Championship and League 1 2018

[Walter sobchak]

How far off are Bradford and York from competing at the top of the Championship? do they need to overhall their squads?

With Toronto and TO likely at the top with Leigh looking to slide and who knows how Widnes will shape up, it will be very interesting in 2019

Both York and Bradford would need a major overhaul to their squads to up their with Toronto, Toulouse, Halifax and featherstone. Both teams should just to consolidate and aim for mid table.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Shame they couldn’t go to 14 teams SL in the restructure. I know there would be a depth of quality issue but would have been great to have London, Toulouse & Toronto in.

But, yeah, the championship should be very competitive next season. Toronto, Toulouse, Widnes(?), possibly York & Bradford.

2019 will see either Toronto or Toulouse missout again on promotion to super league.

 

[CC_Roosters]

See Workington can't even field a team for this game against Swinton the Rfl threw into the mix at the last minute for the final championship place next year! the sport barely deserves to be called an organises body it's turnes into that big a farce.

 

[Teddyboy]

See Workington can't even field a team for this game against Swinton the Rfl threw into the mix at the last minute for the final championship place next year! the sport barely deserves to be called an organises body it's turnes into that big a farce.

Time for Workington and Whitehaven to join together.

 

[Tigers1986]

Complete amateur hour of the RFL to have changed the season how they did. Although Featherstone and Leigh both had similar issues. I think the season is too long. Championship was 30 games plus 2 playoffs? League 1 was 26 games plus playoffs? That's almost undoable for the elite professionals, let alone semi-pro and amateurs.

 

[adamkungl]

Complete amateur hour of the RFL to have changed the season how they did. Although Featherstone and Leigh both had similar issues. I think the season is too long. Championship was 30 games plus 2 playoffs? League 1 was 26 games plus playoffs? That's almost undoable for the elite professionals, let alone semi-pro and amateurs.

Laughable organisation they are

 

[Tigers1986]

Then you also factor in if a team has a decent run in the Challenge Cup.

 

[TDD91]

Hemel Stags withdraw from League 1

Sad to see them step down, but with moving everything to Dewsbury for some reason, their days were kinda numbered. Only 11 teams in League 1 next season, so something's got to change surely...

 

[Perth Tiger]

so what happens to their licence?

is this a back door entry for one of the mythical other North American teams?

 

[miguel de cervantes]

opportunity knocks for another french club in my opinion. got to be avignon.

 

[jim_57]

opportunity knocks for another french club in my opinion. got to be avignon.

I don't think it should be a case of one club having to drop out for another to come in, especially when the league was only 12. If an application is good enough even if you have to increase league size or even split in to two leagues or conferences they should be accepted.

 

[jim_57]

I don't think it should be a case of one club having to drop out for another to come in, especially when the league was only 12. If an application is good enough even if you have to increase league size or even split in to two leagues or conferences they should be accepted.

Avignon would be my pick too if they are up for it.

 

[Perth Tiger]

Red Star Belgrade fast tracked?

haven't they applied for 2020

 

[Walter sobchak]

Time for Workington and Whitehaven to join together.

That ship left port a longtime ago but I agree with your point though.

 

[Walter sobchak]

so what happens to their licence?

is this a back door entry for one of the mythical other North American teams?

To late for any team/franchise to enter the league for 2019 never mind a North American team.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Avignon would be my pick too if they are up for it.

In an ideal world I’d love to see big city expansion teams like Marseille, Lyon or Montpelier etc enter the U.K. leagues with teams like Avignon and carcassonne remaining in elite 1.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Hate to say this but following the RFL’s miserable record of expansion outside the heartlands we must concentrate on expanding RL in the north and on the games borders while keeping outposts in London.

Newcastle thunder should be the model followed in places like Manchester, Liverpool and then slowly creeping south with Nottingham over the next 5-10 years.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

I beleive there is scope for more mixing of the lower leagues with french Elite 1 and 2. This would be more productive and less costly than further flung outposts.

 

[Teddyboy]

I beleive there is scope for more mixing of the lower leagues with french Elite 1 and 2. This would be more productive and less costly than further flung outposts.

I believe that be fantastic if that happened and no more limbo for the Elite clubs.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I beleive there is scope for more mixing of the lower leagues with french Elite 1 and 2. This would be more productive and less costly than further flung outposts.

I agree with this - a EUROPEAN SL system should be setup with P&R for professional clubs from countries with RLEF membership. Any clubs that didn't want to stretch themselves and are happy to remain amateur, can stay in their own domestic league. At the moment it would probably look like this:

European Superleague
Wigan
St Helens
Warrington
Castleford
Hull FC
Huddersfield
Catalans
Wakefield

European Championship
Salford
Leeds
Hull KR
London
Toronto
Toulouse
Bradford
Leigh
Widnes

The more ambitious clubs from France and England that want to be involved can start to set themselves up to go pro and apply to join the system. Then any other applicants would have to show financial viability and be fully professional like Toronto. This opens the door for Red Star Belgrade and any other North American applicants in the future. They can go straigh to the European Championship and if good enough, be in SL after one season.