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Championship and League 1 Scrapped


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1 minute ago, Eddie said:

Toronto have only announced it today, do you think SL should have met and decided on a punishment already?
Also do you think the RFL should have planned a tournament to replace one that’s been scrapped because fans aren’t allowed into grounds with a tournament that will need to rely on fans in grounds to fund it?

 

It would appear Toronto still have a place in Super League next year. Otherwise Super League has to run for at least eighteen months with one less side, jeopardising the number of home games teams have, potentially forcing more loop games and jeopardising big events like the Magic Weekend. The lack of promotion to replace a side that, at the very least, deserves demotion is a poor move, IMO.

 

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12 minutes ago, londonbronco said:

As the relegated SL team last season London Broncos should take Toronto's place - assuming they have the players.

Why?  London's status at the start of this season was exactly the same as those other championship teams who aspired to SL status. 

What is special about recent history as opposed to, for instance, somewhat older history, but much more of it - which would favour, say, Featherstone or Leigh - or history in another nation's competitions, which might favour Toulouse?

14 minutes ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

That would be right thing to do but it's the rfl we are talking about here.

Why, PH?  What would be 'right' about this?  These are a genuine questions.  There may quite possibly be a point that you and londonbronco have spotted which has eluded me, but if there is, please share it.  The logic or morality of what you propose is, for now, beyond me.

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5 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

The lack of any real punishment for Toronto. The lack of any real planning towards the future. The lack of any real plan for this “invitational” tournament. Pretty much Rugby League as an entirety. 

You're getting ahead of yourself here. The Toronto issue has only just begun. There's bound to be a penalty of some sort, but that will take time to go through, and wasn't on agenda today. 

There were probably other alternatives for the tournament - I myself favoured a Boxing day start for a longer 2021 season - but I can see why the clubs want to get on the field earlier in any way possible to start reconnecting with their fans. 

As for the long term, yes there's a lot of questions to answer, but also in some ways nothing has really changed since before the pandemic: the future of the English game depends on the size of the new SL TV contract and the success of the world cup. That still applies, albeit the stakes are probably now even higher. 

Sometimes, like many other sports have done, you have to deal with one crisis at a time, and that in my view the RFL have done. 

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3 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

It would appear Toronto still have a place in Super League next year. Otherwise Super League has to run for at least eighteen months with one less side, jeopardising the number of home games teams have, potentially forcing more loop games and jeopardising big events like the Magic Weekend. The lack of promotion to replace a side that, at the very least, deserves demotion is a poor move, IMO.

 

Have SL said that Toronto can play in 2021? Sensible decision if so, but where have you seen it?

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2 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Why?  London's status at the start of this season was exactly the same as those other championship teams who aspired to SL status. 

What is special about recent history as opposed to, for instance, somewhat older history, but much more of it - which would favour, say, Featherstone or Leigh - or history in another nation's competitions, which might favour Toulouse?

Why, PH?  What would be 'right' about this?  These are a genuine questions.  There may quite possibly be a point that you and londonbronco have spotted which has eluded me, but if there is, please share it.  The logic or morality of what you propose is, for now, beyond me.

Indeed. There's no team with an "obvious" case to replace Toronto because this is a unique and exceptional situation. They're all just trying it on. 

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What good is a competition ? most teams won't enter from the bottom half of the champ and probably all in league 1 will not fancy it . They don't have a chance of winning and most likely play one costly travel away game and be knocked out . Fans won't be entertained at that prospect . 

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Just now, Man of Kent said:

Does it? It states there is no automatic promotion. There’s a bit of wriggle room if Toronto is demoted as seems highly likely.

To deny Toronto would be the climax of a series of unfortunate events....any demotion must be blocked and blocked totally....the future of the game is in play now.

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Just now, Eddie said:

Have SL said that Toronto can play in 2021? Sensible decision if so, but where have you seen it?

“It would appear” being the key words Eddie. Even if they’re not, the lack of promotion on offer through on-field actions is a poor move. They didn’t need to mention no promotion from this new tournament, they could have, for now, mentioned no promotion from the Championship because it’s not being completed. If the decision to promote is then taken through a vote or on some criteria based nonsense, it’s another poor choice. 

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2 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Does it? It states there is no automatic promotion. There’s a bit of wriggle room if Toronto is demoted as seems highly likely.

An RFL statement explained:

“The Betfred Championship and League 1 clubs will be invited to play in a competition this autumn, with a theme of celebrating the sport’s 125th anniversary There will be no automatic promotion to the Betfred Super League from this competition.”

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8 minutes ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

I very much doubt they will turn up in any numbers fans in the lower leagues are getting fed up of stting waiting of crumbs from the SL table and not knowing whether they will get the chance to join them or not.

You're talking like there is a huge queue of clubs in the lower leagues that even aspire to SL. There is really only a handful.

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Just now, POR said:

An RFL statement explained:

“The Betfred Championship and League 1 clubs will be invited to play in a competition this autumn, with a theme of celebrating the sport’s 125th anniversary There will be no automatic promotion to the Betfred Super League from this competition.”

