: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:29 am  

Whoa, ten posts and nobody's questioned whether Barrow's in Cumbria.

My current line of thinking is that I'm not fussed about a Cumbrian team in SL but I do think English RL could do with more players from that part of the country making it to SL level. I don't think that it needs a SL franchise to make that happen, but it couldn't do any harm.

Mintball wrote:

Bøllocks to that. It's the most beautiful natural bay in England and they want to put a bloody big bridge across it?

Progress, you old scrote.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:43 am  

Charmless Nerk wrote:

Progress,

Now that is b0llocks!

Anyway since when did distance (time or miles) from M62 corridor make a difference to a SL franchise application?!

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:50 am  

Could Barrow be Cumbria's SL team?

Simple answer, no.

No single team in Cumbria could be a SL, but Cumbria (Super 12s style) could be a SL franchise, but its up to the flatcappers up there to overcome their parochialsm and realise this

It worked for Les Catalans after all.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:51 am  

Charmless Nerk wrote:

My current line of thinking is that I'm not fussed about a Cumbrian team in SL but I do think English RL could do with more players from that part of the country making it to SL level.

I think that will start to happen fairly soon. For a long time SL clubs did no scouting in the area at all. That is starting to change as clubs realise the talent that exists up here. At a recent U16's game there were scouts from 7 SL clubs there - a couple of years ago there would have been none.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:51 am  

Charmless Nerk wrote:

Progress ...

That'll be the day you actually have any charm, Nerk.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:53 am  

Code13 wrote:

No single team in Cumbria could be a SL, but Cumbria (Super 12s style) could be a SL franchise, but its up to the flatcappers up there to overcome their parochialsm and realise this

It's neither flatcappery or parochialism that prevents it happening.

It's money. Or rather the lack of it to build a suitable stadium and bankroll the initial start up costs.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:26 pm  

hmm Does anyone think that while Haven fans wouldnt follow a Barrow based team and vice versa in this present moment in time this would be forgotten if a Cumbria based team was placed there? Im thinking another generation or so.
I'm sure Dally mentioned something about Wests getting bigger crowds now than the initial merger teams in Aus did.
In time it could work, especially if you took a few games on the road.

IMO though, Cumbria just wouldnt be worth the effort needed

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:57 pm  

I wish people from outside of Cumbria did their geography homework before posting about mergers, etc. I don't think anyone would expect say, York to merge with Swinton to put in for a SL franchise and yet those two towns are probably closer to each other than Barrow and the west Cumbrian towns of Workington and Whitehaven!!!

If Barrow want to go it alone and apply for a SL licence then good luck to them but please don't call it a "Cumbrian franchise" because there is a lot more of Cumbria rugby league away from the Furness area of the county.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:59 pm  

Geekay wrote:

I wish people from outside of Cumbria did their geography homework before posting about mergers, etc. I don't think anyone would expect say, York to merge with Swinton to put in for a SL franchise and yet those two towns are probably closer to each other than Barrow and the west Cumbrian towns of Workington and Whitehaven!!!

If Barrow want to go it alone and apply for a SL licence then good luck to them but please don't call it a "Cumbrian franchise" because there is a lot more of Cumbria rugby league away from the Furness area of the county.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:46 pm  

Dico wrote:

hmm Does anyone think that while Haven fans wouldnt follow a Barrow based team and vice versa in this present moment in time this would be forgotten if a Cumbria based team was placed there? Im thinking another generation or so.
I'm sure Dally mentioned something about Wests getting bigger crowds now than the initial merger teams in Aus did.
In time it could work, especially if you took a few games on the road.

IMO though, Cumbria just wouldnt be worth the effort needed

It'll be fun when he sees this!