At least *Something* seems to be happening, just feels like
the game has been in a slow decline for so long.


 


There is a debate to be had on Catalans, I'm very much in
favour of them being in the competition, but they have received significant
investment from the game in terms of TV revenue and its difficult to quantify
financially what they have given in return, there is an argument that a club
that generates 12-14m Euros in revenue could do without the TV money coming
from the UK given the 1,000 of fans that travel over and support the local
economy in Perpignan.  I'm a big fan of Catalan, and further French involvement
in the league, but without a paying French TV contract we need to look at the
financials carefully in terms of what is 'fair'.


 The suggested model seems to be 8 teams from the UK Wire,
Pies, Saints, Leeds, Hull FC, Hull KR, with 2 'others' from Leigh, Wakey, Cas,
Huddersfield, Salford, London, Bradford and two from France, Catalan &
Toulouse presumably.  With the ones missing out playing in a ten team
second tier.  Can't say I'm a fan of a ten team comp, 14 is the ideal
number for me but I accept that there isn't enough money in the game to support
that it seems.  Ultimately we need to provide what the broadcasters will
pay for I guess.


 I'm wary of the NRL coming in if I'm honest, I accept the
way they run the game is FAR better than the RFL ever has, but I'm just
concerned about what we give up and losing any element of control - there would
have to be some form of break clause involved I guess, which would obviously
mean paying back any sort of NRL investment.  Not sure where this leaves
IMG either? We brought them in 18 months ago to turn things around, we're
ripping that up now?
The one thing NRL involvement may bring with it is further investment in clubs from Australian sources I guess...

Is there a danger with relaxing quota rules that SL will eventually finish up as an NRL old timers league to the detriment of bringing our youth through to play in our superleague. Where will the encouragement be for rugby playing kids of the future when Stanley Gene's name could be above their's on the team sheet ?


For another thing, it is about time our game was rebranded ,every sport has hi-jacked "super league" . Get a new came & copyright it.

You could be a bit sneaky and say that clubs have to have 'x' % of players in the first team squad that have come through their Academy which will naturally limit but not remove the amount of overseas players.  I would argue each SL club should have, for example, 50% of the first team squad as Academy products and 25% UK trained and developed.  That still allows 25% for overseas players, lets say 7 in a squad of 28.  Clubs that haven't invested properly in their Academy will either have to do so as a priority, will have to incur transfer fees buying in UK trained players or will have to run with a smaller squad.  It rewards those clubs that have invested in the Academy system.  I think we have 14 or 15 Academy developed players in our first team squad.  I've no time for penny pinching clubs who always think short term and hold the game back.

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/catalans-dragons-super-league-nrl-1124841?int_source=nba Can't really argue with his points bit not sure what he was expecting. Perhaps he should have researched SL a bit more before agreeing to play in it.

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/catalans-dragons-super-league-nrl-1124841?int_source=nba Can't really argue with his points bit not sure what he was expecting. Perhaps he should have researched SL a bit more before agreeing to play in it.

Wires71: https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/catalans-dragons-super-league-nrl-1124841?int_source=nba Can't really argue with his points bit not sure what he was expecting. Perhaps he should have researched SL a bit more before agreeing to play in it.  Yes, quite surprising really as the Australians are renown for their diplomacy.

Wires71: https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/catalans-dragons-super-league-nrl-1124841?int_source=nba Can't really argue with his points bit not sure what he was expecting. Perhaps he should have researched SL a bit more before agreeing to play in it.  Yes, quite surprising really as the Australians are renown for their diplomacy.