Oldham Super League bid

[shrewsbury roughyed]

40 minutes ago, bosman69 said:

It takes time to build the infrastructure needed for super league.

The club is making large and rapid strides of course but at the moment we are only running a first team.. no academy, scholarship etc and no ladies side. 

Our first team has made good progress but any championship squad would need a major rebuild to compete in super league. 

No harm in going for it of course and if we are not successful then this will highlight areas for development as we continue to grow as a championship force.

Basically, the new sides will mop up any current SL players from any sides that are not included, plus there’ll be some salary cap changes to bring in journeymen from down under. The standard won’t be raised as without relegation the only penalty for finishing bottom is the embarrassment. ‘Embarrassment’ is always a key word when explaining how our sport is run. 

[Roughyeds Forever!]

34 minutes ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

Basically, the new sides will mop up any current SL players from any sides that are not included, plus there’ll be some salary cap changes to bring in journeymen from down under. The standard won’t be raised as without relegation the only penalty for finishing bottom is the embarrassment. ‘Embarrassment’ is always a key word when explaining how our sport is run. 

Heard Brian Carney on radio today saying that any new SL clubs would only get 50% of the Central Funding that other SL clubs get. Based on that the promoted teams would be in for a drubbing every week as just can't afford a team to compete.

Oldham - stear clear. Lets keep on building in the Championship.

 

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

10 hours ago, Roughyeds Forever! said:

Heard Brian Carney on radio today saying that any new SL clubs would only get 50% of the Central Funding that other SL clubs get. Based on that the promoted teams would be in for a drubbing every week as just can't afford a team to compete.

Oldham - stear clear. Lets keep on building in the Championship.

 

For years, under the hamilton regime, I dreamed of us becoming an established Championship side. One that would be able to compete with the likes of fev etc. I'm worried that any rush to superleague will end end up with us being the whipping boys and a costly disaster. What's happening with the netpar facility and locally with talent growth is a sign of what's needed. We need that base, that solid foundation in order to progress.  

On the other hand I'm worried that superleague may become a closed shop.

[shrewsbury roughyed]

3 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

For years, under the hamilton regime, I dreamed of us becoming an established Championship side. One that would be able to compete with the likes of fev etc. I'm worried that any rush to superleague will end end up with us being the whipping boys and a costly disaster. What's happening with the netpar facility and locally with talent growth is a sign of what's needed. We need that base, that solid foundation in order to progress.  

On the other hand I'm worried that superleague may become a closed shop.

Catch 22, indeed 

[georgeb1]

14 hours ago, Roughyeds Forever! said:

Heard Brian Carney on radio today saying that any new SL clubs would only get 50% of the Central Funding that other SL clubs get. Based on that the promoted teams would be in for a drubbing every week as just can't afford a team to compete.

Oldham - stear clear. Lets keep on building in the Championship.

 

It should have been the fat cats like leeds and saints that recieved 50% for next year and the promoted clubs full allowance 

[clifford]

5 hours ago, georgeb1 said:

It should have been the fat cats like leeds and saints that recieved 50% for next year and the promoted clubs full allowance 

Now that suggests that the top clubs would want it to work and they would put their self interest to oneside

Edited July 30 by clifford

[shrewsbury roughyed]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/30/super-league-expansion-may-put-vital-partnership-with-sky-sports-in-jeopardy
 

Sky not happy about funding extra televised matches. Any input from or link to the NRL also killed off (though that’s not a bad thing in my opinion). The two Hull clubs voted against expansion; Wigan abstained over the qualification for expansion. It almost seems as though this hasn’t been thought through properly…as if! 

[herbie]

35 minutes ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/30/super-league-expansion-may-put-vital-partnership-with-sky-sports-in-jeopardy
 

Sky not happy about funding extra televised matches. Any input from or link to the NRL also killed off (though that’s not a bad thing in my opinion). The two Hull clubs voted against expansion; Wigan abstained over the qualification for expansion. It almost seems as though this hasn’t been thought through properly…as if! 

Yes we need to steer clear of the NRL. Look at the state of RL in Australia. They obviously dont have a clue

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

This was posted on FB.  Criteria for promotion. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A3hg6tojX/

Edited August 2 by The Art of Hand and Foot

[Roughyeds Forever!]

3 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

This was posted on FB.  Criteria for promotion. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A3hg6tojX/

For those of us who don't do facebook can you paste it in here?

[Anita Bath]

Another who doesnt do FB….but i think I can guess….you have to be called Bradford.

[clifford]

Or London and your team must play in York.

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

Another who doesnt do FB….but i think I can guess….you have to be called Bradford.

"If you missed the important update from the RFL during the Bradford Bulls vs Halifax Panthers game last night. 

The RFL confirm that the Club Grading System introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport’s long-term strategic partnership with IMG is being used for the two clubs in positions 13th and 14th. 

