Beware: The Qualifiers for SL sides

[Marty Funkhouser]

3 hours ago, Southerner80 said:

I can see Salford getting dragged into all this and probably going down. Leigh do look strong and clearly Twp have some good talent in their ranks. I see Leigh or Twp in the MPG v Salford or each other 

I feel Catalans, Huddersfield and Widnes / Hull KR one of who will avoid the 8S and the other 3 will make the top 3 in the middle 8S. Feel they all have enough quality leadership for that. 

London, Toulouse and Fev will do well however not got the depth of talent to compete yet for SL.

Salford have Catalans, Huddersfield and Widnes all at home in the next 5 weeks. 3 or even 2 wins would likely see the existing bottom 4 cemented with 5 weeks of the shortened season left...the 12 team "competition" is really a fallacy...

[Ant]

From top to bottom since the 888 was introduced the quality of the sport has plunged.

The old status quo has returned with a vengeance and clubs in the middle are stuck there with no real way of challenging the top 6, by the time recruitment can be settled the best players have already got their deals sorted leaving scraps for the rest

And just like when we had P&R before teams yo-yo up and down 

Worst of all, barring am horrific injury list, young players stop getting game time, and uninspiring journeyman get their place instead...just like used to happen 

888 system has failed to improve the game, moreover it's taken us backwards in my opinion 

 

As for Salford, they have their fortune in their own hands, the teams they need to beat to stay in the top 8 are home games for them, but they are all 4 pointers. 

[Man of Kent]

1 hour ago, Ant said:

From top to bottom since the 888 was introduced the quality of the sport has plunged.

Disagree. It’s improved the Championship and gives a fair crack to up-and-coming second tier clubs like Toronto and Toulouse to replace some of the failing SL clubs. 

[Ant]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

Disagree. It’s improved the Championship and gives a fair crack to up-and-coming second tier clubs like Toronto and Toulouse to replace some of the failing SL clubs. 

They had a fair crack before. And I'm not sure dragging the top down to suit the championship is improving the game 

Certainly fostering an environment where youth development is sacrificed for league position is good for the game either 

[Man of Kent]

24 minutes ago, Ant said:

They had a fair crack before. And I'm not sure dragging the top down to suit the championship is improving the game 

Certainly fostering an environment where youth development is sacrificed for league position is good for the game either 

If some of the decaying clubs are replaced with clubs with more potential to bring in investment like Toronto, Toulouse et al, it’s good for the game in the longer term

 

[Ant]

How do you define a decaying club? 

Just So we all know what you mean 

[Chrispmartha]

3 hours ago, Ant said:

From top to bottom since the 888 was introduced the quality of the sport has plunged.

The old status quo has returned with a vengeance and clubs in the middle are stuck there with no real way of challenging the top 6, by the time recruitment can be settled the best players have already got their deals sorted leaving scraps for the rest

And just like when we had P&R before teams yo-yo up and down 

Worst of all, barring am horrific injury list, young players stop getting game time, and uninspiring journeyman get their place instead...just like used to happen 

888 system has failed to improve the game, moreover it's taken us backwards in my opinion 

 

As for Salford, they have their fortune in their own hands, the teams they need to beat to stay in the top 8 are home games for them, but they are all 4 pointers. 

You’re probably seeing that way because your club has deteriorated since the 888 system came in.

 

look at it the other way the Championship has benefited from the system and take a look at the teams at the top of that league, Toronto wouldn’t exist if they didn’t have a chance for SL promotion and it has raised the level if the 2nd tier competition no end.

[Chrispmartha]

Just to add, one if the main issues within our game is the duel reg system, it’s rubbish and doesn’t help the championship clubs build a team, the reserves need bringing back as a requirement for SL status ASAP

[Big Picture]

11 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Leigh and Toronto to my eyes have more talented sides than Hull KR and Widnes and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they swap places for next season.

Toulouse/Fev/London will give SL sides a good game, particularly at home, but not convinced they have enough to get promoted.

Don't forget that Toronto and Toulouse are both likely to have four home matches in the Qualifiers.

[Snowman123]

A SL team getting relegated needs to be a worry for them, because it won’t be easy to get out of. 

I think the qualifiers is going to become quite dynamic if the existing system continues and new clubs enter League 1 for a SL push, like New York and possibly another French club.

Lets face it, the interest in RL needs to be lifted, and when you have a multi national format ( as demonstrated by the success of the UK RLWC ), the interest can climb.  

I sense it also could add strength down South to London, where growth has previously been a struggle.

And if you build popularity you’ll get more and better local players wanting to be part of that dynamism as well as those from overseas. 

Fear of a drop, is balanced by the prospect of promotion.  I think it works both ways. 

[Harry Stottle]

17 hours ago, Ant said:

From top to bottom since the 888 was introduced the quality of the sport has plunged.

The old status quo has returned with a vengeance and clubs in the middle are stuck there with no real way of challenging the top 6, by the time recruitment can be settled the best players have already got their deals sorted leaving scraps for the rest

And just like when we had P&R before teams yo-yo up and down 

Worst of all, barring am horrific injury list, young players stop getting game time, and uninspiring journeyman get their place instead...just like used to happen 

888 system has failed to improve the game, moreover it's taken us backwards in my opinion 

 

As for Salford, they have their fortune in their own hands, the teams they need to beat to stay in the top 8 are home games for them, but they are all 4 pointers. 

It's not surprising and i do not hold it against you for one moment that you express those views, especially as being from a club who's SL existence could be severly compromised and maybe it's long term existance, by the mere fact that the 8's system (moreso the middle portion) is a contolled competitive sporting system that rewards on-field success and slaps the bottom of failure.

The SL clubs still have the odds for survival weighted in their favour, they are given more money, they play week in week out in a higher standard competition, and within the 8's games will only play against 3 other SL clubs as opposed to the Championship clubs playing 4.

Perhaps you prefer the games you attend to be more of a passive nature, were results do not matter after half a season has elapsed and there is nothing to play for even if it is the excitement of winning and of course heartbreak and trepidation for some of losing.

My club has been in each of the middle 8's we have finished bottom of the mini league, we have been promoted and have been relegated and I would not change the excitement this system brings for the world, and I hope we can reach them again this year, if we don't it will be our fault no one else's, as relegation will not be anybody else's of any SL club only their own.

Historically we will have different views on this Ant, your club was saved on more than one occasion from relegation when they deservedly should have suffered that fate, my club could have had a good go of promotion under this system and would have definatley been promoted under a "finishing top" reward.

For any club that suffers the fate of relegation there has to be a way to retrieve the situation and get back through a competitive structure, believe me when I say that plying your trade in a division were bettering yourself amongst your opposition has no reward of testing yourself in the next level.

I totally disagree with you that the quality of the sport has plunged from top to bottom since the introduction of the 8's, the Championship is a better competition now since the gateway to SL has been openend and the standard is so much better, and if I may say so that people who support the SL bottom 4 candidates are very worried by the prospects ahead and will use all manner of excuses why we should not have P and R.

A return to a closed shop SL will do the game no good at all, excepting for those who will be cosseted by its reintroduction.

[westlondonfan]

I agree that the Championship has become a better competition since the gateway to SL has been opened. I also think that the addition of clubs like Toronto and Toulouse pushing for promotion has been a key factor in it becoming a better competition.

[Harry Stottle]

47 minutes ago, westlondonfan said:

I agree that the Championship has become a better competition since the gateway to SL has been opened. I also think that the addition of clubs like Toronto and Toulouse pushing for promotion has been a key factor in it becoming a better competition.

Yes agree, would that have happened or would they even exist if we still operated the "closed shop" of SL.