14 Team SL and Merged Championship?

[Perth Red]

Agreed. I really don't get the "London is a failure" narrative. They've contributed more to the game as a whole in the last two decades than say a Salford, particularly in their academy and fostering player development. What's hurt their growth has been the constant relocations around different parts of London and the failed rebrand attempts (like the Harlequins experiment). But they were consistently in the Super League or top of the Championship on the occasions they have been relegated (except for the last when they had the tough situation of being promoted but knowing there was no way for them to stay up).

I think best case scenario for the future growth of the game is for London and Toulouse to be 13 and 14 - with York getting in based on grading.

I think best strategic case is for London and T

They’ve failed to build a fanbase and failed to build a financially viable club. They’ve also failed to put out a team each season to keep them in SL. They’ve failed to create a ‘home’ and largely have been a major disappointment given the money they’ve had thrown at them since 1997.

 

[Perth Red]

Toulouse add no value to the next uk tv deal and that’s what clubs, rightly or wrongly, are focused on.

Their saving grace will be they are prepared to be cost neutral to the competition.
I think it’ll be York who get screwed due to the London take over and for little other reason.

 

[Taking The Two]

They’ve failed to build a fanbase and failed to build a financially viable club. They’ve also failed to put out a team each season to keep them in SL. They’ve failed to create a ‘home’ and largely have been a major disappointment given the money they’ve had thrown at them since 1997.

You’ve just described Bradford for the past 20 years.

 

[jason taylor]

They’ve failed to build a fanbase and failed to build a financially viable club. They’ve also failed to put out a team each season to keep them in SL. They’ve failed to create a ‘home’ and largely have been a major disappointment given the money they’ve had thrown at them since 1997.

KR also spent time relegated in the last decade - not to forget in 2019 Broncos were relegated based on having a worse points differential than KR.

I addressed the fanbase and 'home' issues, that are clearly problems but the reality is that there is a core diehard base there that has continued to follow them throughout the turmoil and constant moves. Yes a lot of money has been thrown at them, but the fact is they have continued to survive and there's a lot of growth opportunity

 

[jason taylor]

York will get in, I reckon, plus it’s being reported so anyway. They’ll try and paint this as “hey, look, something new” to try and counteract the “how the f**k have Bradford jumped up so high? How have they got points for that dump of a ground?”

I think you're right: - they'll pitch it as expansion as York has never been in Super League and Toulouse had the one season so they can be represented as brand new.

 

[Perth Red]

You’ve just described Bradford for the past 20 years.

Bulls are best supported team in championship and made profit last two years. Time to see if they’ve learnt lessons from the past and can rebuild bullmania sustainably.

 

[Pippen94]

They’ve failed to build a fanbase and failed to build a financially viable club. They’ve also failed to put out a team each season to keep them in SL. They’ve failed to create a ‘home’ and largely have been a major disappointment given the money they’ve had thrown at them since 1997.

Like Perth reds

 

[Pippen94]

Bulls are best supported team in championship and made profit last two years. Time to see if they’ve learnt lessons from the past and can rebuild bullmania sustainably.

Bradford averaged 3,355. Toulouse 3,316

 

[Pippen94]

 

[Pippen94]

This is big screen which increased rating for Bradford

 

[jolly boys outing]

This is big screen which increased rating for Bradford
View attachment 107181

To be fair ”seabrook” crisps are delicious.

 

[Perth Red]

And so we move on to who the panel recommends. Whoever misses out shouldn’t be too despondent as if they keep building, and presuming the img system isn’t ditched, they’ll probably replace Huddersfield in 2027.

 

[Taking The Two]

Bradford have played the system, seen the flaws in the IMG rating system, exploited it by doing what was necessary and are reaping the rewards from it in the form of the big central funding hand out they’re getting but clubs 13 and 14 aren’t getting as much of. In all honesty, fair play to them, IMG wasn’t and isn’t perfect, we saw that with Cas getting an A grade a year ago, we’ve seen it again with Bradford’s inclusion in Super League. It’s not right, we should have tightened up the grades and points scoring system after the first round of grades but we didn’t and we have to live with the daft decisions we’ve allowed to occur.

It should be Toulouse and York as 13 and 14 for next year, hopefully it is but you don’t know with rugby league.

 

[Perth Red]

Bradford have played the system, seen the flaws in the IMG rating system, exploited it by doing what was necessary and are reaping the rewards from it in the form of the big central funding hand out they’re getting but clubs 13 and 14 aren’t getting as much of. In all honesty, fair play to them, IMG wasn’t and isn’t perfect, we saw that with Cas getting an A grade a year ago, we’ve seen it again with Bradford’s inclusion in Super League. It’s not right, we should have tightened up the grades and points scoring system after the first round of grades but we didn’t and we have to live with the daft decisions we’ve allowed to occur.

It should be Toulouse and York as 13 and 14 for next year, hopefully it is but you don’t know with rugby league.

They changed some of it last year and will hopefully keep refining it. I’d like to see a criteria area of player development included. Ironically that’d give Bradford even more points as they have a great pathway system!

 

[Gobsmacked]

This is big screen which increased rating for Bradford
View attachment 107181

I have a 52 inch plasma. So I actually have IMG grading points

 

[Perth Red]

That’s good if true. London need to rebuild the club top to bottom. No reason they can’t overtake Huddersfield in 2027 or 2028 if they invest wisely.

 

[jolly boys outing]

That’s good if true. London need to rebuild the club top to bottom. No reason they can’t overtake Huddersfield in 2027 or 2028 if they invest wisely.

So is the grading system the future for P&R?

 

[jolly boys outing]

Huddersfield or Castleford but preferably Huddersfield as they are a joke and have been for years.

 

[Perth Red]

So is the grading system the future for P&R?

At this time yes. I hope they stick with it and keep refining it. It’s working.

for all the hand wringing and teeth gnashing it looks like we will end up with the three strongest clubs in the championship going up. Who’d have thought it lol

 

[Perth Red]

Huddersfield or Castleford but preferably Huddersfield as they are a joke and have been for years.

Cas will soon, hopefully, start work on the stadium. They’ve shown theybget 8k crowds and had some on field success. Hudds look like they have got as big as they can get, and it isn’t big enough for SL. shame for the birthplace of the game.