Tommygilf

This is up there with Cas 2017 levels of bottling it! Well done Wire!

For the players it quite clearly is, the vast majority don't go for a beer after games for example or drink during the season unless there is a 2 week break for example. Part time rugby is different culturally. In fact only time I've seen any serious drinking by players after a game in season is after Cas lost the CCF in 2014 and cleared up in the Tesco near the stadium to have on the bus home!

I've only looked on mobile and got these issues thus far

Lets be real, in SL this is less of a problem. Most SL players will only hit the town if they have 2 weeks off for the cup for example. Which is understandable, they're not saints! Part time rugby is different. I've played at a 6th division RU club, I can't see that being much more different culturally to many part time RL clubs.

It also took the RFL months and months to organise a club vote and approval. By the time they got around to being approved, most players had been signed up for 2020. A squad assembled in that scenario would not have been ideal especially considering they're having to sort everything else out for the club.

Good to see that they've got it in the weekend between the Euros finishing and the Olympics starting too.

Whilst that is true, is doesn't make it morally right. Seemed like kicking someone while they were down and a grab for some quick cash especially considering they already had a points deduction. Not in the spirit of the "RL family" at all. In my eyes at least Bradford have become the Leeds United of rugby league. They're usually the first club most top flight club fans would suggest they'd like to see in the top flight - but as the above actions show fans and the Boards of clubs can be vastly different.

I think this sort of idea is a point we should be getting a lot of expansion clubs to if they play in relatively small grounds like Cov and even London Broncos. Target 3 big home games a year and make them events at a larger, but not huge local ground. Tbf I think Leeds Rhinos should do it with Elland road too so its not limited to expansion tbh.

I definitely think a French derby is more likely at this stage, indeed I think 3 or more french teams in the whole system is just as likely. However I think with new Canadian teams we will see sides that can comfortably spend to the salary cap and thus challenge to get in SL relatively easily (which will be true so long as we have teams like Wakefield and Salford who don't spend to cap). I don't necessarily think we'll see as many French teams with the same financial clout.

Its not the priority its just a sporting principle. Also, it seems Bradford Leigh and Widnes were all in SL and only hit (serious) financial problems outside of it. It seems getting 1.8 million a year helps turnover! Shock! I have no doubt that if you dropped Wakefield, Salford etc into that scenario you'd end up with similar results.

Before the usual suspects jump on this I'm just going to say that I would be in favour of this sort of derby. I would prefer when we brought in expansion clubs that they were initially brought in in pairs so that each team would have a natural on field "rival" as well as off field partner to help shoulder the growth of the game. Also would add that in receptive markets such as the South of France and as we are seeing (as surprising as it is to some) in the Greater Toronto/Ontario area, a derby guarantees 2 big events a year for the local media etc to get around and thus provides the game with a bit of a boost in exposure.

Ok, almost all major sports in countries with populations counted in the millions if you want to be picky. Only major sport without P/R I can think of is GAA and even then that is competed on regional and then national level. I'm not relying upon tradition. Even so in RL that is a flawed argument as for a large portion it was all one league as clubs, unlike their counterparts in the football league, did not commit to a full multi league system and consistently and chopped and changed. Never the less the situation for at least the past 30 years has been one with multiple leagues and for the most part the potential of movement between. You still ignore the fact that there is minimal qualitative difference outside the top teams in SL for who else is in the comp. Salford or Halifax? Widnes or Wakefield? Bradford or Hull KR? Huddersfield or Leigh? I've said previously on this thread that expansion clubs are different in terms of what they bring to the SL table, but for the rest its clear to see there is minimal qualitative difference and certainly not enough to distinguish between them for a franchised system.

Precisely, and European sporting leagues have for over a 100 years agreed that the fairest way to do that is to relegate the poorest performing teams and promote the best from below to give them a chance. As qualitatively there is minimal difference.

I have to agree with a lot of what you say Harry. Although I would add that expansion clubs, particularly Toronto and Catalans who are as financially strong (if not stronger than) the big 4 are outside that middle 12 or so clubs and can break into that top tier at a consistent level. The relative closeness of that middle group of teams (and how it is easier for clubs outside that bracket to reach that stage) is the primary argument I have against a closed shop.

Exactly Harry. These owners are 9 times out of 10 not in it for the money they're in it because they love their team and would do so in the 3rd division or even lower in future, so long as the route upwards is open and is achievable.