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Everything posted by mrfranco
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NRL Europe? In Winter?
mrfranco replied to Henson Park Old Firm's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Isn't this the bit where someone brings up the idea of bringing back the SA franchise that got cut and launching them as an NRL or SL team? ... -
Lebanon Eye Tests against France and England in 2024
mrfranco replied to Gomersall's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
What year though?.... -
"On the Road" games coming back?
mrfranco replied to Futtocks's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
If you were gonna move a home game, surely it would be one where Catalans are the visitors, especially if the suggestion about Cats being one of the more popular teams in Toronto were true -
A new look for Super League
mrfranco replied to Chrispmartha's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Does this mean they've ditched the idea of a name change? Or are we still expecting that down the road? Seems odd to do a new look using an old name that is apparently unwanted... -
I think this is right. And Carcassonne need to be told whether or not they would be allowed into SL before they start playing in any lower league in England. Remember when Toronto won the Championship and there was still some doubt at the end of the season about whether they would actually be allowed up...
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Cats and TO both still run a team in Elite 1. I wonder if Carc would plan to do the same?
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Nobody's changed it yet... maybe it's true...
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Are the Eagles no longer involved in the NERL set-up? Great to have the Scottish league back up and running, but I thought Edinburgh were playing in both.
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Newcastle Thunder — Relegation?
mrfranco replied to dealwithit's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Maybe a Russell Crowe-type figure could emulate what the Hollywood guys at Wrexham have been doing, and in UK RL could be at or near the summit of things very quickly. But until/unless that actually happens, it's fantasy land stuff, sadly. -
Newcastle Thunder — Relegation?
mrfranco replied to dealwithit's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
I've been trying to think of an equivalent to the NRL (SuperLeague/ARL) expansion to Melbourne in the UK. I think the equivalent would be something like a London team in the NFL or the NBA. Despite all the publicity and the TV coverage for a long time now, these are not mainstream sports in this (the UK) market. But if those leagues plonked a team there, I'm sure it would work. Because they have the cash and not forgetting the glamour and attention-grabbing pull to make it work. Bit like the NRL in Melbourne (perhaps with more emphasis on the cash in that case). As you say, SL does not have these things. The Storm show it is possible, but it's very hard to see how that could be replicated over here. That said, one *very* rich guy (we're talking beyond the wealth of the current Broncos ownership) with a passion and crucially willingness to keep on pumping the cash in could change that picture completely. -
New World Cup format confirmed for 2026
mrfranco replied to Copa's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
As I say, I'm just imagining how the meeting played out... but the NRL wanting an 8-team World Cup was speculated on in the run-up to Singapore. -
New World Cup format confirmed for 2026
mrfranco replied to Copa's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Yeah, the supergroup is a horrible idea, but i suspect we are stuck with it. I guess it's a step up from no world cup. -
New World Cup format confirmed for 2026
mrfranco replied to Copa's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
To me it suggests a compromise: NRL wanted 8 and the RFL/Europeans wanted more, saying "we've already told 8 teams they're in, we need more", so NRL said "yeah, Ok, two more then. We had 10 in 2008, we can do that again". That's how I imagine it went, anyway... -
New World Cup format confirmed for 2026
mrfranco replied to Copa's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Not very fair on 6 though, is it? As was said above about PNG being shafted last time they did this... -
New World Cup format confirmed for 2026
mrfranco replied to Copa's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Yeah, you're probably right. -
New World Cup format confirmed for 2026
mrfranco replied to Copa's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Question for this time would be: who gets left out of the supergroup? Would it be made up of the four semifinalists from 2022, so leaving out Tonga? Or do you put Tonga in and leave out the World Cup runners-up? Or England? Or NZ??? Not that I want to see the supergroup, but that's the big question for them to decide if they do it - and it would of course also mean one of those 4 guaranteed not to make the semis. -
Wolves sign Josh McGuire
mrfranco replied to The Future is League's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Powell pointedly keeping his counsel on this at the press conference yesterday - it sounds very much like if the player decides to appeal the club will let that take its course, but it seems to me that any such appeal is unlikely to succeed and at that point I would expect the club to sack the player. Time will tell, as always. -
TV Deal to conclude end of June
mrfranco replied to Rugbyleaguesupporter's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Was not aware that was a thing (not that I'd be interested, but each to their own) - what it raises the question of is what it looks like in that sport and whether that would translate to RL - so does the RU version cover all non-TV games in a season for £100? How many games a week is that? And what quality are they filmed to? Something like the BBC red button games? Or more like Sky games? Does it come with commentary? -
"Good moaning!" is generally very appropriate for an RL fans' forum...
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SL in talks with Amazon and Apple among others
mrfranco replied to paulwalker71's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
While this news is a positive, it's basically just Rhodri Jones talking SL up as he tries to negotiate a good deal. Nothing wrong with that, of course. He should be. I find it interesting that all those broadcasters/services named did not include BT (soon to be TNT). Is that just an oversight, or are they just not interested?? -
Yeah, Hub Cap winner decides who gets relegated...
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Samoa Taking rugby league to the world
mrfranco replied to tommyace's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Good news... there's not currently a railway station, but they're building one (well, a whole line actually) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honolulu_Rail_Transit