Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:41 pm  

If Catalans go down it will only be for one season as they'll probably extend SL to 14 teams the following season

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:45 pm  

Barrie's Glass Eye wrote:

The most obvious thing they've brought is a player development pathway for French players which is now starting to trickle down to other SL clubs, with the likes of Springer and Larroyer at Cas, Escare and Navarette at Wigan, Maria and Pellisier at Leigh plus the ones in Catalans own team and those that have gone round and retired. It has taken a while but before Catalan and during their early days I can't remember many French players in SL (Elima, Rinaldi). Now they have not taken advantage of this and imo there recent reliance on overseas and English players is one reason they are in this spot.

I also think they are a well run/stable club with a decent ground and home support. I am not for one second saying Leigh aren't any of these things either, and personally I'd like room for both Catalan and Leigh at the top table, and a few others.

But personally if I had to choose, I'd rather have Catalan in over both Widnes and Leigh, mostly for the exposure to a new player pool and market. I can't comment on exactly what the extra marketing, sponsors etc brings, but surely extra games on T.V and a viewing audience in France is a good start?

So would it be fair to say that Leigh haven't been given the time to build?

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:50 pm  

Cokey wrote:

That's right, Just for a jolly with a game thrown in,and nowt else.

Does it have to be for a deeper more meaningful reason?
If people would prefer Catalans over Leigh so you have a holiday in the South of France whilst following your team, whats wrong with that?
I understand that this is alot more emotive a subject for you given that your team is ditectly involved, but i'm struggling to find your counter arguement to it??

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:05 pm  

supersuperfc wrote:

Does it have to be for a deeper more meaningful reason?
If people would prefer Catalans over Leigh so you have a holiday in the South of France whilst following your team, whats wrong with that?
I understand that this is alot more emotive a subject for you given that your team is ditectly involved, but i'm struggling to find your counter arguement to it??

That's just your preference.

It means you could prefer to go to Catalans over any club and have an holiday. What a stupid response.

And i'm not arguing. As far as i'm concerned,Catalans have had enough time to be a real force in SL but failed miserably,but folk would still prefer them to stay in SL for the sake of a jolly. The mind boggles. It must be past your bedtime.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:10 pm  

bramleyrhino wrote:

You're right in my view, but unsurprisingly that sentiment isn't going to be universally shared.

If the Dragons go down next week, they will on merit, but let's not kid ourselves over what the league will lose. We'll be losing a club that over its short lifespan has brought a portfolio of sponsors that most clubs haven't been able to in more than 120 - brands like Renault, and subsideries of Air France KLM come to mind.

We potentially lose TV exposure, a club with a strong home support and the only club that challenges this perception that we're a parochial sport played in destitute pit-towns.

And what do Leigh bring to the league that any other club can't? I'm struggling. Yes, I know "away fans". Big wow. What that argument is saying is that having a club that is worth a couple of hundred extra fans who are worth at most £20-odd a year to each club (and allows clubs to continue to get away with lazy marketing) is more valuable than the sport's most successful "expansion" (sic) club offers. I don't think that's right.

As I say, it will be decided on the field next week and the team that wins will deserve to stay up. I just think that the right for the league. in the position the league is currently in, is a win for the Dragons.

Although I agree with some of what you're saying, imo the point about away fans for me, isn't about money, it's about atmosphere at games. Obviously just from a personal point of view, when I've travelled over to France to watch Trinity. The times we've won, those 100 travelling fans say, seem to make the noise of ten times that and turn what would seem like an empty stadium, into something else. Conversely when Catalans have won at our place in the past, it's dead. It's also not just something you notice at the ground, it comes through on the TV as well.

Ateotd for me as a neutral, if Catalans stay up then good for them, similarly Leigh, I've got no dog in the fight. As someone who's been through the MPG though I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy tbh.

Looking at the bigger picture of both sides. Imo in the long run if Catalns did go down I can see it having a more positive effect on the Club as a whole than Leigh. It's obvious they need a complete change of culture at the club and a new Coach in the same ilk as Trent Robsinson. Also now Toulose are coming up on their shoulde & if they did go down, it would be certainly interesting to watch that big French Derby. It all might be the thing to turn the club back around, especially considering their resources they've got to make it all happen.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:20 pm  

kobashi wrote:

Damn. Super league is gonna be a total M62 competition next year.

Sad times. I think Catalan will go down. Dunno why they got McNamara.

The championship will be more expansive than super league.

If Catalans go down, next year will be the most geographically restricted top division since before the game went professional in 1996. The game will have lost its club in the capital, its only French club, one of its few big city clubs with 10k+ crowd potential in Bradford, and its short-lived Welsh venture.

Nobody will be able to claim RL is doing anything other than going backwards. It'll be a literal truth.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:24 pm  

Location: London enough said

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:33 pm  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

If Catalans go down, next year will be the most geographically restricted top division since before the game went professional in 1996. The game will have lost its club in the capital, its only French club, one of its few big city clubs with 10k+ crowd potential in Bradford, and its short-lived Welsh venture.

Nobody will be able to claim RL is doing anything other than going backwards. It'll be a literal truth.

The trouble is with the clubs you mention is , they couldn't run a bath.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:01 pm  

Catalans, London and Bradford all competed in Wembley finals. Bradford were the dominant team in the competition for several years. Catalans and Bradford averaged crowds larger than the SL average. All three were/are RL's sole presence in media, player numbers and sponsorship markets which are larger than anything we still have except - maybe - Leeds.

There is no pretending that losing these three teams from SL is anything other than a major contraction of the sport in terms of support, sponsorship, potential players, and profile.

Re: Catalan Dragons v Widnes Vikings : Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:41 pm  

What can you do though?

It's a sport and thems the rules. Would you like to see non heartland and big city clubs exempt from relegation?