Sun 8th Oct: Ch S/F: Featherstone Rovers v London Broncos KO 18:30 (Viaplay)

[crashmon]

FWIW, I personally think that if you win a league you should get promoted. I like the way L1 does it in that the league winner gets promoted, then you have playoffs for 2-5.  But you will never ever ever have SL agree to have more than 1 up and 1 down, so playoffs it is (and happy as a London fan that its playoffs right now)

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, crashmon said:

FWIW, I personally think that if you win a league you should get promoted. I like the way L1 does it in that the league winner gets promoted, then you have playoffs for 2-5.  But you will never ever ever have SL agree to have more than 1 up and 1 down, so playoffs it is (and happy as a London fan that its playoffs right now)

The argument would be, as it is in Super League, that teams would play differently accordingly then

[oiseau]

12 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Am I right in saying he used to be one of the clubs sponsors? 

Who, the previous owner ?

[Southern Reiver]

31 minutes ago, Steven Grason said:

I do not know how London transformed from average team to the slick unit we saw tonight. Our indiscipline is what cost us. And our discipline has been excellent all year. We have now come top of the championship 5 times and not been promoted. For me, loyalties aside, there is something very wrong with that. IMG will be the death knell of the game as we know it in my opinion.

We made four signings. Norman, Whare, Butler and Lovegrove. 3 players and one coach. Our defence has improved immeasurably and the attack is so much slicker.  It has been a gradual on ongoing improvement. The change is mainly the coaching and playing experience. And the confidence is obvious

[The Daddy]

I think it's a moot point anyway as Toulouse played a lot of youngsters and players from their reserve team in many games on the understanding of the current system.

Had it have been a first past the post system I'm sure they would've played their most competitive team more often. 

[oiseau]

1 minute ago, oiseau said:

Who, the previous owner ?

Both were sponsors. Toulouse have dozens of sponsors, some much bigger than others.

[Guest]

Just now, Southern Reiver said:

We made four signings. Norman, Whare, Butler and Lovegrove. 3 players and one coach. Our defence has improved immeasurably and the attack is so much slicker.  It has been a gradual on ongoing improvement. The change is mainly the coaching and playing experience. And the confidence is obvious

Eccles is also class. Even at the end of last year the quality of play immediately improved dramatically.

Although not hard given the tripe Coleman dished up. 

[The Daddy]

3 minutes ago, oiseau said:

Who, the previous owner ?

No, the new owner. 

[The Daddy]

1 minute ago, Leonard said:

Eccles is also class. Even at the end of last year the quality of play immediately improved dramatically.

Although not hard given the tripe Coleman dished up. 

That was something I noticed too. I was very positive after the way last season ended. 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

13 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

So you're saying that Fev should've been promoted anyway?

No.  As Leonard reminds us, everyone knows the rules and must play by them.  So, the structure is accepted.  As I noted, a range of important 'players' in the process - not least of all Viaplay - are entitled to know what they are signing up to.  So the competition format is established pre-season and should not be tinkered with.

All I was doing was expressing sympathy with Fev fans, not least of all because, unlike SL with its loop fixtures as well as Magic Weekend, the championship just has the Magic equivalent (i.e. one additional game) to add imbalance to the 'pure' league structure.  Thus, this season as it turns out, Fev were undeniably the best team as they finished a full twelve points ahead of the runners-up.  If they had been just two points ahead of Toulouse, then the imbalance of the extra fixture would have been a ral issue.

But, to reiterate and answer your question simply (wouldn't I make a sh*t MP or government minister!), 'No'.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Wiltshire Warrior Dragon
spelling error

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Unfortunately we’re done as a club now until IMG realize they’re flogging a dead horse and P&R comes back in 5-10 years. I suspect Campbell will pull funding and rightfully so. We’ll be a run of the mill championship team now. It seems popular to want Fev to fail but it’s a real shame we never got our shot despite being around the top of the championship for well over a decade.
 

London were very good and deserved to win. Hope Toulouse win the final though as I think they can contribute more and have something they can grow. The same London delusions are getting thrown around again now but it’s been proven a dead end time and again.

good luck to both teams in the final.

[Tommygilf]

Has anyone seen Campbell and co?

