Could Leigh's promotion derail the IMG proposal's

[Dave T]

4 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

As I implied in my last post there are those who can simply sit back in smug mode, " it won't happen to me, whatever"

All clubs will be assessed, clubs will get in on their merits. They've told us this. 

[Harry Stottle]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I'm confused why you are acting surprised that places won't be decided on the field. That's what they announced. Why are you still asking questions as though you don't know what they've announced? 

You don't have to like it, but playing dumb is a waste of everyone's time, because you're certainly not dumb Harry. 

No just kind of frustrated Dave, nothing personal in what I have said previously it just seems that the proposals that IMG have made may drive a wedge between those who are deemed to have and those who are on the periphery, @Jill Halfpenny fanis quite correct in questioning will it be a catastrophic situation for a relegated team this season - if that is to happen - and how will the 'B''s be categorised if there is a crossover in both the SL and Championship teams being given the same grading.

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

All clubs will be assessed, clubs will get in on their merits. They've told us this. 

Merits which we are yet to learn what they are Dave.

[Sitona]

I think you have to ignore which league a team is in when it comes to the new rankings. All teams will be graded against an, as yet unknown, set of criteria and then ranked.Those above a certain threshold will be Grade A, the rest Grade B. The top 12 clubs in this ranking table form the new Superleague.
If, for example Leeds or Wigan are relegated it doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t still be Graded as A because of other key criteria that we currently don’t know, maybe such as stadium, academy, investment,  income potential, etc. equally if for example, Wakefield or Salford win Superleague it would not automatically make them an A, but would probably increase their position in the ranking table. 

[RP London]

10 hours ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Leigh avoid relegation. The club that goes down is a grade 'B' club and is replaced by Toulouse. Getting back into Superleague might well be a bit more difficult than just winning the championship. Minds may well be concentrated. That is all I am saying.

who is to say that Leigh wouldnt have got in as a grade B above some other clubs already in and getting a "lower B" anyway? Performance on the pitch will be taken into account but is the fact Leigh is better off the pitch (arguably) than some then outweighing that and the thought being "its their turn to have a proper crack"? 

While being the incumbent will no doubt help there are some clubs that need to be looking over their shoulder (which I guess is what this idea is supposed to do, put a rocket up some clubs!)

[JohnM]

11 hours ago, Dave T said:

Well the whole point is that the strongest 'clubs', not teams, will be in SL, so relegation maybe wouldn't be as challenging as under the current system.

What greater motivation can clubs have to up their games?

[Jughead]

I’m not sure Leigh possibly finishing 9th would derail a detailed plan, like the IMG one. 

That said, we were told how ready Leigh were in 2017, how great Toronto were going to be and how promotion would be huge for Toulouse and their squad. While Leigh looked very strong in the otherwise part-time Championship, it’s still a step up to Super League over 27 rounds. 

[Harry Stottle]

5 hours ago, Jughead said:

I’m not sure Leigh possibly finishing 9th would derail a detailed plan, like the IMG one. 

That said, we were told how ready Leigh were in 2017, how great Toronto were going to be and how promotion would be huge for Toulouse and their squad. While Leigh looked very strong in the otherwise part-time Championship, it’s still a step up to Super League over 27 rounds. 

No one is doubting that Juggy, especially Mr Beaumont and Mr Lam, but you have to concede that they are approaching this promotion like no other club has done previously,

[Derwent Parker]

16 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

So should it be decided upon and published who are going to be in SL for '24 long before '23 is over? If that is the case there will be some backlash from some quarters especially if a club is to be demoted who performs better on the field than others who are saved and quite rightly so, let's not dismiss the fact that this game we play is a sporting contest.

Don't like the sound of that previous comment "the strongest 'clubs', not teams, will be in SL"

The SL teams all having years and years of £2M per season and a full time set up during the whole of that period.

Sounds a bit dodgy to me - Just watch if they don't make all SL teams "A" and Leigh a "B" as they are a good Team. and Leigh go to finish 8th or 9th and get relegated. With all the "the strongest 'clubs'" below them

[Jughead]

49 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

No one is doubting that Juggy, especially Mr Beaumont and Mr Lam, but you have to concede that they are approaching this promotion like no other club has done previously,

I don’t know who is definitely contracted to Leigh for next year (I know Ipape and Ferguson are) and who has been confirmed for next year to come in. Right now, Leigh are in a relegation battle. Whether that’s the case once the playing squad is announced, I don’t yet know. 

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, Jughead said:

I don’t know who is definitely contracted to Leigh for next year (I know Ipape and Ferguson are) and who has been confirmed for next year to come in. Right now, Leigh are in a relegation battle. Whether that’s the case once the playing squad is announced, I don’t yet know. 

Just wait and see.

[Jughead]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Just wait and see.

The rumoured Philbin and Hughes, admittedly, don’t get me standing up and taking notice, though they’re markably different from the same players jumping from promoted team to promoted team like James Cunningham and players of that ilk. 

[Blind side johnny]

16 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

No just kind of frustrated Dave, nothing personal in what I have said previously it just seems that the proposals that IMG have made may drive a wedge between those who are deemed to have and those who are on the periphery, @Jill Halfpenny fanis quite correct in questioning will it be a catastrophic situation for a relegated team this season - if that is to happen - and how will the 'B''s be categorised if there is a crossover in both the SL and Championship teams being given the same grading.

Category B clubs have the opportunity to become Category A by their own efforts. That is one of the fundamental parts of the proposals.