Yes, as I said, no automatic promotion from that autumn comp. Doesn’t categorically rule out promotion from the Championship though, does it?

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3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Yes, as I said, no automatic promotion from that autumn comp. Doesn’t categorically rule out promotion from the Championship though, does it?

But on what basis, MoK, would you have promotion from the championship.  As a competition, it has been abandoned at a very embryonic stage, so no logical conclusion about a 'winner' could be drawn.  If you mean promotion from amongst the ranks of the championship teams, then I agree with you, but it would have to be by invitation, and hence be another can of worms!

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1 minute ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

But on what basis, MoK, would you have promotion from the championship.  As a competition, it has been abandoned at a very embryonic stage, so no logical conclusion about a 'winner' could be drawn.  If you mean promotion from amongst the ranks of the championship teams, then I agree with you, but it would have to be by invitation, and hence be another can of worms!

I’m not going there! Just pointing out that nowhere in the statement is promotion categorically ruled out.

Who knows what SLE/RFL is cooking up behind the scenes? 

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12 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

To deny Toronto would be the climax of a series of unfortunate events....any demotion must be blocked and blocked totally....the future of the game is in play now.

Given your perspective in this debate, kayakman, I fully understand your position.  However, your talk of denying Toronto is inevitably partial; you do not mention the denial of the legitimate promotion aspirations of the likes of Featherstone, Leigh and Toulouse.

Perhaps a 13-team SL in 2021 is the solution!

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11 minutes ago, Click said:

You're talking like there is a huge queue of clubs in the lower leagues that even aspire to SL. There is really only a handful.

Well if they don't aspire to play at the highest level they shouldn't be playing, like there are only an handful of SL team who aspire to win it the rest are just happy with survival.

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1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

I’m not going there! Just pointing out that nowhere in the statement is promotion categorically ruled out.

Who knows what SLE/RFL is cooking up behind the scenes? 

I understand your caution!

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15 minutes ago, POR said:

An RFL statement explained:

“The Betfred Championship and League 1 clubs will be invited to play in a competition this autumn, with a theme of celebrating the sport’s 125th anniversary There will be no automatic promotion to the Betfred Super League from this competition.”

As a York fan I am looking forward to at least hopefully seeing some rugby before the year is out. Season cancelled is absolutely the right call on the cost basis hopefully its some form of league structure tournament rather than knockout so have chance for at least a couple of home games 

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2 minutes ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

Well if they don't aspire to play at the highest level they shouldn't be playing, like there are only an handful of SL team who aspire to win it the rest are just happy with survival.

Nonsense, that is why we have leagues so that teams can play at their own level. Not every team has to try and be a Super League club.

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5 minutes ago, sweaty craiq said:

Has anyone asked how you play an Autumn comp when contracts and Insurance end after October/November. I feel sorry for clubs/players who have topped up furlough in order to play again as those players wont be topped up again after this.

Most of the clubs wont have enough players to raise a team.

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1 minute ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

Well if they don't aspire to play at the highest level they shouldn't be playing, like there are only an handful of SL team who aspire to win it the rest are just happy with survival.

That's an extraordinary thing to say, PH!  All clubs need to operate within their means ("If only!" goes up the collective sigh!)  I am sure that there are a number of sub-SL clubs who think either "SL one day, maybe; but not for quite a while" or simply, "No thanks!" and in their circumstances either of those responses would be very sensible and measured.

My nearest professional soccer team is Eastleigh, who I believe play in the National League.  Do they aspire to be in the Premier League playing pulsating local derbies against Southampton, from five miles down the road?  No, I don't think so.  So what should we say of them; that they are an unambitious disgrace?

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2 minutes ago, Damien said:

Nonsense, that is why we have leagues so that teams can play at their own level. Not every team has to try and be a Super League club.

Well what are the teams playing for then, if not to get promoted to the next level, nobody wants to watch a stagnant team, there are too many of them in Sl as it is.

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4 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

That's an extraordinary thing to say, PH!  All clubs need to operate within their means ("If only!" goes up the collective sigh!)  I am sure that there are a number of sub-SL clubs who think either "SL one day, maybe; but not for quite a while" or simply, "No thanks!" and in their circumstances either of those responses would be very sensible and measured.

My nearest professional soccer team is Eastleigh, who I believe play in the National League.  Do they aspire to be in the Premier League playing pulsating local derbies against Southampton, from five miles down the road?  No, I don't think so.  So what should we say of them; that they are an unambitious disgrace?

So you are saying teams in the championship and league one should just turn up every week and not aspire to get to the next level and there fans be happy with that.

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5 minutes ago, Damien said:

Nonsense, that is why we have leagues so that teams can play at their own level. Not every team has to try and be a Super League club.

Quite right, look at the conference, teams happy to play on a park field, players putting their bodies through hell and going to work the next day. They aren't interested in being the best in super league, they are just interested in playing rugby league cos they love rugby league. A lot of us on here have played at amateur level and we knew we were never gonna be super league teams and the people that ran the clubs knew this as well yet we all turned up every week and played our part cos we wanted to. 

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