[The Daddy]

1 minute ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

No.  As Leonard reminds us, everyone knows the rules and must play by them.  So, the structure is accepted.  As I noted, a range of important 'players' in the process - not least of all Viaplay - are entitled to know what they are signing up to.  So the competition format is established pre-season and should not be tinkered with.

All I was doiung was expressing sympathy with Fev fans, not least of all because, unlike SL with its loop fixtures as well as Magic Weekend, the championship just has the Magic equivalent (i.e. one additional game) to add imbalance to the 'pure' league structure.  Thus, this season as it turns out, Fev were undeniebly the best team as they finished a full twelve points ahead of the runners-up.  If they had been just two points ahead of Toulouse, then the imbalance of the extra fixture would have been a ral issue.

But, to reiterate and answer your question simply (wouldn't I make a sh*t MP or government minister!), 'No'.

Well as I've said, Toulouse blooded players in the beginning of the season knowing that they could challenge more competitively at seasons end. 

If there was a first past the post system it may have been a different story 

[The Blues Ox]

Nightmare possibly for SL if London go up, they literally have no incentive to spend any money knowing they are miles off SL in the IMG rankings.

I really don't think tonights result is that big a shock as some are making out. Fev have looked vulnarable despite how the league table looked and certainly capable of losing a one off game with any team that has a bit of flair as long as their pack could live with Fev's power for a chunk of the game which is exactly what London did tonight. 

[LeytherRob]

 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

2 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Well as I've said, Toulouse blooded players in the beginning of the season knowing that they could challenge more competitively at seasons end. 

If there was a first past the post system it may have been a different story 

I agree.

[Ragingbull]

42 minutes ago, Steven Grason said:

I do not know how London transformed from average team to the slick unit we saw tonight. Our indiscipline is what cost us. And our discipline has been excellent all year. We have now come top of the championship 5 times and not been promoted. For me, loyalties aside, there is something very wrong with that. IMG will be the death knell of the game as we know it in my opinion.

Fantastic isnt it. 

We all thought Warringtons bottle job from being week 8 champions would be the biggest choke of the year but your lot have well and truely topped it.

[Fevrover]

15 minutes ago, crashmon said:

FWIW, I personally think that if you win a league you should get promoted. I like the way L1 does it in that the league winner gets promoted, then you have playoffs for 2-5.  But you will never ever ever have SL agree to have more than 1 up and 1 down, so playoffs it is (and happy as a London fan that its playoffs right now)

Good luck London. 

[Fevrover]

Just now, Ragingbull said:

Fantastic isnt it. 

We all thought Warringtons bottle job from being week 8 champions would be the biggest choke of the year but your lot have well and truely topped it.

Green eyed monster talking.

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Green eyed monster talking.

What is to be jealous of? Bradford and Fev were knocked out of the comp at the same stage.

 

[Damien]

Well done to London.

I say it every year but I don't think the play offs are the best way to decide the club most equipped for SL. It has to be the team that finishes top of the table for me rather than one that just peaks at the right time.

[Smudger06]

12 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

Unfortunately we’re done as a club now until IMG realize they’re flogging a dead horse and P&R comes back in 5-10 years. I suspect Campbell will pull funding and rightfully so. We’ll be a run of the mill championship team now. It seems popular to want Fev to fail but it’s a real shame we never got our shot despite being around the top of the championship for well over a decade.
 

London were very good and deserved to win. Hope Toulouse win the final though as I think they can contribute more and have something they can grow. The same London delusions are getting thrown around again now but it’s been proven a dead end time and again.

good luck to both teams in the final.

agree Tex 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

What is to be jealous of? Bradford and Fev were knocked out of the comp at the same stage.

 

It’s a little weird how much you revel in a club like Featherstone failing. Why is it? Is this Sir Kevin Sinfield’s burner account?

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Tex Evans Thigh said:

It’s a little weird how much you revel in a club like Featherstone failing. Why is it? Is this Sir Kevin Sinfield’s burner account?

I think most hubris that is brought down in failure is funny tbh. 

Dunno what that has to do with the quoted post mind?

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Damien said:

Well done to London.

I say it every year but I don't think the play offs are the best way to decide the club most equipped for SL. It has to be the team that finishes top of the table for me rather than one that just peaks at the right time.

Given the gap between the leagues, I'm not sure either are ideal frankly.