dixiedean

See. Would that not be a game to take to Vancouver? Much easier to sell to the Aussies as a halfway stop. And make Wolfpack Canada's team? Just a thought.

Ideally both. A regular game every week on the same channel at a known time would do wonders. Every other game on pay TV.

IMHO, what happens off the field is more important than on it next year. Provided TWP don't get relegated that is. SL 17 has a valid point. This is not really a SL ready SQUAD. But, it is a much better say 22, than the Broncos last year. And, Broncos were unfeasibly unlucky to come in to a league without an obviously uncompetitive side in it. TWP will be better than London and should stay up. More important will be. Will there be visa problems? Will there be cap breaches or late payments? How many will turn up for the games in England? Particularly the nominal "home" games? Will the away games attract as many fans as average? And, crucially, will Lamport be heaving and bouncing as it was against Fev, even if they've lost 8 in a row? In short will interest build again? Will it aid a better TV deal? These are unanswered questions. If Toronto leap these bars, and, to be fair, they have done so thus far. If SL Chairmen are convinced they are a net financial positive, then many, many other issues will be made to disappear. Particularly around cap dispensations. Getting to divvy up central funding is the first step on that road.

Ta for the clarifications above. Would give them a trophy, but the button doesn't seem to be working.

"Any player who has not previously played RL." That is vague. To what level? Under 8s? In school? Most Union players in the North, and pretty much every Aussie one will have done so to some degree. Does Burrell count? Would Ford and Farrell?

Top story on NRL.com. Who knew they had heard of SL? Also top sports story in Sydney Morning Herald. Likewise.

See. This is the point. Almost everyone off contract, Union or League is now going to be linked. Constant publicity year round. They don't have to sign any of them. Just know they can. Puts the wind up Union too. Bonus.

Almost locked there. Better get in before it is...I've never seen him play in the flesh. Early start for Magic Sunday then. Good news.

Don't be ridiculous. I was merely pointing out that plenty of people are employed where they earn in a year what others in the organisation do in a week. Is there something particularly different about RL players that makes that fact a barrier?

At least someone has "significant control". That is a relief.

Agree with most of what you say, but I honestly can't fathom the bit above. It doesn't happen anywhere else. Do Goldman Sachs struggle for minimum wage cleaners? Are Man Utd turned down regularly by folk who'd prefer to be on the same money at Rochdale? Would have thought the presence of SBW would be an attraction to prospective players. It would be to me.

They would be good additions. Te'o wouldn't count under the cap, but not sure how Holmes would work. As the Kayakman notes, forwards are the key. But, again, not sure finishing anywhere above 11th is the priority..

AFinner? Are you a loonie? Or a nickel and dime guy beavering away under a misapprehension? Penny for your thoughts. What happens ON the field next year is secondary. Providing they don't get relegated. Next year is about making TWP a must have ticket. No freebies. Even the cardboard cutouts will have to move seats. Yours, Dixie the ten spot.

And a soccer team. And CFL. All 5 of them are bigger than Wolfpack. There is pro lacrosse and Union and minor hockey as well. London is a much bigger city too.

Yep. This is about sponsors. Not about on field performance, although I'm sure he will be more than adequate given a fair wind. Nor about bums on seats. This is about making up the £2m quid of TV money denied and more. Not through a local builder or entrepreneur, but from multi nationals. And through TV, newspaper and other media publicity . It is a business decision not a sporting one. And it is long term not short term. It is about establishing TWP as a major player in Canadian sports.

A bigger RL story. But not a bigger sports story. We need sport stories not RL stories, or else we can talk to ourselves till we all die off.

People now arguing which RU big name they should have signed instead... Been a long, long time since we last got one. I could quote Mrs T here "Rejoice! Just Rejoice!" But my politics forbids it. Oh, and I'd take Itoje. He's a big rough handful. With hands. Who gets stuck in, and is a name. But that is in addition to...not instead of. What's that? Saracens over the cap and been fined £5m? Now that would be a statement.

It doesn't really matter whether he's better or as good as before. That isn't why he's been signed. But, even so. He ripped up the NRL. So he can be very useful in SL with several % off his best...

5Live sport bulletin leading with massive undeclared payments in Union followed by their biggest star signing for League. Is it the late 80's? Expecting a new Stock, Aitken and Waterman ear worm incoming.

Broncos haven't been destroyed by TWP. In fact they're in a much stronger position than they were at the start of 2018, since they are seen as genuine promotion candidates for next season. If TWP hadn't been about, someone else (FEV) would have been promoted and London relegated. Since they finished last. Would Rovers up have been seen as destroying Broncos? If people want franchising, say so. Then define the specific, objective criteria upon which franchises are admitted or rejected. In which case, Mr Carter and his team may struggle. Otherwise, we have P+R, which has always been my preference. Which is why NY and Ottawa start in L1. Which is how it should be.

Out of interest, does anyone know how the NRL decides it's fixtures? Everyone plays everyone once, then 9 other games. I know they call it the "draw", but it can't be random, can it? Or do they rotate who plays whom twice, and once home or away through the years? Otherwise, you could go years and years never playing a particular side at home. We always moan about loop fixtures, but it doesn't seem to be an issue there. I realise they don't have repeat fixtures, but still.

True enough. However, neither one of us, nor indeed, a pro rugby player would find it acceptable to have our broken leg, pneumonia or heart problem treated by an unpaid volunteer or intern.

Sadly, asking folk to work for free is all too common in the field of mental health. Especially for those who need a certain number of hours worked to become fully accredited. This has obvious knock on effects on the opportunities and salaries of those qualified.

Uno's Dabs anyone?

This is a question I have raised before on other threads. What about the various French players playing in England. And the English in France? Have SL and the RFL even considered this?