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Newcastle Thunder attempt to buy and replace Toronto in SL


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My first hope is that Toronto manage to stay in the league structure as a minimum. But I would certainly be for Newcastle being in SL in favour of any other UK club. 

It opens up the north east market, they have a good stadium and grass roots programme. 

https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/newcastle-thunder-super-league-toronto-wolfpack-falcons-rugby-union-571002

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Toronto have lost their SL place and will have to re-apply for 2021, if I understand the current situation, so if they are no longer 'Toronto' and now Newcastle, why would they be admitted? 

If im honest I've never been convinced about the potential of Newcastle.

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Does make you wonder if they have heard what might be happening once the TV deal expires and have worked out that they need to be in SL quickly, or it’s not happening at all.

1 hour ago, EastLondonMike said:

If im honest I've never been convinced about the potential of Newcastle.

Really? If Newcastle has no potential then it’s time to forget about any form of expansion, I know I might be biased being a Thunder fan but I honestly feel that Newcastle has as much if not more potential than even Toulouse, and by that I mean in terms of player production (importantly of GB qualified players), crowd potential and  sponsorships. Having said all that I would really want Newcastle to earn their promotion via the field of play, not because TWP have imploded and the RFL say yes because they were opportunistic enough to ask.

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1 minute ago, Oldbear said:

Does make you wonder if they have heard what might be happening once the TV deal expires and have worked out that they need to be in SL quickly, or it’s not happening at all.

Really? If Newcastle has no potential then it’s time to forget about any form of expansion, I know I might be biased being a Thunder fan but I honestly feel that Newcastle has as much if not more potential than even Toulouse, and by that I mean in terms of player production (importantly of GB qualified players), crowd potential and  sponsorships. Having said all that I would really want Newcastle to earn their promotion via the field of play, not because TWP have imploded and the RFL say yes because they were opportunistic enough to ask.

If you are a Newcastle fan then no doubt you see more that goes on up there than I ever would do. 

Ive just never been convinced it's a place where RL is going to thrive.

Of course it has potential like many major cities with a large population, but I just don't see it happening. Would be great if it does though of course.

Out of curiosity, what is it that's happening up there that makes you believe Newcastle could make a successful leap up the leagues and prove to be an adequate replacement for Toronto? Genuine question.

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16 minutes ago, Oldbear said:

Does make you wonder if they have heard what might be happening once the TV deal expires and have worked out that they need to be in SL quickly, or it’s not happening at all.

Really? If Newcastle has no potential then it’s time to forget about any form of expansion, I know I might be biased being a Thunder fan but I honestly feel that Newcastle has as much if not more potential than even Toulouse, and by that I mean in terms of player production (importantly of GB qualified players), crowd potential and  sponsorships. Having said all that I would really want Newcastle to earn their promotion via the field of play, not because TWP have imploded and the RFL say yes because they were opportunistic enough to ask.

Proceed with caution after what happened to Thunder the last time they were in SL.

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4 hours ago, Gooleboy said:

Proceed with caution after what happened to Thunder the last time they were in SL.

The last time was a typical RL expansion, inadequately funded, little local infrastructure, only received a partial Sky payment and the plug was pulled after only 1 season. This time they have a backer, with real money, they have spent years building up a junior programme, they run an academy, a suitable ground with secure tenure, in fact all the things the heartland fans tell us that expansion clubs are supposed to have. I have already said I would prefer them to earn the spot on the field, but given that Fev have also made a move for the 12th spot, why not?

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5 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

If you are a Newcastle fan then no doubt you see more that goes on up there than I ever would do. 

Ive just never been convinced it's a place where RL is going to thrive.

Of course it has potential like many major cities with a large population, but I just don't see it happening. Would be great if it does though of course.

Out of curiosity, what is it that's happening up there that makes you believe Newcastle could make a successful leap up the leagues and prove to be an adequate replacement for Toronto? Genuine question.

I moved to Canada in 2009, but have never lost touch with happenings up there.

The reason I think they can thrive is that the club has worked hard to put down solid local roots, they have a great team of development workers, a thriving junior set up, an academy, and produce England qualified players, in fact all the things that Toronto did not do. Tyneside is a sports mad area, crying out for success and loves the big event. Magic has been successful when staged there and the fan base has seen enough bad times to not be Jonny come latelys. 
Again I will say I would prefer them to earn the promotion the proper way, on the field, but we have to be sure that that method will even be possible in future years, hence the opportunistic move.

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Oh and of course I didn’t expect Toronto to produce England qualified players, but I would have liked them to try to find more than 1 Canada qualified player.

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The OP lacks quotes,and as Toronto are no longer in Super League they cannot be replaced.

It also seems as if the Falcons/Thunder owner has enough going on, to be kept busy, without adding to his sporting portfolio.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2020/08/01/unity-newcastle-falcons-fight-survival-helped-ease-semore-kurdis/

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Virtually all sporting clubs are having serious financial difficulties. Clubs are going to need very deep pockets to get out of this.

I hope Toronto can survive but if not,I'd have much more faith in Newcastle or perhaps London,than Featherstone,Leigh,Widnes etc.

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Newcastle are a well-run club who have made incremental improvements year on year for a while now. They certainly have some potential.