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

Category B clubs have the opportunity to become Category A by their own efforts. That is one of the fundamental parts of the proposals.

With all due respect Tommy that is not answering the question of how will category B's be selected for SL considering there may be more than is required to fill the reaming spots once the A's have been nominated.

[Blind side johnny]

11 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

With all due respect Tommy that is not answering the question of how will category B's be selected for SL considering there may be more than is required to fill the reaming spots once the A's have been nominated.

Perverse again Barry.

All club categorisations are to be reviewed annually. Make yourself into an A and avoid the problem - what can't you understand about this.

[Griff]

2 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

Perverse again Barry.
 

[Tommygilf]

27 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

With all due respect Tommy that is not answering the question of how will category B's be selected for SL considering there may be more than is required to fill the reaming spots once the A's have been nominated.

Harry I hope I'm not appearing in your dreams

[Tommygilf]

27 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

With all due respect Tommy that is not answering the question of how will category B's be selected for SL considering there may be more than is required to fill the reaming spots once the A's have been nominated.

Jokes aside, the only way to guarantee being in Super League is to not be a Grade B at all, be Grade A. That is a sensible aspirational approach imo.

[tuutaisrambo]

Gonna be a lot of Grade B clubs I think.......the problem will be growing as a B club outside the top division when all the B clubs in the top division enjoy all the benefits of SL.

It's gonna be a boring spectacle without the risk of relegation but that's what the game wants.

I'd be happy enough with a national pro game with 12 teams the size of Leeds and Wigan.......we've probably got about 6 cat A clubs......getting another 6 to that level will be the hard part...... IMG probably want London and Toulouse in there......maybe a Welsh and Scottish club eventually too.

We can then have a competitive semi pro game below it for the rest of us peasants.

 

[Snowys Backside]

Leigh have improved SL under IMGs proposals in my opinion. 
 

It’s not all what’s on the field, but it’s one of the best RL stadiums to attend and a hotbed for RL. 
 

A strong B for me which will get better once we finally get the go ahead to invest at grass roots without interference. The future is bright. 

[tuutaisrambo]

I'd put my money on Leigh staying up at the expense of Wake next year.

Then with Toulouse probably going back up IMG just need London in SL and they'd be well on their way with their plans.

After that I'd expect well funded expansion projects to eventually replace the likes of Cas, Leigh and maybe Hull KR as they try to grow the sport into newer markets.

Long term if it all works they'll want 2 teams in London too.

[Stuff Smith]

51 minutes ago, tuutaisrambo said:

I'd put my money on Leigh staying up at the expense of Wake next year.

Then with Toulouse probably going back up IMG just need London in SL and they'd be well on their way with their plans.

After that I'd expect well funded expansion projects to eventually replace the likes of Cas, Leigh and maybe Hull KR as they try to grow the sport into newer markets.

Long term if it all works they'll want 2 teams in London too.

History says this isn't going to happen though. Just like no local council is going to fund (or part-fund) "one of the best RL stadiums to attend" for London Broncos.

Well funded expansion projects? Maybe, but well funded and well managed? No. Even managed mediocrely? Still no. When has that ever happened? 

I can't imagine any London Broncos supporter would put us anywhere above the bottom end of class B. And that's being extremely generous. Not until Hughes goes.

(And why Wakey? Be better if it was Wigan! Like  Leigh, always liked Fev. And, tuutaaisrambo, the "baby faced assassin" was one of my favourite players as a kid.)

[Stuff Smith]

Wrong thread!

Edited October 5, 2022 by Stuff Smith

[Londonbornirishbred]

7 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Just wait and see.

I admire and applaud your passion for your club, but the reality is that with the current rules regarding overseas talent, combined with the cap, Leigh are aiming for 10th at best next year. 
I am not entirely sure what happened at Wakefield last August/September, but if they carry that form into 2023 then they won't be the safety net that some believe them to be in terms of the drop, but I believe there are a few clubs who will be nervously looking at Leigh's recruitment.

Either way. I hope you enjoy your time at the top table although I do believe that your proximity to other clubs (and them to you) makes IMG wary. It would be criminal for you to buy well and stay up only to be "dropped" because Wigan or Wire are Cat-A

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, tuutaisrambo said:

I'd put my money on Leigh staying up at the expense of Wake next year.

Then with Toulouse probably going back up IMG just need London in SL and they'd be well on their way with their plans.

After that I'd expect well funded expansion projects to eventually replace the likes of Cas, Leigh and maybe Hull KR as they try to grow the sport into newer markets.

Long term if it all works they'll want 2 teams in London too.

It won't happen, ever, where are they going to find places to put these 'new' clubs for the game to be as appreciated has it is along the M62 corridor as it is now and has it has been since the pro game was founded in 1895, there will always be those who consider they can take the game into new territories but the local populas dont want it and don't tag along, it has been tried countless times since that meeting at the George Hotel in Hudddrsfield, but we still have the same footprint - London and Newcastle will not last -when those who want to change things realise what we have got is what we have in the UK and then they put all their efforts into building that into the best it can become instead of chasing pipedreams that will never happen we will keep stumbling along trying to be something we will never acheive.

I love this game as much as anyone and have spent a lifetime being involved in it, I would love it to be a nationwide attraction, but the time has passed to influence it into new areas, it may have had a chance many years ago if the effort to expand it was applied then but the games leaders missed the bus then, there are just to many alternatives in todays modern life to hope that it can be taken on board in new areas, it ain't going to happen.