular decent crowds( Widnes were better when the big union stars signed Davies, Offiah etc). Unless some big money people decide to invest in a couple of these clubs they will not move up drastically. Leigh have done well with DBs investment and drive but (and it's not a criticism) they will always peak towards the 10k at best.

I also think the NRL is not short of big names, so an odd union signing wouldn't have such a bigger impact.

New stadium at these clubs had a big impact, Warrington would be around 6/7 if still at wilderspool, Saints also at knowsley road, FC at boulevard. These factors far outweigh where the players come from. But on big signing from Union or NRL make waves, I remember going to Widnes with quite a few wires (we weren't playing) to see Davies and the people who turned up at Warrington for Joey John's debut were from outside the playing clubs.

Money,Clarke was a high paid player for Warrington, and Walker had become first choice and Clarke wanted to be first choice. You are not going to tie up a large section of salary cap for the interchange Hooker.

Plenty of players come over and go back with decent contracts in the Nrl, was Jamie Lyon a spent force, Jackson Hastings hasn't been Short of contract offers. Also some big names have arrived and been absolutely disappointing. The statement that SL is equivalent of those comps you quoted are ridiculous. We know the Nrl is a higher standard with more depth of talent but a squad made up of regular Nrl players was beaten 3 nil by a squad with 3 Nrl players.

Fitzgibbon was a first choice starter when fit.

Didn't think Wigan were ever short of money to invest in youth. The trickle though from Wigan's seems to be increasing.

Wouldn't want to be the player who lets him down and has to face him. The biggest thing Sam needs is a good coaching group around him. Rumour is Kasiano might be on his way which frees up an overseas slot.

No where in the heartland areas do players choose union over league unless the people in that area are involved with union locally. In Warrington more kids play league then before it's the transition to adults that it's drops and that is everywhere team sports are played, football is king but even they have dropping numbers, union and league have the same problems but theirs is area related to where the sports are played. The drops because of changes on society with children playing sports, female areas are positive but that's from a very small base.

So it won't carry on in England (130 years and counting), France and all the other countries with fledgling competition's. I don't know if you realise that more people play in leagues that don't have TV contracts and have never had contracts. It's only the small percentage of professional part of the game that requires TV revenue to go with gate and sponsorship revenue. I laughed at the requirements to understand the rules(it's laws). How many referees in union actually understand the laws never mind the watching audience. I think you have too much time on your hands.

Are Wigan after winning the GF, the most successful feeder club in history.

Les Boyd.

When has RL ever run by people who know how to market,grow and administrate the sport. We have held back clubs self interest, unqualified administration, we harm our interests more than the RFU have done.

Should that be Tolouse not Wakefield.