What I would hate to see is them go 'all in' before they are really ready and crash out in bitter circumstances because there was no real way for them to go from 1000-1500 attendances to 8,000 - 10,000 (with commensurate increases in their commercial income) from one season to the next. Keep growing, keep impressing people and the time will come.

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

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8 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

If you are a Newcastle fan then no doubt you see more that goes on up there than I ever would do. 

Ive just never been convinced it's a place where RL is going to thrive.

Of course it has potential like many major cities with a large population, but I just don't see it happening. Would be great if it does though of course.

Out of curiosity, what is it that's happening up there that makes you believe Newcastle could make a successful leap up the leagues and prove to be an adequate replacement for Toronto? Genuine question.

Newcastle are a brilliant example to any lower league team. They are building links with the amateur clubs, created genuine paths for young players to get to the first team. They have picked up the slack in Cumbria for example, where the local clubs haven't bothered. As a fan of a lower league club I`m massively impressed and jealous of their entire set up.

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8 hours ago, Oldbear said:

Does make you wonder if they have heard what might be happening once the TV deal expires and have worked out that they need to be in SL quickly, or it’s not happening at all.

Do you not consider that Fev, Toulouse, London and Leigh have already sussed that out Oldbear. Next season may be the last opportunity to gain promotion on the field of play.

Have a look at the link below if you have not already done so, Mr Beaumont says what his intention is for next season. He will be going all out to win promotion on the field of play.

https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/blog/2020/08/03/statement-from-owner-derek-beaumont-and-the-operational-board-on-behalf-of-leigh-centurions/

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3 hours ago, Oldbear said:

The last time was a typical RL expansion, inadequately funded, little local infrastructure, only received a partial Sky payment and the plug was pulled after only 1 season. This time they have a backer, with real money, they have spent years building up a junior programme, they run an academy, a suitable ground with secure tenure, in fact all the things the heartland fans tell us that expansion clubs are supposed to have. I have already said I would prefer them to earn the spot on the field, but given that Fev have also made a move for the 12th spot, why not?

The unfortunate thing for Newcastle is if next season is the last before a closed shop does eventuate foŕ '22, Newcastle won't be in the Championship to compete for promotion.

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Newcastle’s original strategy will have been hit very hard by this pandemic in terms of U.K. rugby league.

I don’t know what truth there is in the story, but it’s clear they are a club with Super League ambitions trying to establish a proper base of supporting structures.

Lets hope there’s a good outcome for them.

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10 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

Toronto have lost their SL place and will have to re-apply for 2021, if I understand the current situation, so if they are no longer 'Toronto' and now Newcastle, why would they be admitted? 

If im honest I've never been convinced about the potential of Newcastle.

I thought Sheffield was a step too far

 

ffs 😔

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2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

The unfortunate thing for Newcastle is if next season is the last before a closed shop does eventuate foŕ '22, Newcastle won't be in the Championship to compete for promotion.

If they bought Toronto and that gave them a spot in The Championship (by Toronto being placed there) then they could be. Presumably that would give them the current Toronto players, a pretty good squad for the Championship.

Any closed shop for 22 might not necessarily be based on promotion however, the SL could easily go for a franchise option - for which they would presumably be running the selection process. Newcastle have as equal an opportunity as anyone else in that situation.

Much of who is in SL for 22 will come down to the TV negotiations and what Sky want for the biggest deal, none of which we are party to.

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9 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

The unfortunate thing for Newcastle is if next season is the last before a closed shop does eventuate foŕ '22, Newcastle won't be in the Championship to compete for promotion.

Makes you wonder if a different lower lake structure, giving all teams the chance for SL promotion at the end of 2021, would be a fairer way to go?

Assuming Toronto stay in SL (because it's a simpler scenario to start from), you could have 2 conferences of East and West, with playoffs between the 2 for the SL spot. 

Something like:

West: Barrow, Whitehaven, Workington, Swinton, Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale, Widnes, North Wales, West Wales, Coventry, Ottawa.

East: Keighley, Bradford, Dewsbury, Batley, Halifax, Hunslet, Featherstone, Sheffield, Doncaster, York, Newcastle, London Broncos, London Skolars, Toulouse.

 

Plenty of derbies there.

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8 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Any closed shop for 22 might not necessarily be based on promotion however, the SL could easily go for a franchise option - for which they would presumably be running the selection process. Newcastle have as equal an opportunity as anyone else in that situation.

The chances of a 3rd tier side jumping into the 1st tier are pretty slim, so I wouldn't say they have an equal chance at all. They have considerably less chance.

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37 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Any closed shop for 22 might not necessarily be based on promotion however, the SL could easily go for a franchise option -

If so all the incumbant SL clubs should also have to apply, now that won't bother some but others would definatley get twitchy sphincters.

Besides, how long do you think it would take to write up franchise selection criteria, distribute, collect, mark and asses all the individual clubs, if it was started now it may just about be completed in time for the clubs - considering one or more Championship clubs are selected - to sort out a playing roster for '22, also what about if any SL club does not get selected and they have player's on long term contracts, can you just imagine the 'kerchinging' of the lawyers tills.

Any announcements as to the format of the '22 season should be announced before the '21 season kicks of in all 3 divisions, but that can't be done until after the TV negotiations are concluded.

So I will stick with my original suggestion that we will have promotion from the Championship for the '21 season.

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