The independent panel, which will be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, is in place for enhanced scrutiny of the 13th and 14th clubs' finances. 

This has been put in place by the RFL to avoid a repeat of the disastrous Salford Red Devils situation we have playing out. 

The Super League teams in Club Grading positions 1 to 12 will receive full central funding. Which means it is vitally important for those clubs in positions 13 and 14 to have the finances to be able to meet the RFL’s set of financial criteria and fund the step up to the Super League next year. 

If the 14th placed team in the Club Grading position was not able to meet the strict financial criteria as set out by the RFL and Lord Jonathan Caine, then the 15th placed team under the Club Grading positions would be able to apply for a place in the Super League next season."

[shrewsbury roughyed]

So basically the 13th and 14th teams have got no realistic chance of competing, thereby having little realistic chance of earning the gate or advertising money to be able to compete, thereby condemning them to earn less and less and possibly being the next Salford given that prospective investors will be unlikely to invest in clubs who have little prospect of competing…etc etc. Have we been told which particular under 5s  special educational needs unit actually thought all this up? Bonkers. Or rugby league, as we call it. 

[Tim G]

I can't recall the time when Rugby League was ever run as a professional body .  The people in charge have no idea how to move the game to the next level.  At best the game has stagnated, at worst it's actually dying.   

We should move mountains to get someone like Eddie Hearn involved for a minimum of five years.  The publicity alone for this would be more than the game would get in 10 years. 

Entertainment is about more than what is on offer, it's how it's sold to the public that counts.  

I see a breakaway very soon as the Sky money makes it less important for teams to stay loyal to the RL

 

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

46 minutes ago, Tim G said:

I can't recall the time when Rugby League was ever run as a professional body .  The people in charge have no idea how to move the game to the next level.  

Probably not since Joseph Platt run it from Queen St. He'll be spinning in his grave.

[Bedford Roughyed]

On 02/08/2025 at 16:56, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

This was posted on FB.  Criteria for promotion. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A3hg6tojX/

As far as I know it's the only place this is being reported as being the criteria.  Given the source (history of questionable posts) I think caution should be used.  

[RoytonRoughyed83]

What was the Attendance yesterday, Given York are nailed on we need thousands more fans?

[tandle]

15 minutes ago, RoytonRoughyed83 said:

What was the Attendance yesterday, Given York are nailed on we need thousands more fans?

according to one york supporter.

york never say what the attendances are. 

[Oldham Valderama]

18 minutes ago, RoytonRoughyed83 said:

What was the Attendance yesterday, Given York are nailed on we need thousands more fans?

Given that the LNER Stadium has a capacity of 8500 I'd hazard a guess that it was around the 1800 mark (Oldham must have brought around 300 I reckon), the main stand with the York supporters was no where near full if fact I'd say just about half

 

[tandle]

3 minutes ago, Oldham Valderama said:

Given that the LNER Stadium has a capacity of 8500 I'd hazard a guess that it was around the 1800 mark (Oldham must have brought around 300 I reckon), the main stand with the York supporters was no where near full if fact I'd say just about half

 

just searched some york reports.

one states attendance n/a not given they never do.?

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

51 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Kris Radlinkskis thoughts

Dont know if anyone else has seen this? Really interesting thoughts from kriss radlinsky. I honestly think the rush to a 14 team superleague will backfire. 

Edited August 4 by The Art of Hand and Foot

[RoytonRoughyed83]

1 hour ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

Dont know if anyone else has seen this? Really interesting thoughts from kriss radlinsky. I honestly think the rush to a 14 team superleague will backfire. 

Kris Radlinski is a guy who should be listened too.

[LittleboroRoughyed]

The likes of Kris Radlinski should be running the RFL

[shrewsbury roughyed]

2 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

Dont know if anyone else has seen this? Really interesting thoughts from kriss radlinsky. I honestly think the rush to a 14 team superleague will backfire. 

I agree. In an ideal world it would be great. I’m reality there isn’t the support on the ‘terraces’, from tv money or exposure, from other media exposure, the pool of players. It’s just not been thought through. I’d love to see Oldham in SL, plus the likes of York, London, whoever deserves on the pitch (and with factors off it). How amazing has it been to see Oldham rise from repeat no-hopers to near championship contenders. To artificially put us ( or York, or London, etc) into SL on crowds of 2000 at best ( minus away fans), getting beaten probably heavily most weeks, losing fans, paying wages we can’t afford would be heartbreaking. And that’s what the new guidelines are setting up to happen. Cart before the horse, as ever,  or in this case the hearse. Barmy. The only organic way m, for me, is to build in automatic promotion for the club that runs the championship and maybe a playoff group (or not) for a second place, though I don’t even think that would be sustainable on current crowds and funding. Annoying. Again.